SD Card & Memory Card Data Recovery – Save Your Once-in-a-Lifetime Moments

Name: computer repairers
Brand: The Original PC Doctor
Rating: 4.8 (1226 reviews)

Your camera shows “Card Error – Format Card?” The wedding you just shot—gone. Your SD card was working fine all day, then suddenly your computer can’t read it. Six months of travel photography across Europe—inaccessible. Your drone’s microSD card corrupted mid-flight with client footage. The birth of a child, a once-in-a-lifetime safari, an entire wedding day—all trapped on a failed memory card.

Memory Card Data Recovery Save Your Once in a Lifetime Moments

These aren’t just files. These are irreplaceable moments that can never be recreated. You can’t reshoot a wedding. You can’t go back to that safari. You can’t recapture your child’s first steps. When an SD card fails, careers are destroyed, memories are lost, and hearts are broken.

We understand the panic. At The Original PC Doctor, we specialize in emergency SD card and memory card data recovery for photographers, videographers, travelers, and anyone who’s lost precious moments to card failure. Whether you have a corrupted SD card from your Canon DSLR, a microSD card your GoPro won’t recognize, a CF card that died during a wedding, or any memory card showing errors—we can help.

With over 30 years of data recovery experience, specialized memory card recovery equipment, and expertise across every camera brand and card format, we recover photos and videos from cards that other services declare impossible. From simple file system corruption to physical chip damage, we have the tools and techniques to get your irreplaceable moments back.

⏰ TIME-SENSITIVE: If your card shows “format card” errors or stopped working during an event, STOP using it immediately and call us. Every write attempt can overwrite recoverable data. For wedding photographers with client deliverables due—we understand the urgency.

🚨 EMERGENCY CARD RECOVERY: 1300 723 628
📸 Get Free Memory Card Recovery Quote

Serving Australia’s Photographers & Content Creators: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide – Same-day service available for emergency situations

Is Your SD Card or Memory Card Showing These Symptoms?

We recover data from memory cards experiencing ANY of these common problems. If you’re seeing any of these symptoms, don’t panic—in most cases, your precious photos and videos are still recoverable.

⚠️ “Format Card” Errors & Corruption Messages

“Card is not formatted” error on camera – Camera asking you to format card you know has photos
“Format card? All data will be erased” message – DO NOT FORMAT! Call us first
“Card error” message appearing suddenly – Was working fine, now showing errors
“This card is not readable” on computer – Computer doesn’t recognize card
“Card needs to be formatted before use” – File system corruption
“Cannot access SD card” message – Card present but inaccessible
RAW file system shown in computer – File system structure lost
“Card read/write error” during shoot – Error appeared while photographing
Corrupted file structure – Folders showing strange names or symbols
“No photos found” but card not empty – Photos exist but camera can’t see them

🚫 Card Not Detected / Not Recognized

Camera doesn’t detect SD card at all – Card inserted, camera shows “no card”
Computer card reader can’t see card – Card inserted but nothing appears
Card detected but shows 0 GB capacity – Card seen as empty with no space
“Device not recognized” error on computer – USB error when inserting card
Card slot light blinks but card doesn’t mount – Reader sees something but can’t read
Card worked in camera, won’t work on computer – Compatibility issues or corruption
Different card readers all fail to detect – Tried multiple readers, none work
Card physically feels hot to touch – Possible controller failure

📸 Photo & Video File Issues

Photos showing as corrupted thumbnails – Gray squares or partial images
Can see thumbnails but can’t open full images – Preview works, full file doesn’t
RAW files won’t open in Lightroom/Photoshop – CR2, NEF, ARW files corrupted
Video files won’t play – MOV, MP4, AVI files unplayable
Some photos accessible, others corrupted – Partial card failure
Photos from today missing, older photos visible – Recent files lost
File names changed to random characters – File system corruption
Duplicate files appearing – File system structure damaged
Photos show wrong dates/times – Metadata corruption

