I was shooting with my Z7 today, recording (thankfully) on tape and compact flash. I noticed the LCD display flashing 'CF' whilst recording and I noticed an error message on the compact flash unit saying 'Format Error'.

I've put the card into the PC and it's saying something like 'drive K is not formatted, format now?'. I've clicked no, but I wondered if the files are easily recoverable from the card, otherwise I'll just capture the tape.

BTW, I was recording in DV and on a 32GB Kingston card (133x write speed).

Matt

I suspect that you had deleted the previous files from the card, via your PC? Sometimes when I do that, the card will read 'format error' and needs to be reformated before it will record correctly.

No, I had formatted the card before the recording. I had recorded a number of files on the card until the error occurred.

Had you formatted the card in the Z7 card slot or on your PC?

I had formatted it in the Z7.

Mmm ...

Well your card sounds like a UDMA (133 speed) and you formatted in the Z7.

Do you use the card for anything else? When you look at the card on your PC, are there any 'locked' or 'protected' files on it?

The camera link is 'on' (when mounted on the Z7)?

Does the Kingston card come with a 'retrieval' software package?

Stu

I've got a felling it's a bad card. I've only used it two or three times before I had the problem. It didn't come with any recovery software, and when I tried a (free) generic recovery program it said the media was too badly damaged to recover the files.

The card has only ever been used in the Z7 and formatted in the Z7 too.

Matt,

Fair enough. Depending on how long you have had the disk, you could always return it for a refund or an exchange.

Just as an idea of a replacement, I have a pair of 16Gb UDMA Lexar cards (with a Lexar reader). It comes complete with a software retrieval package and most popular internet resellers stock these items.

Let us know how you get on.

Stu

Hi Stu

Yes, I'm going to contact the retailer to get an exchange. I've got four compact flash cards, a Sandisk Extreme III 16GB, a Kingston 133x 16GB and a Hama 32GB 200x, besides the errant card. They've all worked fine so far and I've shot many hours of video on all of them.

I'll let you know what happens.

Hi
I had the same problem But i think it is no problem with the Kingston card just a problem of compatibility. I have used my Kingston card for more then 8 months in my Canon 5D mk II and i had no problems what so ever, and last week i wanted to use with my Z7 and had "Format error". So i think the card is OK but sometime can have a conflict whit the Z7. I will newer use Kingston 32GB 133x in my Z7, but i will use in Canon 5D mk II.

I've just been reading this post and thought I offer some of my experiences with CF cards and the Z7. I initially had problems with cf cards that had slow speeds below 300x. I'm know using a 64 gb card that is 500x speed and haven't had a problem. Prior to this card I was using a 16gb card 300x speed which also worked fine.

I agree with Jon, speed seems to be a factor. The threshold for success seems to be around 266x. Anything below that has not been reliable for me.

I've just been reading this post and thought I offer some of my experiences with CF cards and the Z7. I initially had problems with cf cards that had slow speeds below 300x. I'm know using a 64 gb card that is 500x speed and haven't had a problem. Prior to this card I was using a 16gb card 300x speed which also worked fine.
What make is the 64gb card Jon? Do you have a supplier please?

SanDisk Extreme Pro in 16, 32, & 64 GB.

Whooooo - not cheap are they ;)

Compared to P2 cards they are. Our TV station bought 32GB P2 cards and I was told they were $1000 each. I found the 64GB compact flash at $699.

What make is the 64gb card Jon? Do you have a supplier please?

Hi Hedley,

I use Photofast 64gb cards in my Z7's. You can buy them from Birdwatchers Online Store (http://birdwatchersonline.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=26). I haven't had any problems with the cards.

I discovered that if you formatted the 32GB cards they went bad, i got an error code on the MRC1K, and I had to return them. These are Transcend 133x which otherwise work perfectly well. Now I never format them, just delete all clips, and so far not a problem.
The 16GB version of the same card works perfectly well, I can format them and they work afterwards!

Interesting - I've had three Transcend 133x cards go bad on me - one when I dropped it, one when I tried to format it, and one when I removed it while the camera was switched on. I'll take your advice and delete only - thanks. Can't afford the premium for 64Mb cards yet.

I discovered that if you formatted the 32GB cards they went bad, i got an error code on the MRC1K, and I had to return them. These are Transcend 133x which otherwise work perfectly well. Now I never format them, just delete all clips, and so far not a problem.
The 16GB version of the same card works perfectly well, I can format them and they work afterwards!

That's interesting - I've always formatted my cards, only because I was told to do that with digital SLR cameras and have done so since the earliest DSLR I owned, a Nikon D1.

I've been given a replacement Kingston 133x 32GB card and used it a couple of times so far without a problem - on Saturday I filled the entire card filming an ice hockey match.