'Camera Cannot Display This Image' message

BassGrrl · 07-26-2012, 03:39 PM

I apologize if this has been discussed elsewhere, but I couldn't find it.

My camera saves some images, but randomly (as far as I can tell) says that an image has not been saved, and when I go back to look through the photos taken, I get the message 'Camera Cannot Display This Image.'

When I try to open them on my computer, I get this message: Couldn’t open the file. It may be corrupt or a file format that Preview doesn’t recognize.

In that particular batch, I had the camera set to take JPG and RAW, and the RAW version is there. Unfortunately, probably to save dwindling space on the card, all the rest were taken only as JPG, and none survived. I don't have my cable or card reader, so I can't check to see if the same has happened with this current batch of photos, which includes a lot of the same message in review on the camera.

Any ideas, other than to make sure to get a new, high quality card for future shots? I will do that, but wonder if there is something else that may be causing this issue.

Thanks for any advice/information.

Adam · 07-26-2012, 05:00 PM

I'd recommend formatting the card and/or trying a different card. If that doesn't fix the problem, then there's something wrong with your camera, but that's highly unlikely. Certain cheap SD cards can perform very poorly, so chances are that that's it.

Docrwm · 07-26-2012, 05:14 PM

What Adam said! Seriously, I try to only format my SD cards in the camera in which they are being used, avoid lots of problems that way.

Chaos_Realm · 07-26-2012, 05:35 PM

+1 for formatting in the camera you are using.

But you might be able to recover the photos with recovery software to "repair" corrupted images. I have never tried it but it's worth a shot before you format your card.

Docrwm · 07-26-2012, 05:39 PM

Originally posted by Chaos_Realm

+1 for formatting in the camera you are using.

But you might be able to recover the photos with recovery software to "repair" corrupted images. I have never tried it but it's worth a shot before you format your card.

I've had good luck with RescuePro from SanDisk.

Zaphodmonster · 07-26-2012, 05:56 PM

I had a similar problem with my K7 when I first got it. Some files were fine and others gave the same message you are describing. What fixed my issue was a firmware update to the most current firmware for my particuar camera. I'm not sure but perhaps you might benefit from an update if you have not already done so.

Hope it works out alright

calsan · 07-26-2012, 06:11 PM

Don't keep shooting on a card when it's getting close to full either.. The 'fullness' is only an estimate by the camera, so you could corrupt the files by running out of space.

Impartial · 07-26-2012, 07:17 PM

Also, if you are shooting a K10D, please check your firmware version. If it is less than 1.31, I suggest that you update -- there were fixes for compatibility with certain SD cards in version 1.31 .

I know that your message can be caused by this issue, because I had the same problem on my K200D. I updated the firmware, and the problem disappeared, with all cards of the brand in question . . .

abmj · 07-28-2012, 12:28 AM

I was having the same problem awhile back. Tossed the SD card and replaced with high quality cards. Have not had that problem since.

jeantree · 07-04-2013, 08:12 AM

where do I go to check on firmware? I am having the same problem with my Kx, The SD card is a good one and is about 3/4 full (5g of 15g is free) I guess that is 2/3 full. I actually took 2 pictures today and saw them on review, shortly after taking them but then a few minutes later, after having turned the camera off then back on, it said unable to display image. Then when I put the card on the computer today's folder is there, but it says the folder is empty. Will reformatting fix this?

**RKKS08** · 07-04-2013, 06:00 PM

Originally posted by jeantree

Will reformatting fix this?

No one can tell. It depends on what caused the probems.

If one of the FATs (File Allocation Tables) is stored in an area which was not detected to be weak by the controller within the SD card, formatting MAY help. This depends of whether the controller will repeatedly write and read (for error detection) during the formatting process. Such details are kept secret by the manufacturers of the cards/controllers, as the controller design makes up for the biggest difference in card performance and reliability.