🗑️ Accidentally Deleted Photos

Deleted all photos by mistake – Hit “delete all” by accident
Formatted card with photos still on it – Formatted wrong card
Formatted card in camera before downloading – Common photographer mistake
Computer asked to format, clicked yes – Accidentally formatted card
Child/assistant deleted photos – Someone else deleted your work
Selected wrong card and deleted – Deleted files from active card
Camera formatted card during firmware update – Update wiped card
Overwritten files by shooting more – Continued shooting after deletion

💔 Physical Damage

SD card snapped in half – Physical break in card body
Card bent or warped – Pressure damage to card
Metal contacts damaged or corroded – Pins broken or oxidized
Card won’t click into slot properly – Physical deformation
Card run over or crushed – Severe physical trauma
Water or liquid damage to card – Card got wet
Dog or child chewed card – Pet damage to card
Card burned or exposed to extreme heat – Heat damage
Dropped card and stepped on it – Impact and crushing damage

⚡ Camera-Specific Issues

Card worked in camera, corrupted after removing – Unsafe ejection
Camera froze while writing to card – Write interrupted
Battery died during photo transfer – Power loss mid-write
Camera showed “busy” then card failed – Write error occurred
Different cameras can’t read same card – Camera/card incompatibility
Card shows errors after firmware update – Camera firmware issue
Dual card slot: one card failed – Single card failure in dual setup
Buffer overflow error then card corruption – Continuous shooting issue

🎥 Drone & Action Camera Issues

GoPro can’t read microSD card – Action cam card failure
Drone video files corrupted – DJI, drone footage unreadable
360 camera card showing errors – Insta360, multi-lens cam issues
Dashcam SD card stopped recording – Loop recording corruption
Action cam crashed, card won’t work – Camera failure damaged card

💾 Fake/Counterfeit Card Failures

Brand new card failing immediately – Possible counterfeit
Card capacity doesn’t match label – Fake capacity card
Files disappearing randomly – Counterfeit card behavior
Card much slower than rated speed – Fake high-speed card

🚨 My Card Shows These Symptoms – Call NOW: 1300 723 628
📸 Get Free Card Diagnostic

⚠️ CRITICAL: What to Do RIGHT NOW (Don’t Make It Worse!)

The actions you take in the next few minutes can mean the difference between recovering your precious photos and losing them forever. Follow these steps immediately:

✅ DO THESE IMMEDIATELY:

STOP USING THE CARD IMMEDIATELY – Remove it from your camera/device right now. Do NOT take more photos. Do NOT format it. Do NOT try to fix it.
DO NOT FORMAT THE CARD – Even if your camera asks you to format it, refuse! Formatting can overwrite recoverable data.
Write-protect the card if possible – Full-size SD cards have a lock switch—slide it to lock position to prevent accidental writes.
Label the card – Mark it clearly as “FAILED – DO NOT USE” so nobody accidentally formats it.
Store the card safely – Put it in a case or safe location away from magnetic fields, heat, or moisture.
Document what happened – Note when card failed, what you were doing, what errors appeared, and how many photos/videos were on it.
Call us immediately for urgent cases – Wedding photographers with client deliverables due: 1300 723 628

❌ DO NOT DO THESE (You’ll Destroy Your Data!):

DON’T format the card – Formatting overwrites the file system and makes recovery much harder or impossible.
DON’T take more photos on the card – Every new photo overwrites space where deleted/lost photos exist.
DON’T use card recovery software yourself – DIY software often makes things worse by writing to the card or corrupting data further.
DON’T try multiple card readers repeatedly – Excessive connection attempts can damage the card controller.
DON’T force the card into reader if it doesn’t fit smoothly – Physical forcing can damage pins or card body.
DON’T try to repair physical damage yourself – Snapped cards require microscopic soldering. DIY attempts destroy chips.
DON’T put the card in different cameras to “test” – Different cameras may attempt to reformat or repair the card, causing overwrites.
DON’T use Windows “repair” or “scan and fix” options – These tools can corrupt data further or overwrite files.
DON’T delete and reshoot to “make space” – If card seems full but photos gone, don’t delete more—bring to us.
DON’T wait weeks before seeking recovery – While memory cards don’t degrade like hard drives, the sooner we work on it, the better.

