Comparison
Data recovery for photographers and videographers
When a paid job sits on the card, the hit count does not matter. Completeness does.
The short answer
For a job, half a file is as worthless as none.
In professional use it is not enough that a tool finds many files. Series must be complete, RAW files must contain more than their embedded preview, long clips must be readable across their whole duration and file names must still match the editing project. That is exactly what the verification targets.
01 / Immediately
The first minutes decide
- 1
Take the card out of the camera or recorder at once and set it aside. Use a different card for the rest of the shoot.
- 2
Do not approve any formatting, even when the camera or operating system suggests it.
- 3
Connect the card through a reader and first only check whether it is recognised reliably.
- 4
Create an uncompressed image of the card and work exclusively with that image from here on.
- 5
Only then scan — and export candidates exclusively to a different drive.
02 / Specifics
What is different about professional material
| Material | Typical trap | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| RAW series (CR3, ARW, NEF) | Preview displays while sensor data is missing | Develop the file fully in a RAW converter |
| Bracketed exposures | Individual frames of the series are missing | Check the number range and timestamps for gaps |
| Long 4K clips | Fragmented, breaks off in the middle | Play across the full duration, not just the start |
| Multitrack audio | Only some tracks of a take | Check track count and sync per take |
| Editing projects | Media offline although files exist | Check paths first, only then scan |
| Dual-slot recordings | The second card is overlooked | Secure both cards before reusing either |
03 / Evidence
What you must be able to show a client
On a paid job a folder full of files is not enough. You need to know which recordings are complete and which are not — before you deliver or promise a reshoot.
That is why the .UNVERIFIED marking stays in the file name when a file could not be fully confirmed. It does not disappear when the file is copied. You can therefore see in the folder itself what you can rely on.
If shooting continued after the loss, the overwritten areas are permanently gone. No tool and no lab can bring them back. That is why the first action is always to take the card out of circulation.
04 / Prevention
What prevents the next loss
- Use dual-slot recording on important jobs where the camera supports it.
- Format cards in the camera after backing up, not in the operating system, and never mid-shoot.
- Retire cards with a conspicuous capacity discrepancy before they go on a job.
- Create two separate copies after ingest, before a card is reused.
- Consistently remove cards with recurring read errors from your kit.
Common questions
My card holds today's job. What comes first?
Take the card out of the device and stop using it. Create an uncompressed image and work only with that. Every further shot on this card can overwrite exactly the areas where the lost files still sit.
The preview of my RAW files shows. Are they recovered?
Not necessarily. RAW files contain an embedded JPEG preview that can display even when the actual sensor data is incomplete. Open and develop the file fully in your RAW converter.
My editing software shows media offline. Do I need recovery?
Usually not. Check the last known original path, the drive name and your backups first. A broken reference in a project does not mean the original file was deleted.
Is a lab worth it for a job?
If the card is not recognised reliably, shows read errors or is physically damaged, yes. The value of a job that cannot be repeated is usually far above lab costs. Do not start further scan attempts in that case.
A job on the card?
First establish whether software is the right route at all.