A single faulty storage bit in a non-FAT area would not cause the symptoms you decribed. Because of the limited number of write processes during life-time of these cards, the controllers try to evenly use all the space on the card. This means, if you delete a file and then store the same file again, it will be on a completely different position of the card.

I myself would format the card in the camera, but I would not expect it to cure the problem.

Francis · 07-05-2013, 09:04 AM

Originally posted by jeantree

where do I go to check on firmware?

Turning on the camera while pressing "menu" or "info" button, I think shows the current firmware version.

hayden · 07-12-2017, 10:03 AM

I just started having this problem with a K10D. This has been working fine for many months (hundreds of images) with the same memory card so I doubt it is a firmware or compatibility issues issue. It's a Sandisk card and has been nearly empty. I reformatted the card in the camera and got a couple shots before the trouble started again. When I can get out I will buy another card. In the meantime I will try an old card if I can dig one up. FWIW when I put the card in a card reader on my computer it detects the file name for the sick file (also shown on camera display) but reports a 0 byte file, i.e., no info in the file, just a name with no data.

I'm adding this to an old thread because this is the first thread that comes up in a Google search.

jack002 · 07-12-2017, 01:22 PM

Originally posted by jeantree

where do I go to check on firmware? I am having the same problem with my Kx, The SD card is a good one and is about 3/4 full (5g of 15g is free) I guess that is 2/3 full. I actually took 2 pictures today and saw them on review, shortly after taking them but then a few minutes later, after having turned the camera off then back on, it said unable to display image. Then when I put the card on the computer today's folder is there, but it says the folder is empty. Will reformatting fix this?

Checking firmware on the K-x, look at this page
Pentax K-x - Pentax K-mount DSLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

Latest firmware is 1.03 for it.
The link for it here
Latest K-x Firmware Update : Software Downloads | RICOH IMAGING

On that page it tells how to check
K-x
To check the version number, turn your camera on while holding down the MENU button.
The version number will appear in the center of the LCD screen.

**icman95** · 01-26-2019, 04:50 AM

I realize that there are years of posts in various threads on this topic, but I just fell victim to the problem and found the solution in these pages. As several posters have suggested, unless you have a physical problem (ie you dropped it, the card is mangled, etc) the issue is the firmware.

I was running an older 2gig SD in my k20d no problem. I purchased and installed a new micro 16gig but remembered somewhere in the back of my mind that anything over 4gigs may cause a problem. As I have had the camera for the better part of a decade, haven't read the owner's manual since I unboxed it, and haven't updated the firmware ever I took my chances knowing it might fail.

I was pleasantly surprised when I seemingly had no problems photographing the Key West sunset with the new card. And then it happened... "camera cannot display image" or "image not stored".

After researching the issue here, I found that the original firmware can't handle writing to the bigger size memory cards. This is the warning that was sitting in the back of my mind. There is an update available on the camera manufacturer's website. I found the latest version to be 1.04. You will need to download the update to your laptop and then transfer it to a blank SD card. Make very sure it is the only thing on the card. Prior to transferring to the card, open and extract from the zip file. Transfer only the .bin file. The txt file is your instruction sheet stating how to do the update. Read it carefully.

Make sure you have a good charge on your battery and that you don't accidentally turn off the camera's power during the update. The instructions state that if power goes down before the update completes, the camera will be irreparably damaged and factory service is the only way to recover it.

Once the file is on the SD card, insert it in the camera with the power off. Then hold the menu button while turning the power on. You will get a prompt on the screen to update. Select yes and hit ok. Then do NOTHING until it's done. The screen will say " complete". It takes perhaps 90 seconds +/-.

This procedure fixed my problem instantly. I shot many frames on the highest resolution settings with absolutely no issues. Thank you forum members who posted the information!