⏰ TIME-CRITICAL SITUATIONS:

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS – CLIENT DEADLINES: We understand you may have a wedding gallery due to clients in days. We offer expedited service for professional photographers with time-sensitive deliverables. Call 1300 723 628 immediately and mention “wedding photographer emergency.” We’ll prioritize your recovery.

RECENTLY DELETED PHOTOS: If you accidentally deleted photos or formatted the card, STOP using it immediately. Every action overwrites recoverable data. The sooner you bring it to us, the higher the recovery rate.

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS (Concerts, Sports, etc.): If your card failed during a one-time event that can’t be repeated, we understand the urgency. Let us know the situation and we’ll expedite recovery.

TRAVELERS RETURNING HOME: Just got back from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to find your card corrupted? We’ve recovered complete safari trips, honeymoons, and travel adventures. Don’t despair—most corruption is recoverable.

🚨 EMERGENCY CARD RECOVERY: 1300 723 628
📋 Book Urgent Assessment

Every Camera Brand & Memory Card Type We Recover

We’ve successfully recovered photos and videos from thousands of memory cards across every camera brand, card format, and device type. Whether you shoot with a professional Canon 1DX, a travel-friendly Sony mirrorless, a DJI drone, or a GoPro action cam—we can recover your data.

📷 Canon Camera Card Recovery – ALL Models

Canon is the world’s most popular camera brand. We recover from all Canon DSLR, mirrorless, and compact cameras:

Canon Professional DSLRs:

Canon EOS-1D X Mark III data recovery – Flagship DSLR, dual CF Express cards
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II data recovery – Pro sports photographer favorite
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV data recovery – Professional full-frame workhorse
Canon EOS 5DS / 5DS R data recovery – High-megapixel specialist cameras
Canon EOS 6D Mark II data recovery – Full-frame enthusiast DSLR
Canon EOS 7D Mark II data recovery – Sports/wildlife APS-C DSLR
Canon EOS 90D data recovery – Latest APS-C DSLR
Canon EOS 80D data recovery – Popular prosumer DSLR
Canon EOS Rebel series data recovery – T8i, T7i, T7, T6i, SL3, all Rebel models

Canon Mirrorless (RF Mount):

Canon EOS R5 data recovery – 45MP professional mirrorless, 8K video
Canon EOS R6 Mark II data recovery – Latest full-frame mirrorless
Canon EOS R6 data recovery – Professional hybrid shooter
Canon EOS R3 data recovery – Pro sports mirrorless
Canon EOS R / RP data recovery – Original RF mount cameras
Canon EOS R7 / R10 data recovery – APS-C RF mount cameras

Canon Mirrorless (EF-M Mount):

Canon EOS M50 Mark II / M50 data recovery – Popular vlogger camera
Canon EOS M6 Mark II data recovery – Compact mirrorless
Canon EOS M series data recovery – All M-mount models

📷 Nikon Camera Card Recovery – ALL Models

Nikon photographers trust us to recover their precious images from all Nikon DSLRs and mirrorless cameras:

Nikon Professional DSLRs:

Nikon D6 data recovery – Flagship professional DSLR
Nikon D5 data recovery – Pro sports camera
Nikon D850 data recovery – 45.7MP workhorse
Nikon D780 data recovery – Full-frame hybrid DSLR
Nikon D750 data recovery – Popular full-frame DSLR
Nikon D500 data recovery – Pro DX flagship
Nikon D7500 data recovery – Enthusiast DX DSLR
Nikon D5600 / D3500 data recovery – Entry-level DSLRs

Nikon Mirrorless (Z Mount):

Nikon Z9 data recovery – Professional flagship mirrorless
Nikon Z8 data recovery – Compact pro mirrorless
Nikon Z7 II / Z7 data recovery – High-resolution full-frame
Nikon Z6 III / Z6 II / Z6 data recovery – All-around full-frame
Nikon Z5 data recovery – Entry full-frame mirrorless
Nikon Z50 / Zfc data recovery – DX mirrorless cameras

📷 Sony Camera Card Recovery – ALL Models

Sony mirrorless cameras are wildly popular with professionals and enthusiasts. We recover from all Sony Alpha series:

Sony Professional Mirrorless:

