Serious SD-Card Write issues after the new firmware..

[steelduck]

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I updated to the newest code. I am using Sandisk Ultra 8GB cards (two separate cards). The both cards are showing the same issue.

 

The M9 seems to work OK most of the time, but then it freezes after taking a photo and the red card activity led blinks for 30-60 seconds. The camera is totally frozen, event the power off does not do anything. Then it seems to start working. It takes pictures normally, but the pictures are zero kilobytes on the card.

 

The pictures that are taken before the 30-60sec freeze are OK, but anything taken after that are 0 KB on the card.

 

The worst part is that the camera seems to work, but I loose all the photos I take.

 

It has done this now 5 times since the firmware update.

[daniel buck]

yea man, I'm so scared to upgrade the firmware on mine, the leica firmware (even from the factory with no update!) seems to be so finicky and unstable, I'm just happy mine is working, and I'm not gonna upgrade the firmware unless I hear that nobody else is having problems. But I guess that's not the case Sorry to hear that your firmware isn't working though. Can you go back to the previous version?

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[colonel]

I updated to the newest code. I am using Sandisk Ultra 8GB cards (two separate cards). The both cards are showing the same issue.

 

The M9 seems to work OK most of the time, but then it freezes after taking a photo and the red card activity led blinks for 30-60 seconds. The camera is totally frozen, event the power off does not do anything. Then it seems to start working. It takes pictures normally, but the pictures are zero kilobytes on the card.

 

The pictures that are taken before the 30-60sec freeze are OK, but anything taken after that are 0 KB on the card.

 

The worst part is that the camera seems to work, but I loose all the photos I take.

 

It has done this now 5 times since the firmware update.

 

have you reformated both cards on a computer

and then reformated them on the camera ?

 

sounds like a bad sector on the card

[steelduck]

Yes, I have formatted them several times. Computer and M9. The issue is the same on both cards that I own.

[John Ricard]

I updated to the newest code. I am using Sandisk Ultra 8GB cards (two separate cards). The both cards are showing the same issue...

 

...but anything taken after that are 0 KB on the card.

 

The worst part is that the camera seems to work, but I loose all the photos I take.

 

It has done this now 5 times since the firmware update.

 

I've had the same issue at least 4 times since the update. I'm using a San Disk Extreme 32GB card. I would use Photo Mechanic to ingest the card and then put it back in the camera without formatting the card. (I've done this with my Nikon for years without a problem). Images would appear to be downloading, but all the images would be listed as "0 kb". I figured it was a formatting issue. Then I tried ingesting the card and formatting the card afterwards. Still lost images in the same manner.

 

Next I tried copying images from the card without ingesting. Still lost images. This wouldn't happen every time, but there was no predicting when it would happen. I even tried using the San Disk card recovery software to retreive images from the card, but it didn't find anything.

 

A couple of days ago I replaced the San Disk card with a Lexar card and I haven't had any problems since. Glad to see I wasn't the only one. I was afraid it might be a camera problem.

[jagsiva]

I had a very similar issue with different Sandisk cards that worked fine before. I reinstalled the firmware and appears that everything is fine. See..

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/189984-m9-erasing-files.html

[steelduck]

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So, it seems the new firmware has issues with sandisk cards. I will go and buy a few Lexar cards today and see if I have the same issue with them.

 

It really bugs me that a camera of this price level has issues like this... (unrelated to this, my M6 metering LEDs just died yesterday, so The only "camera" I a can trust right now is my iPhone... :| )

[hydeca]

The notion that the new firmware has an impact on SD card I/O functions is a myth.

[chris_tribble]

I can speak as a long term user and also beta tester - in my experience, there's no issue with Sandisk 8GB cards. Whatever your experience I think it's local rather than general. I'd strongly recommend checking the cards (best practice is always to format in-camera - not on a computer).

[1JB]

Don't take this the wrong way but it may be that the cards have been mishandled over time. I've had several occasions where people have had problems with their cards being read by various cameras or not recording photos and when I look at how they handle them I think it's part of the problem. They try to insert them incorrectly and keep pushing, they leave them lying around or in their pocket next to their wallet where there are cards with magnetic strips. They play with the disk protect slide. Eventually the cards will fail so it may be a good idea to get new ones every year or so depending on use. I've got some that are 5 years old but I don't use them even thought they still work. I've used different Sandisk cards in my M9 and never had a problem before or after the update. I could be wrong but I doubt it's the firmware.

[250swb]

So, it seems the new firmware has issues with sandisk cards. I will go and buy a few Lexar cards today and see if I have the same issue with them.

 

I don't think sweeping generalisations are very helpful. If there was a fundamental problem with SanDisk cards you would be hearing of many thousands of disgruntled users, not just a couple. I have never had a problem that I know of with my SanDisk Extreme cards, I shoot, I download, I reformat in the camera, I shoot again, with zero problems. And that has been the case with all firmware versions including the latest.