07-26-2012, 03:39 PM	#1
BassGrrl Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 20	'Camera Cannot Display This Image' message I apologize if this has been discussed elsewhere, but I couldn't find it. My camera saves some images, but randomly (as far as I can tell) says that an image has not been saved, and when I go back to look through the photos taken, I get the message 'Camera Cannot Display This Image.' When I try to open them on my computer, I get this message: Couldn’t open the file. It may be corrupt or a file format that Preview doesn’t recognize. In that particular batch, I had the camera set to take JPG and RAW, and the RAW version is there. Unfortunately, probably to save dwindling space on the card, all the rest were taken only as JPG, and none survived. I don't have my cable or card reader, so I can't check to see if the same has happened with this current batch of photos, which includes a lot of the same message in review on the camera. Any ideas, other than to make sure to get a new, high quality card for future shots? I will do that, but wonder if there is something else that may be causing this issue. Thanks for any advice/information.

07-26-2012, 05:00 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	I'd recommend formatting the card and/or trying a different card. If that doesn't fix the problem, then there's something wrong with your camera, but that's highly unlikely. Certain cheap SD cards can perform very poorly, so chances are that that's it. 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:

07-26-2012, 07:17 PM	#8
Impartial Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 208	Firmware version? Also, if you are shooting a K10D, please check your firmware version. If it is less than 1.31, I suggest that you update -- there were fixes for compatibility with certain SD cards in version 1.31 . I know that your message can be caused by this issue, because I had the same problem on my K200D. I updated the firmware, and the problem disappeared, with all cards of the brand in question . . .

07-05-2013, 09:04 AM	#12
Francis Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hilversum Photos: Gallery Posts: 215	Originally posted by jeantree where do I go to check on firmware? Turning on the camera while pressing "menu" or "info" button, I think shows the current firmware version. Last edited by Francis; 07-05-2013 at 01:55 PM.

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07-26-2012, 05:14 PM	#3
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	What Adam said! Seriously, I try to only format my SD cards in the camera in which they are being used, avoid lots of problems that way.

07-26-2012, 05:35 PM	#4
Chaos_Realm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,251	+1 for formatting in the camera you are using. But you might be able to recover the photos with recovery software to "repair" corrupted images. I have never tried it but it's worth a shot before you format your card.

07-26-2012, 05:39 PM	#5
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by Chaos_Realm +1 for formatting in the camera you are using. But you might be able to recover the photos with recovery software to "repair" corrupted images. I have never tried it but it's worth a shot before you format your card. I've had good luck with RescuePro from SanDisk.

07-26-2012, 05:56 PM	#6
Zaphodmonster Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 151	I had a similar problem with my K7 when I first got it. Some files were fine and others gave the same message you are describing. What fixed my issue was a firmware update to the most current firmware for my particuar camera. I'm not sure but perhaps you might benefit from an update if you have not already done so. Hope it works out alright

07-26-2012, 06:11 PM	#7
calsan Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,549	Don't keep shooting on a card when it's getting close to full either.. The 'fullness' is only an estimate by the camera, so you could corrupt the files by running out of space.

07-28-2012, 12:28 AM	#9
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	I was having the same problem awhile back. Tossed the SD card and replaced with high quality cards. Have not had that problem since.

07-04-2013, 08:12 AM	#10
jeantree Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Missouri Photos: Gallery Posts: 221	where do I go to check on firmware? I am having the same problem with my Kx, The SD card is a good one and is about 3/4 full (5g of 15g is free) I guess that is 2/3 full. I actually took 2 pictures today and saw them on review, shortly after taking them but then a few minutes later, after having turned the camera off then back on, it said unable to display image. Then when I put the card on the computer today's folder is there, but it says the folder is empty. Will reformatting fix this?