Sony A1 data recovery – Flagship 50MP mirrorless
Sony A9 II / A9 data recovery – Pro sports mirrorless
Sony A7R V / A7R IV / A7R III data recovery – High-resolution R series
Sony A7 IV / A7 III data recovery – All-around full-frame
Sony A7S III data recovery – Low-light video specialist
Sony A7C data recovery – Compact full-frame
Sony A6600 / A6500 / A6400 / A6300 data recovery – APS-C Alpha series
Sony ZV-E1 / ZV-E10 data recovery – Vlogger cameras

📷 Fujifilm Camera Card Recovery

Fujifilm X-H2S / X-H2 data recovery – Flagship X-mount
Fujifilm X-T5 / X-T4 / X-T3 data recovery – Popular X-T series
Fujifilm X-Pro3 / X-Pro2 data recovery – Rangefinder-style
Fujifilm X-S20 / X-S10 data recovery – Compact mirrorless
Fujifilm GFX 100 II / GFX 100S data recovery – Medium format cameras
Fujifilm X100V data recovery – Popular compact camera

📷 Panasonic / Lumix Camera Card Recovery

Panasonic Lumix GH6 / GH5 data recovery – Video-centric mirrorless
Panasonic Lumix S5 II / S5 data recovery – Full-frame L-mount
Panasonic Lumix S1R / S1 data recovery – Professional full-frame
Panasonic Lumix G9 data recovery – Micro Four Thirds flagship

📷 Olympus / OM System Camera Card Recovery

OM System OM-1 data recovery – Latest flagship
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III / II data recovery – Pro Micro Four Thirds
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III data recovery – Enthusiast mirrorless

📷 Other Camera Brands We Support:

Leica camera data recovery – M-series, Q-series, SL-series
Pentax camera data recovery – K-series DSLRs
Hasselblad data recovery – Medium format digital backs
Phase One data recovery – Professional medium format
Sigma camera data recovery – fp, fp L mirrorless

🎥 Video Camera & Camcorder Card Recovery

Blackmagic camera data recovery – Pocket Cinema Camera, URSA
RED camera data recovery – Professional cinema cameras
ARRI camera data recovery – Professional video cameras
Sony FX series data recovery – FX3, FX6, FX9 cinema cameras
Canon Cinema EOS data recovery – C70, C300, C500
Panasonic camcorder data recovery – Professional video cameras

🚁 Drone & Action Camera Card Recovery

DJI drone microSD recovery – Mavic 3, Mavic 2, Mini, Air series
DJI Phantom data recovery – All Phantom drone models
DJI Inspire data recovery – Professional drone footage
GoPro data recovery – Hero 11, Hero 10, Hero 9, Hero 8, all models
DJI Osmo Action data recovery – Action camera footage
Insta360 data recovery – 360° camera card recovery
Autel drone data recovery – EVO series drones

💳 Every Memory Card Format We Recover:

SD Card Family (Most Common):

SDXC card data recovery – Extended capacity (64GB-2TB)
SDHC card data recovery – High capacity (4GB-32GB)
SD card data recovery – Standard (up to 2GB)
SDUC card data recovery – Ultra capacity (2TB-128TB) – latest standard
UHS-I / UHS-II / UHS-III cards – All speed classes
V90 / V60 / V30 video speed class – High-speed video cards

microSD Cards:

microSDXC data recovery – Drones, action cams, phones
microSDHC data recovery – Dashcams, trail cameras
microSD data recovery – Older devices

CompactFlash (CF) Cards:

CompactFlash card data recovery – Professional DSLR cards
CF Type I data recovery – Standard thickness
CF Type II data recovery – Thicker format
UDMA 7 CF cards – High-speed CF cards

CFast / CFexpress Cards (Professional):

CFast 2.0 card data recovery – Canon 1DX Mark II, C200
CFexpress Type A data recovery – Sony cameras
CFexpress Type B data recovery – Canon R5, Nikon Z9, pro cameras
CFexpress Type C data recovery – Future format

XQD Cards:

XQD card data recovery – Nikon D850, D5, D500, Panasonic cameras

Legacy & Specialty Formats:

