M11 created a "unreadable" file

[nek724]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hello all,

 

I'm new here.

 

I just picked up a M11 last week, and yesterday the SD card finally arrived (yeah I know there's internal storage..) so I took four photos.

 

Came back, took a look on the app, took the SD out and loaded into the Macbook Pro. I saw, ejected, and put it back into the M11. But here's the strange part, now there is five photos in the list, and it sits before my first shot. A black screen with the words "file unreadable" as file number one. I seem to be able to delete it, but I'll hold for now I don't want to break something. I tried loading it back into the MBP to see if there's this fifth file, and nope. Tried showing hidden files and nothing also.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Kenneth

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[jaapv]

First suspect the card. Format it in SD Formatter and see if the issue occurs again. No you cannot break anything by deleting the corrupted file. 

[frame-it]

5 hours ago, nek724 said:

Hello all,

 

I'm new here.

 

I just picked up a M11 last week, and yesterday the SD card finally arrived (yeah I know there's internal storage..) so I took four photos.

 

Came back, took a look on the app, took the SD out and loaded into the Macbook Pro. I saw, ejected, and put it back into the M11. But here's the strange part, now there is five photos in the list, and it sits before my first shot. A black screen with the words "file unreadable" as file number one. I seem to be able to delete it, but I'll hold for now I don't want to break something. I tried loading it back into the MBP to see if there's this fifth file, and nope. Tried showing hidden files and nothing also.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Kenneth

you attached the card to the mac, loaded the files, and then put the same card back into the camera, and the camera says file unreadable?

if so its because the mac changed some data in the card.

 

if the not readable message is in your image software on the mac then its a card or camera issue

 

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2024 by frame-it

[Kim Dahl]

vor 7 Stunden schrieb jaapv:

First suspect the card. Format it in SD Formatter and see if the issue occurs again. No you cannot break anything by deleting the corrupted file. 

Hi Jap, I have tried SD formatter and it works fine. But it was on my old mac. I can't find a version for M prossosor or for iPhone? Do you know if it exists and where?

[Knorp]

SD Memory Card Formatter for Windows/Mac: SD Formatter https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

[newtoleica]

i've had a couple of these recently on my M10-P - will try reformatting the card.

[LocalHero1953]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Are these issues with Macs each time? Perhaps lock the card for writing before connecting to the Mac. (I try to remember this, but often forget). Macs are like dogs: they want to lift a leg on your card to demonstrate possession. 

[nek724]

Thanks everyone for your input. 

 

Before coming here just now, I went on the app, and it also displayed this black photo with no data, but it did have a title and it was "..0002", but my first photo was "..0024". Yeah, used M11, but yes I forgot to mention I did format the card in camera before use. I just said what the hell and deleted the file and problem gone.. I hope. 

 

Also strange is usually when you plug a new drive of any sort to the macOS they'll ask if you want to allow or deny, but this M11 formatted card just went straight through.

[jaapv]

One should ALWAYS format a card coming from another camera or a new one, just to prevent problems like these. 

[LeicaR10]

Nek724,   First, welcome to the forum.  Its a great place to get very good and sage advice from photographers who will share their ideas to include myself with you.  Second, Jaapv offered excellent advice in his posts #2 and #9.  Third, it appears you picked up a previously owned M11.  Once you get the hang of formatting the SD card, I do this every time after downloading the files to my iMac.  After every 10 in camera reformats, I run the SD card through SD Card Formatter.  Also, you should check to ensure you have the latest firmware update for the M11.  Over the last 2+ years, the M11 and variants have suffered various bugs.  Some firmware updates have resolved some of the issues.  But you should at least check and update the firmware.  Last, when all else fails, either read the manual or if you cannot find the answer, checking here on the form threads might help you resolve your M11 issues.  Maybe we will see your photographs one day on the M11 Image thread.   r/ Mark

Edited July 26, 2024 by LeicaR10

[jaapv]

2 hours ago, Kim Dahl said:

Hi Jap, I have tried SD formatter and it works fine. But it was on my old mac. I can't find a version for M prossosor or for iPhone? Do you know if it exists and where?

 It runs well on my M1 Mac. But I carried it over from my old Intel Mac. I don’t think there is an app for iOS. You might need Rosetta2 on a new Mac. 

[jaapv]

I don’t think the camera has been used. All Leica cameras will come with a number of exposures recorded. Those are the production and QC test shots. Sometimes the number will appear quite high, which depends on the number of shots already present on the card used by the technician. 

[harmen]

All is revealed here:  

 

 

[nek724]

Thanks @harmen that might be the culprit because I did remember opening a file in Preview.

 

http://Best practice IMHO is to never open a .DNG file directly from the SD card... Copy them first to another location. https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/395262-did-the-may-2024-firmware-update-211-solve-your-m11-freezing-problems/?do=findComment&comment=5328713

 

@LeicaR10, thanks for your message. Yes, the FOTO app notified be right away about new firmware. So far no freezes. Coming from x100v, Leica menu is amazingly simple!

 

Now I'm just bragging here, my M6 (which I shot for a decade before Covid), I bought it without noticing until it was in my hand that the serial number right smack in the middle was my birthday xx427xx. And now, my M11, this time was intentional, I found the M11 with reversed xxx724x. They mean nothing to others, but I will never resell them.

 

[bcaslis]

21 hours ago, nek724 said:

Hello all,

 

I'm new here.

 

I just picked up a M11 last week, and yesterday the SD card finally arrived (yeah I know there's internal storage..) so I took four photos.

 

Came back, took a look on the app, took the SD out and loaded into the Macbook Pro. I saw, ejected, and put it back into the M11. But here's the strange part, now there is five photos in the list, and it sits before my first shot. A black screen with the words "file unreadable" as file number one. I seem to be able to delete it, but I'll hold for now I don't want to break something. I tried loading it back into the MBP to see if there's this fifth file, and nope. Tried showing hidden files and nothing also.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Kenneth

What firmware version do you have? If it's 2.0.2, run don't walk to upgrade to 2.1.1. I had many unreadable files on 2.0.2 and none on earlier or later FW versions.

[nek724]

@bcaslis hello, when it arrived, it was I forgot something like 1.6.6 if I remember it right, but one update and straight to the latest (2.1.1).

 

If you just read the latest comments, I believe it's because you've opened the DNG files on Preview from your Mac. If you want to view your DNG from now on, just tap the space bar to preview than opening them on the Preview app. Hope that's it.

 

Edited July 26, 2024 by nek724

[bcaslis]

5 hours ago, nek724 said:

@bcaslis hello, when it arrived, it was I forgot something like 1.6.6 if I remember it right, but one update and straight to the latest (2.1.1).

 

If you just read the latest comments, I believe it's because you've opened the DNG files on Preview from your Mac. If you want to view your DNG from now on, just tap the space bar to preview than opening them on the Preview app. Hope that's it.

 

I only inserted the SD card in my Mac and imported them into Lightroom. If you read the release notes for FW 2.0.2 Leica acknowledges the unreadable file problem. It has nothing to do with Preview.

[paulleica]

I also had this phenomenon with my Leica M11. I think it's because my antivirus programme scans the SD card when I read it with the Mac.  If I prevent the antivirus programme from scanning the card, I have no such file on the card. 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Smogg]

There is no harm from these files, except for the inscription that appears. Just ignore them.

[nek724]

3 hours ago, Smogg said:

There is no harm from these files, except for the inscription that appears. Just ignore them.

Seems so, but they create a file in the card, and you just get this itch to delete them. This never happened with all digital (Canon & Fuji) I've had before.