K-3 SD Card Management

DaveXT · 12-03-2013, 12:53 AM

I have an issue with SD card management, this may just be a "feature" of the Camera.
I have set the cards to sequential and find if I pull card 1 to download and then replace it, the camera selects card 2.
This is of course easy to change, but being a new feature to me I forget to check it and

wonder if card 2 fills up will it automatically then select card 2?

Adam · 12-03-2013, 12:56 AM

Originally posted by DaveXT

I have an issue with SD card management, this may just be a "feature" of the Camera.
I have set the cards to sequential and find if I pull card 1 to download and then replace it, the camera selects card 2.
This is of course easy to change, but being a new feature to me I forget to check it and

wonder if card 2 fills up will it automatically then select card 2?

This is a quirk with the camera. An easy fix is to power the camera off, remove the card, copy your files, re-insert it, and power it back on. Card 1 will then continue being selected.

However, if you power the camera on without card 1, it will automatically go to card 2 and stay there until it fills up, which is the behavior that you're observing.

The K-3 is missing a "primary sd card slot" option in its menu. Pentax might add this via a firmware update...

DaveXT · 12-03-2013, 01:17 AM

Yep, that's exactly what it does. it's my issue really but I still wonder if it does start with card 2 will it then select card 1 ?

Adam · 12-03-2013, 02:45 AM

Originally posted by DaveXT

Yep, that's exactly what it does. it's my issue really but I still wonder if it does start with card 2 will it then select card 1 ?

Yup, it will.

Adam
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dbh · 12-03-2013, 08:29 AM

I wonder if, when dealing with continuous high-speed shooting, the camera hits its transfer limit with the current SD card will it pop over to the other one, and then back-and-forth between them?
That would be cool.

mickyd · 02-05-2014, 11:20 PM

Hey guys,

Can you copy a photo from one SD card to the other while in the in the K3?

Cheers

Mike

**southlander** · 02-05-2014, 11:36 PM

Originally posted by dbh

I wonder if, when dealing with continuous high-speed shooting, the camera hits its transfer limit with the current SD card will it pop over to the other one, and then back-and-forth between them?
That would be cool.

I believe it has only one output interface to the cards. So if you ask the camera to write files to both Card 1 and Card 2 (ie duplicate mode), it does so sequentially, not in parallel. This would be something determined by the third party manufacturer of the processor board and chips.

mickyd · 02-05-2014, 11:44 PM

ah ok ... so what I want to do is this. Have an SD with stock photos in the camera slot2. take a photo saved to slot1. Copy that photo to card2. Take that card out give to a customer and put in another SD card with stock photos. Do the same with maybe 10 SD cards

Guessing its not possible?

**jbinpg** · 02-06-2014, 12:51 AM

If shooting RAW+, the raw file will be saved to SD1 and the jpeg to SD2. As far as I understand from the manual, this is all the automatic file management you get with stills shooting.

jup · 02-06-2014, 11:52 AM

Originally posted by mickyd

ah ok ... so what I want to do is this. Have an SD with stock photos in the camera slot2. take a photo saved to slot1. Copy that photo to card2. Take that card out give to a customer and put in another SD card with stock photos. Do the same with maybe 10 SD cards

Guessing its not possible?

Yes, you can do that. There's a copy function in play mode which can copy single photo, multiple photo or the whole folder from one card to another. But you will have to go through the selection process with each card, so for 10 cards it's probably not fastest. But doable.

mickyd · 02-06-2014, 02:53 PM

Awesome guys, thanks for the heads up. Jup, that is exactly what I want to do, Take a bunch of photos and copy them across to another SD card in the camera. Saves doing this with a laptop I guess. K3 on the way for me

---------- Post added 02-07-14 at 02:54 AM ----------

The K50 doesn't have dual cards does it?