Memory Stick data recovery – Sony cameras, PSP
Memory Stick PRO Duo – Sony legacy format
xD-Picture Card data recovery – Olympus, Fujifilm legacy
SmartMedia card data recovery – Very old cameras
MMC (MultiMediaCard) data recovery – Legacy format

Popular Memory Card Brands:

SanDisk card recovery – Extreme Pro, Extreme, Ultra series
Lexar card recovery – Professional series
Kingston card recovery – Canvas series
Samsung card recovery – EVO, PRO series
PNY card recovery – Elite-X, Pro Elite
Transcend card recovery – Professional series
Sony card recovery – TOUGH, SF-G series
ProGrade Digital card recovery – Professional cards
Delkin Devices card recovery – Power, Premium series

Don’t see your specific camera or card type? We’ve recovered data from hundreds of camera models and card formats not listed here. If it stores photos or videos on a memory card, we can likely recover it. Call us: 1300 723 628

📸 Recover From My Camera Card: 1300 723 628
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How We Recover Photos & Videos From Failed Memory Cards

Memory card failures range from simple file system corruption to physical chip damage. Here’s exactly how we handle each type of failure:

Method 1: Logical File System Recovery (Most Common)

When We Use This Method:

“Format card” error on camera or computer
Card not recognized or showing as RAW format
File system corruption from unsafe ejection
Photos visible as thumbnails but won’t open
Card partially accessible with some files missing

The Recovery Process:

Most memory card failures are “logical”—the card hardware is fine, but the file system structure is corrupted. This is like a book where the table of contents is torn out—the chapters (photos) still exist, but the index to find them is damaged.

We use professional memory card recovery equipment to create a sector-by-sector image of your card, then reconstruct the file system using specialized forensic tools. We scan for photo and video file signatures (JPEG headers, RAW file markers, video container structures) and rebuild the directory structure.

For RAW photo files (CR2, NEF, ARW, DNG, etc.), we have camera-specific recovery algorithms that understand each manufacturer’s proprietary RAW format structure, ensuring complete file recovery with all metadata intact.

Success Rate:

90-98% for logical file system corruption. This is our highest success rate because the data is physically intact—we’re just rebuilding the directory structure to access it.

Timeline:

Same day to 1 business day. Most logical recoveries complete within 2-4 hours.

Cost Range:

$200-$400 – This is our most affordable card recovery because the process is straightforward once we’ve imaged the card.

Method 2: Deleted File Recovery (Accidentally Formatted/Deleted)

When We Use This Method:

Accidentally deleted all photos
Formatted card before downloading photos
Formatted wrong card
Camera formatted card during firmware update
Photos deleted by mistake during culling

The Recovery Process:

When you delete photos or format a card, the files aren’t immediately erased—the space is just marked as available. Until overwritten with new photos, deleted files remain recoverable.

We create a complete image of the card, then use advanced carving algorithms to scan every sector for photo and video file signatures. We can recover JPEG, RAW files (all formats), MP4, MOV, AVI videos, and more—even from formatted cards.

Critical Factor: If you continued shooting after deletion/formatting, newer photos may have overwritten older ones. The sooner you stop using the card after deletion, the higher the recovery rate.

Success Rate:

Deleted/formatted, card NOT used after: 85-95%
Deleted/formatted, minimal shooting after: 60-80%
Deleted/formatted, heavy shooting after: 30-60%

Timeline:

1-2 business days for complete scan and recovery.

Cost Range:

$250-$500 – Pricing depends on card capacity and whether we’re recovering from deletion or format.

Method 3: Physical Card Damage Recovery (Advanced)

When We Use This Method:

SD card snapped in half
Card bent or crushed
Metal contacts broken off
Card won’t fit in reader due to physical damage
Card burned or melted
Dog chewed the card

The Recovery Process:

SD cards and other memory cards have NAND flash memory chips inside the plastic casing. When cards are physically damaged, we perform “chip-off” recovery—carefully extracting the memory chip and reading it directly.

Chip-Off Procedure:

Disassemble the damaged card in our ISO-5 clean room
Identify the NAND flash memory chip (sometimes multiple chips)
Use hot air rework station to carefully remove chip
Clean all solder residue from chip pins
Connect chip to specialized NAND flash reader
Extract raw data from chip
Reconstruct file system from raw data
Recover all photos and videos

SD Card Architecture: Standard SD cards have a single NAND chip. High-capacity SDXC cards may have multiple chips we must read and combine. CF cards have built-in controllers that complicate chip-level recovery.

