Earlier corrupted file post and response from Leica - advice needed SL3

[Jim B]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

2 hours ago, ALScott said:

Well a bit of a new wrinkle in this situation after more tests.  First, I will go through what originally happened.

Originally, on vacation and shot pics, all on Lexar 128G Cf B card, and reviewed all multiple times in camera and all were fine, no issues.  I even connected to iPad and reviewed in Lr so everyone could easily see them but never imported them via Lr on iPad.

Got home and imported all into LrC via MacBook Pro with new ProGrade reader and cable, 88 of 299 photos from SL3 and Lexar Cf B were corrupted, none from Q3 and SanDisk SD card.  I put the Cf B card back into the SL3 to see if I could still see the photos and got error message "this file cannot be read." I bought recovery software and "recovered" all files except a few but the same ones still appeared corrupted with multi-colored horizontal lines, etc.  

July 5th I began testing import to LrC with all cards, Lexar SD and Cfe B along with SanDisk SD and Cfe B by directly connecting the camera to the MacBook and with ProGrade reader and cable as follows:  1. Direct connection of SL3 MacBook with Leica cable resulted in all files on all four cards were fine.  2. SD cards with SanDisk Reader I bought just for testing, resulted in both SD cards files were fine  3. ProGrade Reader with Leica cable resulted in all files on all four cards were fine  4. ProGrade Reader with ProGrade Cable resulted in LrC didn't even recognize the Lexar card or any files.  They weren't just corrupted but just did not appear at all.  Put the card back in the SL3 and it, again, gave the error message "this file cannot be read."  

After above I sent the email to Leica as a "just in case" and got back the response I shared above.  Then this weekend I shot some more for the purpose of more testing and only used the Lexar Cfe B card and every way I could import them went just fine, no files were affected in any way.  So now I feel like I am sort of no closer to an answer.  Although, I do have to think that it's not the camera as the only issue came with the Lexar card and ProGrade reader/cable.  Seemingly the only consistencies that may be causing an issue are the ProGrade Reader, its own cable and the Lexar card combination with the SL3.  I am going to ditch the Lexar and get some more cards and leave one in the camera as Jim B suggests.

Here is what the files look like.  Some are a tiny bit at the bottom, half way up but always on the long side, even when shot as a vertical.  Some have an overall tint but cutting out the info of the subject.

 

I use this card.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RWW247J?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

And this reader. The cable is not detachable.

https://www.amazon.com/Angelbird-CFexpress-Type-Card-Reader/dp/B09L5BLKDM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3E1CL0MHMYCMB&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qXV6BiMOOCJRXjbHUlX86mN7m43NebBO2xwOY1hQJOkZA_6YeLa64kaAE07zz2iIw9rYojxyGz_BDmz_d-DdFvsQ_qRzD7049HsSnvYaB_JBe1g9MJ2aMRfvMZjBOyzhbROcNZp7ibeV4-hcXjZFj1zzuU0I6_WCVpUa0CMGwPjX1Cg7yz_Xs0wRvCwkCJDXdC2l3N_J9ukRwkqnz_LF8r3PQIS45t7ARRPYmwHe0E8.wfbZPK-A-1V369LGk6VVh_i0xWuAPNRkrsI-XNI3M7g&dib_tag=se&keywords=angel+bird+cfexpress+type+b+card+reader&qid=1722287172&sprefix=Angel+birds+card+re%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-3

[drballiet]

Am 29.7.2024 um 20:58 schrieb ALScott:

 

 

 

July 5th I began testing import to LrC with all cards, Lexar SD and Cfe B along with SanDisk SD and Cfe B by directly connecting the camera to the MacBook and with ProGrade reader and cable as follows:  1. Direct connection of SL3 MacBook with Leica cable resulted in all files on all four cards were fine.  2. SD cards with SanDisk Reader I bought just for testing, resulted in both SD cards files were fine  3. ProGrade Reader with Leica cable resulted in all files on all four cards were fine  4. ProGrade Reader with ProGrade Cable resulted in LrC didn't even recognize the Lexar card or any files.  They weren't just corrupted but just did not appear at all.  Put the card back in the SL3 and it, again, gave the error message "this file cannot be read."  

[…] Seemingly the only consistencies that may be causing an issue are the ProGrade Reader, its own cable and the Lexar card combination with the SL3.