 

Steve

[jaapv]

I can speak as a long term user and also beta tester - in my experience, there's no issue with Sandisk 8GB cards. Whatever your experience I think it's local rather than general. I'd strongly recommend checking the cards (best practice is always to format in-camera - not on a computer).

+1!!!

[steelduck]

Both of the cards are new (SanDisk Ultra 8GB) Both are behaving the same way. I have now tested with my my older Sandisk 4GB Extreme III and 8 GB Ultra II and they seem to work just fine. Maybe I have gotten two rotten apples, but I find it odd that two new cards are loosing photos in a same manner. So, it might not be a firmware problem - my M9 just seem to hate the new Sandisk Ultra 8GB cards. The older Ultra II and Extreme III seem to work just fine.

 

Today I bought 2 Lexar Pro 8GB cards, but I have not been able to shoot with them yet.

Edited July 6, 2011 by steelduck

[trond]

+1!!!

 

+1!

 

After 11000 pictures on M9, I never had ANY SD card problem, not a single glitch!

 

Also on the latest firmware.

 

I use all Sandisk SD Ultra II and Extreme 30MB/s 8GB, 16GB and 32GB.

 

I find these cards and the M9 to be ultra reliable.

 

In addition SanDisk provides lifetime warranty on their Extreme cards.

 

I do not think they would offer that if they did not trust their cards.

 

I always reformat in camera after each session.

 

Best regards

 

Trond

[Jim Watts]

I have had a brand new SanDisk Ultra Secure Digital Card (SDHC) CLASS 4 - 8GB card used for the first time last week totally freeze the M9 as reported by Steelduck, but using firmware version 1.138. This was after about 45 frames and when the camera was switched back on after being left over night. Replacing with another make of card brought the camera back to life.

 

After cleaning the card contacts and a number of reinsertions of the San Disk Card (at first still freezing the camera when inserted) the card and camera came back to life and the images seem intact and new images can be added.

 

New Transend and Kingston cards of the same size and rating purchased at the same time have not given any problems.

 

Regards

Jim

[ho_co]

Remember that because SanDisk is the most popular brand of card, it is also the most counterfeited. According to Mike Johnston in a recent TOP entry, about 30% of the 'SanDisk' cards in circulation at any one time are fakes.

[steelduck]

My Sandisks are from a good Camera Shop, so I doubt that they are fake-sandiks.

 

Is there a trend here? The Old Ultra II and Extreme III cards seem to work, but some of the new Ultra and Extreme cards where Sandisk dropped the II and III numbering seem to be the ones that generate problems.

 

I have had Zero Problems with my Ultra II and Extreme III cards since the M8, so I was really surprised about the new Ultras failing. The Lexar Pro 8GB has been working fine today.

 

ps. I always format the card after every download in my M9.

Edited July 6, 2011 by steelduck

[steelduck]

OK, now the Lexar Pro 8MB cards do the same thing. It seems that my M9 is messed up. I have four new 8GB cards (2 Sandisk Ultra 8GB and 2 Lexar Pro 8MB) and all of them does the same thing. I took 12 pictures to the Lexar and at the 12th picture the M9 froze, the red led blinked for 30 seconds and the camera lost the the last picture that was in the buffer. I had no problems before the firmware update

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Edited July 6, 2011 by steelduck

[haroldp]

Remember that because SanDisk is the most popular brand of card, it is also the most counterfeited. According to Mike Johnston in a recent TOP entry, about 30% of the 'SanDisk' cards in circulation at any one time are fakes.

 

And almost all of those that are sold on ebay are counterfeit unless from the ebay store of a prime ( buys direct, not from distributor) sandisk dealer.

 

Every one I personally have ever gotten from ebay is fake. I test with streaming write speeds against known real cards and the real ones are three to five times faster. This test and difference are not subtle.

 

I buy both Sandisk and Lexar (and Transcend from Amazon) and have no problems but I buy exclusively from Amazon (Direct only, not merchants), B & H, or Adorama.

 

I'm sure other merchants are also ok but only if their volume is enough to deal directly with Sandisk

 

Regards ... H

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[mjm6]

I have a few SanDisk 16GB Ultra II cards here from last year that have worked perfectly for me (and still do). I recently purchased several more of the same card, and they are all doing exactly as is described in this thread, so I suspect it is an issue with SanDisk changing something slightly in the specifications.

 

This makes me somewhat concerned that we can't really trust any information about compatibility, because it will likely change over time. Really, a serious problem for M9 longevity!

 

I have 4 cards that work perfectly in the P&S camera I have, but won't work in the M9 consistently. It's time for Leica get their act together and deal with this whole SD compatibility issue... it's long overdue.

 

 

---Michael