07-04-2013, 06:00 PM	#11
RKKS08 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Frankfurt am Main Posts: 1,241	Originally posted by jeantree Will reformatting fix this? No one can tell. It depends on what caused the probems. If one of the FATs (File Allocation Tables) is stored in an area which was not detected to be weak by the controller within the SD card, formatting MAY help. This depends of whether the controller will repeatedly write and read (for error detection) during the formatting process. Such details are kept secret by the manufacturers of the cards/controllers, as the controller design makes up for the biggest difference in card performance and reliability. A single faulty storage bit in a non-FAT area would not cause the symptoms you decribed. Because of the limited number of write processes during life-time of these cards, the controllers try to evenly use all the space on the card. This means, if you delete a file and then store the same file again, it will be on a completely different position of the card. I myself would format the card in the camera, but I would not expect it to cure the problem.

07-12-2017, 10:03 AM	#13
hayden New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: USA Posts: 5	I just started having this problem with a K10D. This has been working fine for many months (hundreds of images) with the same memory card so I doubt it is a firmware or compatibility issues issue. It's a Sandisk card and has been nearly empty. I reformatted the card in the camera and got a couple shots before the trouble started again. When I can get out I will buy another card. In the meantime I will try an old card if I can dig one up. FWIW when I put the card in a card reader on my computer it detects the file name for the sick file (also shown on camera display) but reports a 0 byte file, i.e., no info in the file, just a name with no data. I'm adding this to an old thread because this is the first thread that comes up in a Google search.

07-12-2017, 01:22 PM	#14
jack002 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Missouri Photos: Albums Posts: 727	Originally posted by jeantree where do I go to check on firmware? I am having the same problem with my Kx, The SD card is a good one and is about 3/4 full (5g of 15g is free) I guess that is 2/3 full. I actually took 2 pictures today and saw them on review, shortly after taking them but then a few minutes later, after having turned the camera off then back on, it said unable to display image. Then when I put the card on the computer today's folder is there, but it says the folder is empty. Will reformatting fix this? Checking firmware on the K-x, look at this page Pentax K-x - Pentax K-mount DSLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications Latest firmware is 1.03 for it. The link for it here Latest K-x Firmware Update : Software Downloads \| RICOH IMAGING On that page it tells how to check K-x To check the version number, turn your camera on while holding down the MENU button. The version number will appear in the center of the LCD screen.

01-26-2019, 04:50 AM	#15
icman95 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Coventry, CT Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 15	I realize that there are years of posts in various threads on this topic, but I just fell victim to the problem and found the solution in these pages. As several posters have suggested, unless you have a physical problem (ie you dropped it, the card is mangled, etc) the issue is the firmware. I was running an older 2gig SD in my k20d no problem. I purchased and installed a new micro 16gig but remembered somewhere in the back of my mind that anything over 4gigs may cause a problem. As I have had the camera for the better part of a decade, haven't read the owner's manual since I unboxed it, and haven't updated the firmware ever I took my chances knowing it might fail. I was pleasantly surprised when I seemingly had no problems photographing the Key West sunset with the new card. And then it happened... "camera cannot display image" or "image not stored". After researching the issue here, I found that the original firmware can't handle writing to the bigger size memory cards. This is the warning that was sitting in the back of my mind. There is an update available on the camera manufacturer's website. I found the latest version to be 1.04. You will need to download the update to your laptop and then transfer it to a blank SD card. Make very sure it is the only thing on the card. Prior to transferring to the card, open and extract from the zip file. Transfer only the .bin file. The txt file is your instruction sheet stating how to do the update. Read it carefully. Make sure you have a good charge on your battery and that you don't accidentally turn off the camera's power during the update. The instructions state that if power goes down before the update completes, the camera will be irreparably damaged and factory service is the only way to recover it. Once the file is on the SD card, insert it in the camera with the power off. Then hold the menu button while turning the power on. You will get a prompt on the screen to update. Select yes and hit ok. Then do NOTHING until it's done. The screen will say " complete". It takes perhaps 90 seconds +/-. This procedure fixed my problem instantly. I shot many frames on the highest resolution settings with absolutely no issues. Thank you forum members who posted the information!