Success Rate:

70-90% depending on whether the NAND flash chip survived the physical damage. If the chip itself is cracked or burned through, recovery becomes impossible. But we’ve recovered data from cards snapped in half, run over by cars, and chewed by pets—as long as the chip is intact, we can get your photos back.

Timeline:

2-4 business days due to delicate chip extraction and reading process.

Cost Range:

$600-$1,200 – Physical damage recovery is more expensive due to specialized equipment, clean room requirements, and time-intensive chip-level work.

Method 4: Controller Failure Recovery

When We Use This Method:

Card not detected by any reader
Card shows 0 GB capacity
Card detected but timing out
Card gets hot when inserted
Write-protect error on cards without lock switch

The Recovery Process:

Memory cards have a small controller chip that manages communication between the camera/computer and the NAND flash storage. When this controller fails, the card appears dead—but the data is still on the NAND chip.

We bypass the failed controller by removing the NAND chip and reading it directly (similar to physical damage recovery). The controller failure doesn’t affect the stored data, only access to it.

Success Rate:

80-95% because controller failure doesn’t damage the data—we just need to read the storage chip directly.

Timeline:

2-3 business days.

Cost Range:

$500-$900 – Controller bypass requires chip-off recovery techniques.

Method 5: Fake/Counterfeit Card Recovery

When We Use This Method:

Brand new card failing immediately
Card capacity doesn’t match label
Files disappearing randomly
Card much slower than rated speed
Suspicion of counterfeit card

The Challenge:

Counterfeit memory cards are unfortunately common, especially purchased from online marketplaces. These fake cards report higher capacity than actual—a 128GB fake might only have 8GB of real storage. When you exceed the real capacity, new photos overwrite old ones, creating corruption.

We’ve seen fake SanDisk Extreme Pro cards, fake Lexar cards, fake Samsung cards—even with authentic-looking packaging. The chips inside are low-quality or reused from failed cards.

Recovery Approach:

We determine the card’s TRUE capacity, identify which files weren’t overwritten, and recover what’s salvageable. For cards with low-quality chips, we may need to perform chip-off recovery if the card is unstable.

Success Rate:

40-70% highly variable depending on how much data was overwritten. If you caught the problem early, recovery rate is high. If you filled the card multiple times, only recent files may be recoverable.

Timeline:

1-3 business days.

Cost Range:

$300-$800 depending on whether we can work with the controller or need chip-level access.

🔧 Discuss Best Method For My Card: 1300 723 628
Get Custom Recovery Plan

What We Can Recover From Your Memory Card

✅ Photo Formats We Recover:

JPEG / JPG files – Standard camera output
RAW files – ALL formats: CR2, CR3 (Canon), NEF, NRW (Nikon), ARW, SR2 (Sony), RAF (Fuji), RW2 (Panasonic), ORF (Olympus), DNG (Adobe, Leica, mobile), PEF (Pentax), 3FR (Hasselblad), IIQ (Phase One)
HEIF / HEIC files – Modern iPhone/camera format
TIFF files – Uncompressed images
PNG files – Screenshots, graphics

✅ Video Formats We Recover:

MP4 / M4V files – Most common camera video
MOV files – Apple/Canon video format
AVI files – Legacy video format
MTS / M2TS files – AVCHD camcorder format
MXF files – Professional video cameras
R3D files – RED camera RAW video
BRAW files – Blackmagic RAW video
ProRes files – Professional video codec
4K / 8K video files – High-resolution video
Slow motion video – High frame rate footage

✅ Metadata We Preserve:

EXIF data – Camera settings, date/time, ISO, aperture, shutter speed
GPS coordinates – Geotagging information
Copyright info – Photographer attribution
Color profiles – Embedded ICC profiles
Original file names – Camera-generated names

❌ What We CANNOT Recover:

Overwritten data – New photos written over old deleted photos
Physically destroyed chips – NAND flash burned through or shattered
Secure-erased cards – Cards wiped with military-grade erasure
Never-existed data – If photos were never written successfully

For Wedding Photographers: We understand that recovering a wedding means saving your reputation and client relationship. We’ve recovered complete wedding days from corrupted cards, including RAW+JPEG pairs, video files, and all metadata. Your Lightroom catalog will import perfectly.

