Cheap photo frames blamed for "scrambling" memory cards

Cheap digital photo frames are responsible for an upsurge in "scrambled" memory cards, according to leading Melbourne specialist photo retailer Peter Michael.

Michael, managing director of Michaels Camera Video and Digital, said that a small number of customers have visited Michaels' Elizabeth Street store seeking help with cards that have become inoperable after being used with digital photo frame.

"With prices falling to well under $100 for some models, digital photo frames were a popular gift choice this Christmas, but some frames seem to be "scrambling" memory cards loaded with precious family memories," he said.

"So far there's only been a handful of customers with the problem, but as we've never seen this before, we felt it was worth alerting the public," Michael added.

He said the malfunction could be due to a computer virus, or through misuse - such as removing a card before a photo frame (or camera or PC) is fully switched off - and sometimes there can be a physical flaw in the memory card.

Michael said image data can usually be recovered from a corrupted memory card by photo specialist retailers who offer data recovery services.

He said Michaels 'Data Doctor' memory card data recovery service reports a success rate of around 80%, even when images have been accidentally deleted or cards reformatted. Costs range from $50 to $150 depending on the data storage capacity of the card, as larger capacity cards take up more of a data recovery technician's time to recover the images.

Images are recovered and saved onto a CD or DVD. If they can't be recovered, there is no charge.