Video · 10-bit production card
10-bit Log MP4: recover after deletion
How can I recover 10-bit Log recordings in MP4 after deletion?
Short answer
Yes, often: deleting 10-bit Log clips frees their directory entries while the footage stays on the card until overwritten. Remove the card and scan it read-only. A flat, grey-looking result is normal for Log and not a sign of damage; judge recovered clips only after applying the camera's Log conversion LUT.
The situation
10-bit Log recordings in MP4 no longer appears in its recording folder even though the storage device is still detected.
Deleting a clip in the camera or in a card reader clears its directory entry and marks its clusters free, while the picture data stays where it was until the next recording claims that space. Log footage runs at a high bitrate, so one new take can cover a great deal of it.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
The card still mounts and reads, so the exFAT structures are intact and only the reference to the file is gone. Windows keeps no recycle bin for removable media and cameras delete straight away, which is why nothing turns up in a trash folder. Every further second of recording reuses the freed clusters.
Deletion can release a directory reference before later writes reuse every block that belonged to the file. For 10-bit Log MP4, this matters because bit depth, color profile and codec parameters affect whether a valid stream displays correctly
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Switch the camera off, take the card out and put it in a labelled case so nobody slots it back in for a quick test shot.
- 2
Write down the camera model, the Log profile, bit depth and chroma sampling, because those settings decide whether a recovered clip decodes correctly.
- 3
Mount the card in a reader on macOS or Windows, scan it read-only, and send every export to an internal disk rather than back to the card.
- 4
Load a recovered clip into a player with 10-bit HEVC support and apply the camera conversion LUT before judging whether the footage is usable.
Do not put the card back in the camera, not even to check the folder, because many models write a new management file on insertion. Skip disk repair offers, and never save exports to the same card: every write can land on the clusters you want back.
03 / Choose the method
Match the tool to the source
For stable, readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 or uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images.
Unconfirmed exports are marked .UNVERIFIED.
File Recovery Hero reads exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 cards read-only on macOS and Windows and returns whole files. Clips whose clusters were partly reused come back damaged, and a damaged clip cannot be mended here. Scanning costs nothing, exporting needs a one-time licence at 50 EUR.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
A recovered Log clip plays from the first to the last frame, keeps its audio in sync and shows a flat, low-contrast image before grading, which is exactly how the profile is meant to look. After the conversion LUT, skin tones and neutrals fall into place and no frames break into blocks.
Keep the source until two verified copies exist. One working preview is not enough.
Sources and technical references
FAQ
Questions about this recovery case
Can 10-bit production card be recovered in this situation?+
Deleting a clip in the camera or in a card reader clears its directory entry and marks its clusters free, while the picture data stays where it was until the next recording claims that space. Log footage runs at a high bitrate, so one new take can cover a great deal of it. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not put the card back in the camera, not even to check the folder, because many models write a new management file on insertion.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.
How do I know whether the result is complete?+
A recovered Log clip plays from the first to the last frame, keeps its audio in sync and shows a flat, low-contrast image before grading, which is exactly how the profile is meant to look.