Good evening,

I've encountered exactly the same problem as you... Leica SL3, ProGrade Reader CFexpressB card reader associated with a ProGrade 512 GB 3400 Mb/s card. It occurs very randomly: sometimes 1 shot out of several hundred, sometimes several shots out of a series of 20... frustrating and worrying!

Assuming, as you do, that he might have a problem with the CFe card, I bought a Lexar card... with, almost immediately, the same problems! Note that, as a matter of habit (Leica M type 240, SL2 and SL3), I systematically reformat the cards after a series of shots. As well as being brand new, they shouldn't be corrupted.

Since SD cards don't seem to pose any problems, I opted several months ago to record in parallel on both cards.... which is reassuring.

Nevertheless, I'm glad to have discovered this discussion and, even more so, your tests and hypotheses. I'm inclined to agree with you that the usb-c cable accompanying the card reader is the most likely hypothesis. On examination, it appears to be a rather “low-end” cable, and I immediately replaced it with one of the Leica usb-c cables I had in stock.

I hope this will solve the problem... by changing the cable as you suggest, have you still encountered problems since last July?

Best regards from France,

Balliet JM

[ALScott]

1 hour ago, drballiet said:

Good evening,

I've encountered exactly the same problem as you... Leica SL3, ProGrade Reader CFexpressB card reader associated with a ProGrade 512 GB 3400 Mb/s card. It occurs very randomly: sometimes 1 shot out of several hundred, sometimes several shots out of a series of 20... frustrating and worrying!

Assuming, as you do, that he might have a problem with the CFe card, I bought a Lexar card... with, almost immediately, the same problems! Note that, as a matter of habit (Leica M type 240, SL2 and SL3), I systematically reformat the cards after a series of shots. As well as being brand new, they shouldn't be corrupted.

Since SD cards don't seem to pose any problems, I opted several months ago to record in parallel on both cards.... which is reassuring.

Nevertheless, I'm glad to have discovered this discussion and, even more so, your tests and hypotheses. I'm inclined to agree with you that the usb-c cable accompanying the card reader is the most likely hypothesis. On examination, it appears to be a rather “low-end” cable, and I immediately replaced it with one of the Leica usb-c cables I had in stock.

I hope this will solve the problem... by changing the cable as you suggest, have you still encountered problems since last July?

Best regards from France,

Balliet JM

I ultimately sent the reader back to ProGrade and they replaced it under warranty. I had only had it a very short time. I have used the replacement many times with no issues, CFe or SD. 

[drballiet]

Thanks for the speedy reply… perhaps I will take the same road.

Best regards

[ALScott]

To put a little more color in this, or my situation.  Since I got the replacement reader I have used the cable that came with it and all has been fine.  When the issue first happened I could only duplicate it with a Lexar CFe card which they also replaced under warranty.  Since then, no problems.  I have to say though I am still leery to use the Lexar card.  I had to on a trip though and no issues.  In fact, my wife and I shot over 2K frames on that trip without a single hiccup, touch wood.

[drballiet]

Since our last exchange and the moment when I changed my usb-c cable for a quality Leica cable, I've taken several hundred shots without any problems. We can only hope that this is a lasting solution! Although Prograde readily agreed to an exchange under warranty, we agreed to wait a little longer. Like you, I'm knocking on wood!
Sincerely from France

[michali]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

On 1/20/2025 at 5:03 PM, ALScott said:

To put a little more color in this, or my situation.  Since I got the replacement reader I have used the cable that came with it and all has been fine.  When the issue first happened I could only duplicate it with a Lexar CFe card which they also replaced under warranty.  Since then, no problems.  I have to say though I am still leery to use the Lexar card.  I had to on a trip though and no issues.  In fact, my wife and I shot over 2K frames on that trip without a single hiccup, touch wood.

I had exactly the same corrupted file issues with a recently purchased "Apple" USB-C SD card reader from Amazon -Apple Store didn't have stock at the time.

Took it to the Apple Store & turns out the card reader was a fake, luckily they had 1 in stock & I returned the fake from whence it came.

As for Lexar cards, over many years, I've only ever had problems with them. I stick to SanDisk & never had any issues on any of my cameras -M9M, M10 SL2, SL2-S, SL3.....

Pleased your issue's sorted.