Traveller_Jeff

After shooting about 300 photos last night of an event (thank goodness, it was a social, and not a paying job), I found that my camera had somehow switched folders and only the folder to which it switched could be accessed later on. There were only 18 shots on that one. The original folder would not open. I have several folders still filled with images, but enough room for another 600 images on the camera. In looking through each of these folders, there was one which looked decidedly different:

Instead of showing a half filled folder which is what the graphic normally creates, the original folder showed upper and lower section of a folder along with a message: "Selected folder number cannot be used. Choose another folder number." In front of this message there was a large exclamation point.

Near the end of the photo shoot, I had replaced my battery. Also, during the shoot, at times I was using the high-speed option (10 frames/second), but I'm sure I had allowed all the photos to transfer from buffer to card before switching the camera off to replace the battery. Can this apparently damaged folder be opened? Suggestions hugely welcome!

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

What are you using to look at the card?

Traveller_Jeff

The camera. My laptop is back home. I'm praying that when I hook the camera up to it, that it allows me to inspect the folder.

Jim-Pops Loc: Granbury, Texas

One time in the past I had a similar experience, not with a D500, probably D600. I plugged the camera directly into my computer and turned the camera on. The computer then saw the card/pictures and I was able to download all the pictures. Then I reformatted the card using the camera and all has been fine since.

BebuLamar

wouldn't the camera automatically create new folder when it ran out of numbers on the frames? If so the creation of new folder could be normal but the fact that the old folder can not be read is a problem.

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

I would suggest that you use something other than that to check it out. I doubt you will be able to access them that way since you're still using the card slot on the camera. The more you try to access it on your camera, the more likely that things will get worse. Use a card reader either in your laptop or one that connects via USB. There is software on the Internet for either purchase or possibly free, that you can download and install to help recover damaged or lost files on a memory card. Check the website of the card manufacturer first to see if they have any for their cards.

Traveller_Jeff

Thank you, Mountain Man. I'll do so when I get back home.

Traveller_Jeff

Final upshot: Once I got home, I connected the Nikon to my laptop and discovered the folder in question was no longer concealed. I opened it in the usual way and downloaded all the images.

But the question remains: Why did this happen in the first place? I found that the folder was holding 497 images. Could it be that each folder has a maximum capacity of 500 images and after it reaches that limit, that it opens a new folder? The Nikon D500 manual makes no mention of that. In addition, once that 500 putative limit was reached, why wasn't I able to review them on the camera? I had to wait until I could download them to my computer to review them. If that's the case, it's something that Nikon needs to remedy. Does any of this sound plausible? Thanks again to those of you who offered suggestions.

BebuLamar

What was the last file number in that folder?

Traveller_Jeff

8868. What's your thinking that led you to asking that interesting question?

BebuLamar

I think the Nikon keeps incrementing the file numbers unless you reset it. So let say the files number was 5000 and you insert a blank card the camera would start at 5001 and not 1. When the file number gets to a certain value it would reset to zero but the camera would create another folder that what I think.

Traveller_Jeff

I see what you're getting at, but no, the way I calculated it was to hover over the folder, click "properties" and found the total number of files as well as how many megabytes. I've seen those resets before, but they never prevented the full folder from being opened in the camera for review of previously taken photos. I may call NikonUSA tomorrow and talk to them about this.

ToBoldlyGo Loc: London U.K.

Do you normally format the card in camera before using it?

ronichas Loc: Long Island

I have never used the folder set up in any of my Nikons. I know by the dates listed when the images were taken, if I am using the same memory card for a few days of shooting.

I bought the book, *Mastering the Nikon D500* from RockyNook.
I am willing to sell this to anyone interested. Cost was $45, I will sell for $25 plus shipping.

nikon123 Loc: Toronto, Canada

I am a D500 owner. Typically, I will shoot 100 plus photos per day. I upload these daily into the computer and format the card. When on vacation, I will typically cease using the memory card when the image count reaches 500 or so.I don't upload them to my computer until I return home, while guarding these flash cards as if they were gold. The only problem that I have found with the camera is that the exposure settings ont work sometimes, afetr shooing a number of images, until I turn off the camera, turn it on and then resume shooting. I guess this is a long way about saying that I do not use folders in camera, dont know their purpose and don't know evidently, why and how to access them.