amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

This is the first I've ever heard that erasing would "damage" a digital camera.... but I've only used a few dozen different models and taken a few million digital images in the past 20 years.

That said, I do very little actual "erasing"... If I take a shot of my toes accidentally, I might erase it from the camera if I have time. Or sometimes when I'm shooting fast and furious, replay an image to see if a caught a fleeting moment but find I missed it, I might delete a bad image in disgust.

Most of the time I leave the vast majority of my images on the card until I download it later... Even then I don't erase it or "move" it. I "copy" it instead, leaving the original on the card just in case, until I've checked the copied images and further backed them up.

But even then I don't erase the images from the card. Only later when I swap it into the camera, I'll format it (quick format, not a low level format). In-camera formatting is simply one of my steps whenever I swap cards (old images are still on there). In camera formatting is as good as erasing, although it doesn't actually erase much. It simply marks the data on the card as "okay to overwrite" with new images.

Because I use a number of memory cards (modest size to hold between 250 and 500 images, usually... though I have a few larger ones that can accommodate 1000 RAW files), and because often when I shoot events i take several thousand image, I frequently change cards and format them in-camera in this manner. Knock on wood, I've never had a problem such as the one described.... "locking up" the camera. But, again, I also don't "erase" very much, per se. I format in-camera instead.

With probably 100 or more different memory cards over the years, I've had exactly two "bad" ones. One was dead and unusable right out of the package, brand new. Wouldn't format and I got a message it was unreadable. The other card appeared to die after the very first use. We'd filled it and downloaded some of the files from it okay... but when we went to download the rest it was inaccessible.

The only other card-related "problems" were my own fault. Once I opened the door and removed a card too quickly, while the camera was still writing to it. That caused corruption throughout the card. We were able to save about 2/3 of the images using recovery software. Formatted the card in-computer (using the recovery software), then again in camera before shooting with it.... no further problems and the card continued to work fine. (Note: it was an older camera model that was slow writing data.... even with it this was the only time I've pulled a card out "too quickly".)

Another time I reconfigured my USB connections to add something, re-routing my memory card reader through a USB hub. I started getting some corrupt images during downloads. As soon as I wised up and re-connected the card reader, problem solved. (No images lost since I was "copying", instead of "moving" the images.)

I wonder if the original poster's problem is unique to that particular brand or even model of camera?

If it happened to me, I'd "reboot" the camera and try to reset everything to the defaults, then try it with a different memory card. If that didn't work, I'd have a tech look at the memory card slot to see if there was an obstruction, oxidization or loose wire or something (SD card slots are pretty hard to damage.... Compact Flash card slots have 40 little pins that are easily bent and broken if a card is forced into them.)

Different cameras "reboot" differently (if it's even possible... some I know it's not). it's a matter of removing the batteries and letting the camera sit (or draining the power by "tripping the shutter" a couple times without batteries.. though the shutter won't actually trip and no image will be recorded). If the camera has a user-replaceable time/date battery, that needs to be removed along with the main rechargeable battery.

Many newer models now have the time/date battery inside and inaccessible to users... so probably can't be rebooted in this manner. But most have some form of "reset" in the firmware (or in some cases done with some external button combination).

If possible, re-installing or updating the firmware also might help or be an alternative to "rebooting". However, this usually requires a freshly formatted memory card in the camera, even when the firmware update is being done from a computer via a USB cable.

I'm just guessing... but to me this sounds less like a hardware problem and more like a software (firmware) glitch. An exception would be a fault in the memory card slot. With most types of memory, that's unlikely to cause further problems on the main board fo the camera (it's rare, but I have seen a bent pin on a CF card slot cause a short that fried the innards of a camera... you have to bend particular pins in certain ways to have that happen... this can't happen with SD and other types of memory).

If none of the above helped solve the problem, I'd be talking to the techs at the manufacturer's service dept. If there's a known-issue, they'd be the most likely ones to know about it!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

That sounds like pure BS to me. While it is true that erasing images in the camera USED TO have a high potential of card corruption, about a decade ago, it is unlikely that would occur on a modern body. Modern is anything after about 2010.

Try using a different memory card AFTER removing the battery for an hour or so. If that model has a clock back-up battery (usually a button cell or coin-shaped cell of some sort), remove it for the hour as well.

Another possibility is that the camera firmware is corrupt. Check with Sony's website to see whether you can get a newer version of the camera's firmware. If one is available, CAREFULLY follow the instructions for download, unpacking, and transfer from your computer to the camera. Be sure the battery is fully charged before doing the update. Firmware updates can solve a multitude of problems!

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

You made my day! I almost spit out my coffee when I read your post, blub

Toby

I have never experienced or heard of such a thing. I want to say it's BS but everyday I learn something new. Please keep us posted on how this turns out

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

Well, this a very interesting and entertaining thread! I have a Sony a6000 also and have never had the problem the OP describes; but, then, I rarely delete images in-camera.

In all seriousness, it sounds like the OP got some good answers; but, I like the OP’s solution best. Just buy that 24mp camera you want!!😊

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

I have found some cleaning sprays dissolve plastic.

Bill_de Loc: US

That was all very interesting, and helpful!

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zzzynick Loc: Colorado

Sony builds planned obsolesce, into everything they make.
They build it to break. Look at all the dead play stations.
I wouldn't buy anything from Sony.

Bill_de Loc: US

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TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I dunno, I’ve had half a dozen Sony TVs, some for ~20 years, and never had a failure.

BebuLamar

My Sony TV's have the same problem, doesn't want to power on.

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

As for getting new guts for a camera i doubt that was the problem. It was probably a card problem. I reformat in camera always. Never in computer since I do not know which format the camera wants on the card. You do not say if you tried a new card in the camera. You also do not say if you were trying a card that was too large a memory for your older camera. I had a small pocket 12 mpx camera that will not take a card larger than it was created to accept. If I took a card the right size formatted by the computer the camera saw as you described and told me it was a bad card. Put in a new card the same size and formatted in that 12 mpx camera and it was ok with it.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I bought a Sony TV in 1982. I gave it away in 2009. It still worked, but needed a digital adapter, and I didn't want to bother.

I never had any trouble with it.

I still have a small portable Sony reel-to-reel tape recorder that works fine.

But PlayStations are another matter. We have a PS2 that died an early death.

It is important to note that Sony's camera division is an evolution of Konica Minolta, which was a merger of Konica and Minolta.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

My now adult son still has his PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 all in perfect working condition. My few other Sony products, some well over 10 years old, are in perfect working order. While I'm not a fan of Sony cameras, you post is a very oversimplified and inaccurate over the top rant.

OviedoPhotos

This is BS. Since I went digital in 2004 I've always reformatted the card in camera. When I'm done taking pics I place the card into my computer, a MAC btw, copy the card to the HD, and then reformat in the camera. I've had a couple of cards go bad but I usually keep a stock of cards anyway. Not once has a camera ever failed me, granted I usually get a new one every 4 years.