12-03-2013, 12:53 AM	#1
DaveXT Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Melbourne Outer East Photos: Albums Posts: 94	K-3 SD Card Management I have an issue with SD card management, this may just be a "feature" of the Camera. I have set the cards to sequential and find if I pull card 1 to download and then replace it, the camera selects card 2. This is of course easy to change, but being a new feature to me I forget to check it and wonder if card 2 fills up will it automatically then select card 2?

12-03-2013, 12:56 AM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	Originally posted by DaveXT I have an issue with SD card management, this may just be a "feature" of the Camera. I have set the cards to sequential and find if I pull card 1 to download and then replace it, the camera selects card 2. This is of course easy to change, but being a new feature to me I forget to check it and wonder if card 2 fills up will it automatically then select card 2? This is a quirk with the camera. An easy fix is to power the camera off, remove the card, copy your files, re-insert it, and power it back on. Card 1 will then continue being selected. However, if you power the camera on without card 1, it will automatically go to card 2 and stay there until it fills up, which is the behavior that you're observing. The K-3 is missing a "primary sd card slot" option in its menu. Pentax might add this via a firmware update... Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

02-05-2014, 11:20 PM	#6
mickyd Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tasmania Posts: 26	copying SD cards Hey guys, Can you copy a photo from one SD card to the other while in the in the K3? Cheers Mike

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12-03-2013, 01:17 AM	#3
DaveXT Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Melbourne Outer East Photos: Albums Posts: 94 Original Poster	Yep, that's exactly what it does. it's my issue really but I still wonder if it does start with card 2 will it then select card 1 ?

12-03-2013, 02:45 AM	#4
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	Originally posted by DaveXT Yep, that's exactly what it does. it's my issue really but I still wonder if it does start with card 2 will it then select card 1 ? Yup, it will. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

12-03-2013, 08:29 AM	#5
dbh Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Edmonton Photos: Gallery Posts: 404	I wonder if, when dealing with continuous high-speed shooting, the camera hits its transfer limit with the current SD card will it pop over to the other one, and then back-and-forth between them? That would be cool.

02-05-2014, 11:36 PM	#7
southlander Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Adelaide Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,364	Originally posted by dbh I wonder if, when dealing with continuous high-speed shooting, the camera hits its transfer limit with the current SD card will it pop over to the other one, and then back-and-forth between them? That would be cool. I believe it has only one output interface to the cards. So if you ask the camera to write files to both Card 1 and Card 2 (ie duplicate mode), it does so sequentially, not in parallel. This would be something determined by the third party manufacturer of the processor board and chips.

02-05-2014, 11:44 PM	#8
mickyd Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tasmania Posts: 26	ah ok ... so what I want to do is this. Have an SD with stock photos in the camera slot2. take a photo saved to slot1. Copy that photo to card2. Take that card out give to a customer and put in another SD card with stock photos. Do the same with maybe 10 SD cards Guessing its not possible?

02-06-2014, 12:51 AM	#9
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	If shooting RAW+, the raw file will be saved to SD1 and the jpeg to SD2. As far as I understand from the manual, this is all the automatic file management you get with stills shooting.

02-06-2014, 11:52 AM	#10
jup Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 103	Originally posted by mickyd ah ok ... so what I want to do is this. Have an SD with stock photos in the camera slot2. take a photo saved to slot1. Copy that photo to card2. Take that card out give to a customer and put in another SD card with stock photos. Do the same with maybe 10 SD cards Guessing its not possible? Yes, you can do that. There's a copy function in play mode which can copy single photo, multiple photo or the whole folder from one card to another. But you will have to go through the selection process with each card, so for 10 cards it's probably not fastest. But doable.

02-06-2014, 02:53 PM	#11
mickyd Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tasmania Posts: 26	Awesome guys, thanks for the heads up. Jup, that is exactly what I want to do, Take a bunch of photos and copy them across to another SD card in the camera. Saves doing this with a laptop I guess. K3 on the way for me ---------- Post added 02-07-14 at 02:54 AM ---------- The K50 doesn't have dual cards does it?