I recorded several wedding videos on an SD card using a brand-new camcorder. When I connected the card to my iPad through a recommended adapter, none of the files appeared. To check whether the adapter was the problem, I later put a second SD card from another camcorder directly into a laptop, where all of its videos were visible and safely copied. After connecting that second card to the iPad through the same adapter, its files also stopped appearing. I have not added anything to either card or reformatted them because I do not want to overwrite potentially recoverable data. Could the videos still be there, and what should I try next?
1 Answer
Try the original card directly in a computer, without using the iPad or adapter. If the files appear there, the issue is probably an incompatible filesystem or a problem with how the iPad handles the card. Since the second card worked normally in the laptop before being connected to the iPad, the adapter or iPad connection is the likely cause. Avoid writing to or formatting either card; if they remain inaccessible on a computer, make a sector-by-sector image and use recovery software, or have a professional recover the footage.
The second card was readable on the laptop before the iPad was tested, but the files disappeared afterward too. That strongly suggests the iPad or adapter changed how the card is being mounted rather than the camcorders failing.