Pictures don't appear when camera plugged into PC

WesK1Trey · 02-21-2017, 06:38 PM

I recently purchased a K-3 II as a replacement for my K-50, which suffered an untimely death at the hands of the dreaded aperture motor failure.

After my first time shooting, I plugged the K-3 II into my PC and couldn't find the pictures I had taken. They're there, somewhere, as they show up on the camera when I hit the play button. A couple things probably worth mentioning:

1) In my excitement over my new piece of gear, I neglected to format the memory card before I first used it.
2) I had also grabbed a card that had some photo scans on it under a DCIM folder. Those are still there.

Am I SOL here? Or is there something new I need to do that I'm not aware of in order to get my photos onto my computer?

Thanks!

MarkJerling · 02-21-2017, 06:54 PM

Welcome to the forum. Any way to access the card with a card reader?
Are you shooting jpeg or raw?

**ramseybuckeye** · 02-21-2017, 07:05 PM

You probably are SOL. Probably what you are viewing is the jpg thumbnail. I hope I'm wrong, this happened to me once when I forgot to format a new card.

Not a Number · 02-21-2017, 07:12 PM

What OS?

Try a different cable.

Check the transfer mode setting in the setup menu.

Is there a PENTAXxx folder in the DCIM folder?

WesK1Trey · 02-21-2017, 09:47 PM

Thanks for all the help so far. To answer some of the questions:

1) I've tried a card reader, and I get the same (non)results.
2) I'm on a Windows 10 machine
3) The computer reads the card: I have two DCIM folders, but those seem to have been created when I had previously used the card to scan some photos, as they contain the photos I had scanned.
4) I'm shooting in RAW+
5) There is not a PENTAXxx folder in the DCIM folders.

Not a Number · 02-21-2017, 10:13 PM

There shouldn't be multiple DCIM folders. Only one in the root. In the DCIM folder should be folders starting with a 3 digit number. I was wrong about PENTAXxx. It depends on the settings you have for your Pentax.

You could try PhotoRec to see if it finds your RAW files. It may just find the JPEGs or just recover the TIF portion of the RAWs. When it does that the files are not usually readable.

PhotoRec - Digital Picture and File Recovery

Afterwards I would copy off your scanned files and format the card either with (preferred) SD Formatter in in-camera.

SD Card Formatter - SD Association

stevebrot · 02-21-2017, 10:31 PM

Reading this thread makes my brain hurt.

To the OP:

Are you sure you are able to review the images in camera? If so, the files (2 per exposure if you are shooting RAW+) are saved to one or both cards depending on settings.
How many cards are in the camera? Be sure you are looking for your files on the card the camera is writing to.
There should only be one DCIM folder on your card
Your K-3II uses a simple file system. Within the DCIM folder will be one or more folders. The naming convention for those folders is on page 76 of the user guide. The default is based on a three digit sequential number and the date (nnn_MMDD) with the option to use the format nnnPENTX instead. If you don't see folders with either of those naming conventions, your K-3II did not write to that card.

Again...If you are able to review and navigate through your photos using the camera's review feature, the photos have been written to file and should be readable by your computer using either a USB cable from the camera (see manual for instructions)* or by using a compatible card reader.

Steve

* If using a USB cable to the camera, be sure your battery is fully charged or that the camera is attached to the optional AC power supply. The USB cable connection draws power regardless of whether you are actively reading files.

Last edited by stevebrot; 02-21-2017 at 10:44 PM.

stevebrot · 02-21-2017, 10:49 PM

Originally posted by Not a Number

Afterwards I would copy off your scanned files and format the card either with (preferred) SD Formatter in in-camera.

SD Card Formatter - SD Association

This is important ^ ^ ^

The format utility that comes with your computer is not appropriate for file system found on SD cards. If your card cannot be written to or read, the SD Association has provided a free format utility that may be used to renew a corrupted file system. Follow up with an in-camera format for good measure.

