CF card malfunction KILLS digital cameras?

[paulie_smith1]

<p>First, I could not find a general digital area to post this so it is in Nikon as this happened to two Nikon bodies. I don't know if it happens to other brands. I do not know enough about the digital electronics to understand what is going on. But, I do think it is worth posting as this has apparently happened to more than one person. Mods/ if you can figure a better place for this feel free to move it.</p>

<p>This from the link here: <a href="http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=39904">http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=39904</a></p>

<p>Put a Sandisk ExtremeIII 4GB card in my D300 to read - entire camera went dead. No response, will not power on, nothing in counter window at all. After cussing a bit, pulled the card and put in a second D300 body I have so I could finish my job. SAME THING HAPPENS on the second D300 body - completely dead. I can't power it on, nothing showing in the frame counter window at all - just blank.<br />Could this card have caused both my D300 bodies to die when I put it in them?? Had used that card many, many times before and it was the second card of three that I had used to shoot a Lacrosse game that day and had no issues with it them.... </p>

<p>--------------------------</p>

<p>Just had this happen to one maybe two D3 bodies.<br />One way to tell if you body is fried is to smell the card slot.. it may smell like burnt electric.<br />As Robert said it is about $375 to repair...</p>

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<p></p>

[owen_omeara]

<p>Thank you for posting this. I am waiting to read the replies. I have been using a d300 with the exact same card for a long time and have never had a problem of any kind, much less something like this. I have to think that Sandisk would feel some responsibility. I have trusted that company for a long time and this is a serious complication. Please post follow up. </p>

<p>-O</p>

[owen_omeara]

<p>PS. Has anyone had a similar problem with SD cards ?</p>

<p>-O</p>

[eric friedemann]

I'm using the Sandisk Class 10 4GB SD cards in my Fuji X100- which Fuji specifically recommends. So far so good.

[Barry Clemmons Photography]

<p>I have used primarily Lexar CF cards in my Nikon bodies over the years, but have also on occasion used SanDisk cards. I have never had any issues with either brand. Both have been approved by Nikon for use in their bodies. It sounds as though there is some type of short in the card causing the problem, which could happen to any brand I would have to assume. Was your SanDisk card new, or had you used it before?</p>

[elliot1]

<p>I have 5 Sandisk ExtremeIII 4GB cards and have never had an issue.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>I kind of doubt that the CF card can electronically damage camera bodies. However, if something is stuck in those little holes on the CF card, and you push that same card onto multiple camera bodies, potentially that card can bend the pins on one body after another. In that case I can see why both D300 are damaged.</p>

<p>Have you used a flashlight to inspect the CF compartment on both bodies and check for bent pins?</p>

[daverhaas]

<p>I think this was posted in another forum here a few days ago. </p>

<p>Shun - if there isn't a circuit breaker or voltage protector between the CF connection and the brains of the camera - I would think that it is theoretically possible for a short in the CF card itself to cause a current to get back to the brains and fry them. </p>

<p>Until the thread a few days ago and looking at the sportsshooter thread, I had never heard of this nor have I had it happen to any of my bodies. </p>

<p>One thing is for certain, if it does happen to me, Sandisk, Lexar or whomever made the card will be buying me a new camera or paying the repair bill. </p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

[john_tran14]

<p>It could happen to you</p>

<p>The following things you know can happen:<br>

- Plug a USM drive in your computer and your computer got a serious virus,stop working</p>

<p>- When you upgrade the firmware of digicam, copy some thing on a card,insert that card and turn the camera on. The new firmware will be installed</p>

<p>- You can play around with the firmware and end up sending the camera in for repair </p>

[john_h.1]

<blockquote>

<p>One thing is for certain, if it does happen to me, Sandisk, Lexar or whomever made the card will be buying me a new camera or paying the repair bill.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Manufacturers typically disclaim consequential damages limiting their exposure to the purchase price in the warranty documentation you get with the product. As long as there is a opportunity to return the item initially, you are probably stuck with the limitation. You could pursue a product liability case which could be very cumbersome and expensive. Even small claims court can produce challenges of that sort especially when technical evidence is involved.</p>

<p>The most likely scenario where the outcome above would occur is where there is an extra paid warranty that covers mostly everything, great customer service above what's legally required or desire to avoid bad publicity ect.</p>

[jim_bruzek]

<p>I had an Eye-Fi SD card kill the the card reader assembly in my Dell PC last week -- probably the same basic problem, when a card draws too much power from the host unit and causes a failure.</p>

[bruce_brown]

<p>Also define the source of the card ... trusted source? Ebay? Somewhere over the rainbow? Bogus 'branded' stuff floating about... worth being extra careful when inserting and using in $1-2-3000.00 bodies.</p>

[angkordave]

<p>There a lot of fake Sandisc Extreme cards around. Ive had 2 out of 3 fail on me. I live and bought them in SE Asia; Thailand and Malaysia; packaging looked legit but I would not trust one ever again. I use Kingston and Transcend and never had a problem. and BTW Ive not had camera damage from a CF card either.</p>

[chris_letts]

<p>warranties never cover for incidental damage, only cost of replacing (the card in this case) that's why the so-called 'lifetime warranty' you get with some cards isn't really worth anything as it just means you'll get a replacement card if it fails but you'll still have lost your files.<br>

As many people have said before MEMORY is cheap, MEMORIES are priceless, so buy good quality memory from a decent manufacturer !</p>