Drone for a A6500 / A7R ii / A7S ii

[GeneS]

1 hour ago, BTM_Pix said:

 

Re-formatting will resync the database with the actual contents of the card versus what it thinks is on the card.

If you have been taking images off the card and then deleting them in the folder of the SD card then that might well cause it to lose sync as the database thinks they are still there.

The issue in this link was related to the mark iii but could still be relevant in terms of symptoms.

https://fstoppers.com/news/sony-warns-file-loss-bug-a7r-iii-and-a7-iii-315309

If I was trying to trace the issue then the two variables beyond a simple issue of database corruption that I'd try to eliminate would be the airborne aspect and the ground control system.

What I would do is get one of these cheap time-lapse controllers (about £13 on Amazon)

You can then programme it to do a 1 or 2 second interval timelapse while the camera is on the ground and prove whether its some sort of basic capacity/timing/file handling issue with the camera.

Presuming it passes that test ( and I'm guessing that your rig would have the lifting capacity for the extra 145g it weighs) you could then run the same time-lapse programme on it while the camera is airborne doing a typical mapping session.

As you will have proven the time-lapse works on the ground then this would then determine whether it is a problem with it being in the air.

If it passes that test then you can re-test it properly with the ground control system (after re-formatting the card  ).

If you don't want to use the timelapse controller and don't mind delving in a bit further, you can install the Open Memories tweak on the camera which will let you install an internal time-lapse app

https://sony-pmca.appspot.com/apps

I've used that hack to change languages from both of my Japanese bought Sony cameras but to be honest though, if it was just for the time-lapse, and your rig can handle the weight then I think its easier to hand over the £13.

 

I like the controller based time lapse test. Definitely worth the cost.

You said, "If you have been taking images off the card and then deleting them in the folder of the SD card then that might well cause it to lose sync as the database thinks they are still there."

When you say deleting them in the folder, do you mean in Windows or when using the camera as interface? Also, do you recommend taking the SD card out and copying with a card reader and computer, or tethering the camera to a computer and ripping images via USB and not taking out the SD card? I now know that the camera should be powered off before removing SD and that it should be reformatted before the next shoot.

Thank you for answering my basic questions.

[BTM_Pix]

1 minute ago, GeneS said:

When you say deleting them in the folder, do you mean in Windows or when using the camera as interface? Also, do you recommend taking the SD card out and copying with a card reader and computer, or tethering the camera to a computer and ripping images via USB and not taking out the SD card? I now know that the camera should be powered off before removing SD and that it should be reformatted before the next shoot.

Yes, I was referring to deleting them off the card when it is in a computer.

I've never had a problem ingesting the images through a card reader but I tend to just copy the entire folder structure over as the card may contain combinations of stills and videos.

 

[GeneS]

58 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

Yes, I was referring to deleting them off the card when it is in a computer.

I've never had a problem ingesting the images through a card reader but I tend to just copy the entire folder structure over as the card may contain combinations of stills and videos.

 

Yes, i do the same, copy the entire parent folder. Once it has copied i delete it in the computer interface. Should I just skit this step and reformat the card once it is back in the camera to clean the memory?

[BTM_Pix]

1 minute ago, GeneS said:

Yes, i do the same, copy the entire parent folder. Once it has copied i delete it in the computer interface. Should I just skit this step and reformat the card once it is back in the camera to clean the memory?

Yes, that would be best practice for a Sony camera because of the importance of the database integrity.

I'm not saying that it is necessarily causing the issues you have but its certainly a variable that you could eliminate.

[Mako Sports]

Inspire 2 with Zenmuse X7, possibly the best drone video ive ever seen.

 

[GeneS]

Since we last typed, I have conducted tests with the recommended Neewer intervelometer. Using the fastest setting of 1 second photo intervals, the actual frame rate is about 1 photo every .96 seconds or so. After over 25k images shot on the same card without formatting in the camera, I have had no image dropout. I have let the camera shoot for 45 mins on several runs, as well as for about 85 mins, which completely filled my 64G card shooting JPEG only, extra fine. It seems that the formatting step was not the problem. This leads me to believe there was/is some error in the flight control command that issues the camera trigger function. Not really any closer to a solution, but at least I know that the camera can write at least 1 image a second pretty much forever. Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions, I'll keep you posted on further updates.