💾 Can You Recover MY Files? Call: 1300 723 628

Memory Card Data Recovery Pricing

We offer transparent pricing with our No Data, No Fee guarantee—if we can’t recover your photos, you pay nothing.

💰 Simple Recovery: $200 – $400

Typical Scenarios:

File system corruption (“format card” error)
Card not recognized by computer
Photos won’t open but thumbnails visible
Logical file system damage

Success Rate: 90-98%

Timeline: Same day to 1 business day

💰 Moderate Recovery: $250 – $600

Typical Scenarios:

Accidentally deleted photos
Formatted card before downloading
Partial card corruption
Controller issues

Success Rate: 70-90%

Timeline: 1-2 business days

💰 Complex Recovery: $600 – $1,200

Typical Scenarios:

Physically damaged card (snapped, bent)
Chip-off recovery required
Multiple chip cards (high-capacity SDXC)
Water/heat damage
Counterfeit card with instability

Success Rate: 70-90% (if chip intact)

Timeline: 2-4 business days

📸 Wedding Photographer Priority Service

Additional $100-$200 rush fee for same-day priority processing when you have client deliverables due. We understand that wedding galleries have deadlines—we’ll prioritize your recovery and complete it within 24 hours when possible.

💚 No Data, No Fee Guarantee

If we can’t recover your photos, you pay $0. No diagnostic fees. No attempt charges. You only pay when we successfully recover your precious images.

💵 Get Exact Quote For My Card: 1300 723 628
Request Free Assessment

Why Photographers Trust The Original PC Doctor

📸 Photographer-Focused Recovery

We understand photographer workflows and the value of your images:

Wedding photographer emergencies – Priority service for client deadline pressure
RAW file expertise – All camera RAW formats with metadata intact
Lightroom-ready delivery – Recovered files import perfectly with all EXIF data
Video recovery – 4K/8K video from mirrorless cameras, drones
Dual card failures – Even when both cards fail

🔬 Specialized Memory Card Equipment

Professional card imaging tools – Create perfect sector-by-sector copies
All format readers – SD, CF, CFast, CFexpress, XQD, microSD
Chip-off recovery stations – Extract data from physically damaged cards
Camera-specific RAW recovery – Proprietary format knowledge

⚡ Fast Turnaround for Time-Sensitive Work

Wedding photographers can’t wait weeks:

Same-day service available – For urgent client deliverables
Most recoveries: 1-2 days – Standard turnaround
Wedding priority queue – Professional photographers get priority
After-hours drop-off – Don’t wait until Monday

💚 No Data, No Fee Confidence

We only get paid when you get your photos back. This removes all risk from trying our service.

🏆 30+ Years Data Recovery Experience

We’ve recovered everything from corrupted wedding SD cards to crushed CF cards from remote safari locations. Thousands of successful recoveries across every camera brand and card format.

🏆 Trust the Photo Recovery Experts: 1300 723 628
Start Your Recovery

Frequently Asked Questions – SD Card Recovery

Q: How much does SD card recovery cost?

A: SD card data recovery ranges from $200 to $1,200 depending on the failure type. Simple file system corruption costs $200-$400. Deleted photo recovery costs $250-$600. Physically damaged cards requiring chip-off recovery cost $600-$1,200. We provide free diagnostic and exact quote before work begins. Our No Data, No Fee guarantee means you pay nothing if we can’t recover your photos.

Q: Can you recover photos from a card that says “Format Card”?

A: Yes! “Format Card” errors are one of the most common and most recoverable failures. This error means the file system structure is corrupted—but your photos are almost certainly still on the card. DO NOT format it! Stop using it immediately and bring it to us. Success rate is 90-98% for this type of failure. We recover the complete file system and all photos including RAW files with full metadata. Cost: $200-$400.

Q: I accidentally formatted my SD card. Can you recover the photos?