Steve

02-21-2017, 06:38 PM	#1
WesK1Trey New Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 2	Pictures don't appear when camera plugged into PC I recently purchased a K-3 II as a replacement for my K-50, which suffered an untimely death at the hands of the dreaded aperture motor failure. After my first time shooting, I plugged the K-3 II into my PC and couldn't find the pictures I had taken. They're there, somewhere, as they show up on the camera when I hit the play button. A couple things probably worth mentioning: 1) In my excitement over my new piece of gear, I neglected to format the memory card before I first used it. 2) I had also grabbed a card that had some photo scans on it under a DCIM folder. Those are still there. Am I SOL here? Or is there something new I need to do that I'm not aware of in order to get my photos onto my computer? Thanks!

02-21-2017, 10:31 PM	#7
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Reading this thread makes my brain hurt. To the OP: Are you sure you are able to review the images in camera? If so, the files (2 per exposure if you are shooting RAW+) are saved to one or both cards depending on settings. How many cards are in the camera? Be sure you are looking for your files on the card the camera is writing to. There should only be one DCIM folder on your card Your K-3II uses a simple file system. Within the DCIM folder will be one or more folders. The naming convention for those folders is on page 76 of the user guide. The default is based on a three digit sequential number and the date (nnn_MMDD) with the option to use the format nnnPENTX instead. If you don't see folders with either of those naming conventions, your K-3II did not write to that card. Again...If you are able to review and navigate through your photos using the camera's review feature, the photos have been written to file and should be readable by your computer using either a USB cable from the camera (see manual for instructions)* or by using a compatible card reader. Steve * If using a USB cable to the camera, be sure your battery is fully charged or that the camera is attached to the optional AC power supply. The USB cable connection draws power regardless of whether you are actively reading files. Last edited by stevebrot; 02-21-2017 at 10:44 PM.

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02-21-2017, 06:54 PM	#2
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,406	Welcome to the forum. Any way to access the card with a card reader? Are you shooting jpeg or raw?

02-21-2017, 07:05 PM	#3
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,292	You probably are SOL. Probably what you are viewing is the jpg thumbnail. I hope I'm wrong, this happened to me once when I forgot to format a new card.

02-21-2017, 07:12 PM	#4
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	What OS? Try a different cable. Check the transfer mode setting in the setup menu. Is there a PENTAXxx folder in the DCIM folder?

02-21-2017, 09:47 PM	#5
WesK1Trey New Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 2 Original Poster	Thanks for all the help so far. To answer some of the questions: 1) I've tried a card reader, and I get the same (non)results. 2) I'm on a Windows 10 machine 3) The computer reads the card: I have two DCIM folders, but those seem to have been created when I had previously used the card to scan some photos, as they contain the photos I had scanned. 4) I'm shooting in RAW+ 5) There is not a PENTAXxx folder in the DCIM folders.

02-21-2017, 10:13 PM	#6
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	There shouldn't be multiple DCIM folders. Only one in the root. In the DCIM folder should be folders starting with a 3 digit number. I was wrong about PENTAXxx. It depends on the settings you have for your Pentax. You could try PhotoRec to see if it finds your RAW files. It may just find the JPEGs or just recover the TIF portion of the RAWs. When it does that the files are not usually readable. PhotoRec - Digital Picture and File Recovery Afterwards I would copy off your scanned files and format the card either with (preferred) SD Formatter in in-camera. SD Card Formatter - SD Association

02-21-2017, 10:49 PM	#8
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Not a Number Afterwards I would copy off your scanned files and format the card either with (preferred) SD Formatter in in-camera. SD Card Formatter - SD Association This is important ^ ^ ^ The format utility that comes with your computer is not appropriate for file system found on SD cards. If your card cannot be written to or read, the SD Association has provided a free format utility that may be used to renew a corrupted file system. Follow up with an in-camera format for good measure. Steve