[elne]

I'm unsure whether this is a Pentax k10 or a Mac 10.4.11 problem. Sometimes when I've downloaded a batch of photos,2 or 3 0f them,out of,say 50 ,will be black thumbnails. The images can be previewed in the camera but not downloaded.
I'd appreciate any suggestions.

[mattdm]

Or, perhaps a problem with the SD card.

[Gunsotsu]

My money is on the card.

[tybeck]

In most cases thumbnails are small picture files embedded in the file itself or stored elsewhere. With JPEGs they can be embedded and I'm not sure about RAW, but my gut tells me they thumbnails can't be stored in the file. Any program worth its salt will write a thumbnail if one is not present. As for your card, it's odd that you can preview them and not download them. Do you get some kind of read error on your Mac?. Try another card (different brand if you can) for a while and/or load the picture files another way (say from a card reader and not with the camera), that should help find the problem. I've had some weird, reproducible issues with SD cards myself, in each case the solution was to use a card reader (you can get them online cheap, mine was $6).

Good luck.

[codiac2600]

moved so you can hopefully get more help on this topic.

[ve2vfd]

My guess is also on the card, have you tried using another card?

Pat

[elne]

Thanks for suggestions.Certainly the card seems a likely suspect though I'm still puzzled why I can still preview in camera. So I'll try different cards.No error messages in the mac.,though.Thanks again

[Redwood10D]

I'm unsure whether this is a Pentax k10 or a Mac 10.4.11 problem. Sometimes when I've downloaded a batch of photos,2 or 3 0f them,out of,say 50 ,will be black thumbnails. The images can be previewed in the camera but not downloaded.
I'd appreciate any suggestions.

I used to get the same problem but found that it was my version of iPhoto not liking my RAW shots. It could also have to do with the way you have formatted your shots in the camera ( read: file tags).

How are you loading them in? Cable from camera, card reader, ?

[Matjazz]

In most cases thumbnails are small picture files embedded in the file itself or stored elsewhere. With JPEGs they can be embedded and I'm not sure about RAW, but my gut tells me they thumbnails can't be stored in the file.

Pentax RAW (PEF) files have embedded thumbnails and preview images. What you're looking at on your camera's LCD is not RAW but the embedded thumbnail or preview image (if zoomed in).
Since the raw data takes the bigger portion of PEF file it will more likely be corrupt by write errors. My bet is that those write errors are caused by card. If it was your mac or software you probably wouldn't see any PEF images not just some of them

[afs760bf]

I think the software has trouble displaying the thumbnails because the original files are so big. I have the same problem on my PC. It won't display the thumbnails for the RAW files because it generates them on the fly and it just takes too much time. Thumbnails for the JPGs are generated just fine.

[NaClH2O]

I'm unsure whether this is a Pentax k10 or a Mac 10.4.11 problem. Sometimes when I've downloaded a batch of photos,2 or 3 0f them,out of,say 50 ,will be black thumbnails. The images can be previewed in the camera but not downloaded.
I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Tho I was using a PC not a Mac, turned out to be the card reader. Once I replaced the reader I have had no problems since.

NaCl(hope that helps)H2O

[jnorth]

I have a PB G4 1.5 GHz OS 10.4.11, K10D, istDS, a WP and a Treo (for data not pictures). I shoot raw with the DSLRs. I have 9 cards that I rotate around use. I used to use an SD to PC card adapter, now I use the little USB2 'card reader' that comes with some of the Lexar 4g SD cards. Once in a blue moon I would use a more traditional, multi format, card reader, but I don't know if I have used the card reader more than once with 10.4.11. I have yet to experience any hiccup with any of my pics, or data on my cards. I always reformat when done downloading the images. With a compact flash card I once had a problem after only deleting images, shortly after that I read the advice about reformatting instead of deleting. It is possible to have a wonky card, or according to what I read, run into problems with the directory if you only delete instead of reformatting, or having a problem with your transfer means. I don't think it is the fault of the camera or computer though.

[elne]

I think you might have cracked it for me J. since I've never bothered re-formatting after downloading.This would accord with what others have indicated that the problem was the card - as well as my ignorance. I'll re-format in future. Thanks again.