A: Yes, IF you stopped using the card immediately. When you format a card, it doesn’t erase the photos—it just marks the space as available. Until overwritten with new photos, all files remain recoverable. If you formatted then didn’t shoot any more photos, we have 85-95% success rate. If you shot a few more photos, 60-80%. If you filled the card again, only 30-60% because new photos overwrote old ones. Bring it immediately—don’t use it at all. Cost: $250-$500.

Q: My SD card snapped in half. Can you still recover my wedding photos?

A: Yes, we can often recover from physically broken cards! SD cards have a NAND flash memory chip inside the plastic casing. If that chip is intact (which it usually is even when the card breaks), we can perform chip-off recovery—extract the chip and read it directly. We’ve recovered complete weddings from cards snapped in half, run over by cars, and chewed by pets. Success rate: 70-90% depending on whether the chip survived. Bring us all the pieces. Cost: $600-$1,200.

Q: How long does memory card recovery take?

A: Timeline depends on failure type:

File system corruption: Same day to 1 business day
Deleted/formatted recovery: 1-2 business days
Physical damage (chip-off): 2-4 business days
Wedding photographer priority: 24-hour turnaround available (rush fee applies)

For wedding photographers with client galleries due, call 1300 723 628 to discuss expedited service.

Q: Do you recover RAW files or just JPEGs?

A: We recover ALL photo formats including every RAW format: Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fuji RAF, Panasonic RW2, Olympus ORF, Pentax PEF, Adobe DNG, and more. We recover RAW+JPEG pairs exactly as shot. All EXIF metadata, GPS coordinates, and camera settings are preserved perfectly for Lightroom import. Wedding photographers: your entire shoot recovers with all data intact.

Q: My card works in camera but computer won’t read it. Can you help?

A: Yes, this is common file system corruption where the camera can still partially read the card but computers can’t. This happens from unsafe ejection or removing the card while camera is writing. We can image the card and recover all photos. DO NOT format it when the computer asks—this will make recovery much harder. Success rate: 90-95%. Cost: $200-$400.

Q: I have a wedding gallery due to clients in 3 days. Can you help?

A: Absolutely. We understand the pressure wedding photographers face with client deliverables. Call 1300 723 628 immediately and mention “wedding photographer emergency.” We offer priority processing to complete your recovery within 24 hours when possible (rush fee applies). We’ve saved countless wedding photographers’ reputations by recovering corrupted cards before client deadlines. Don’t panic—most wedding card failures are highly recoverable.

Q: What if multiple card recovery services already tried and failed?

A: We’re often the “last resort” after consumer-grade recovery software failed or other services gave up. We have professional equipment most services don’t: chip-off recovery capability, all-format readers, camera-specific RAW recovery tools, and 30+ years experience. If the NAND flash chip is physically intact, we can likely recover your data even if others failed. However, if previous attempts involved writing to the card or forcing formats, those may have caused additional damage. Bring it for free diagnostic—we’ll be honest about what’s possible.

❓ Have Questions? Call: 1300 723 628
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Don’t Lose Your Once-in-a-Lifetime Moments Forever

That wedding you just shot. Your child’s first birthday. Six months backpacking across Asia. The safari you saved years for. Your grandparents’ 50th anniversary. Client work that represents your reputation and income.

These moments can never be recreated. But your photos can be recovered.

For over 30 years, The Original PC Doctor has been recovering precious memories from failed memory cards. We’ve saved wedding photographers’ careers, returned travelers’ once-in-a-lifetime adventures, and recovered family memories thought lost forever. We’ve seen the tears of relief when a mother gets back her daughter’s birthday photos. The gratitude of wedding photographers who delivered their client galleries on time. The joy of travelers reliving their adventures.

Every minute your card sits unused increases our chances of successful recovery. Don’t try DIY software that makes things worse. Don’t format when your camera asks. Don’t give up hope.

Call us right now: 1300 723 628

We’ll provide free diagnostic, honest assessment of recovery chances, and transparent pricing before any work begins. With our No Data, No Fee guarantee, you have nothing to lose and everything to recover.

🚨 EMERGENCY CARD RECOVERY: 1300 723 628
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