In this article, you will learn how to recover deleted or lost raw photos from various data storage devices.
In case you don’t know what a raw photo is, it is an unprocessed picture file containing the whole data captured by the image sensor of your camera. Simply put, you can adjust more information or statistics on a raw image. Adobe introduced the raw photo format in 2004. Later, many other camera manufacturers incorporated the support for this format in their devices.
Generally, digital camera users save photos in the raw format. A dedicated tool is required to open and edit these raw files. What if your SD card gets formatted mistakenly or your raw photos are accidentally deleted from your camera? It would definitely be a frustrating situation for you. Right? Well, this is where raw photo recovery software lends you a helping hand.
This guide not only presents the reasons behind losing raw photos but also shares a trusted tool to perform a quick raw image recovery.
Part 1. Why Are Raw Photos Often Lost/Deleted?
Losing raw photos is something that millions of people worldwide often experience. Let’s explore the potential reasons behind this global issue.
- A human error, like accidental deletion, may result in losing your raw photos.
- If you suddenly remove the SD card from your camera or interrupt the transfer process, it may lead to losing your raw photos.
- Sometimes, frustrating error messages prompt you to format your SD card or other storage devices that have your raw photos.
- Malware infections may affect your camera’s motherboard or SD card, resulting in the deletion of your raw images.
- The raw photos may be distorted due to a corrupted camera card.
- Improper handling of your SD card or camera may also cause the deletion of raw photos.
If you don’t want to experience these situations, try using more user-friendly photo formats, such as PNG or JPEG. This way, you can keep yourself away from the hassle of editing or adjusting the parameters of raw photos.
Part 2. Precautions Before Recovery
Before you attempt to restore your lost or deleted raw photos (whether DNG, CR2, or NEF), don’t forget to take some immediate precautions, as given below. They will maximize the chance of a successful raw photo recovery.
- Stop Using the Device: When you realize that your photos are deleted or lost from your camera, SD card, or any other device, stop using the affected device immediately. If you continue to use this device, the risk of overwriting increases, and the recovery may become more difficult.
- Don’t Format the Drive: Avoid formatting the storage device where your data was lost. Even a simple “quick format” option may make it very hard to retrieve lost raw photos.
- Don’t Install Recovery Tool on the Same Drive: If you want to use a data recovery tool, make sure you install it on an external drive or a separate disk. Doing this helps you avoid overwriting.
- Create a Disk Image: If you have to handle a high-stakes recovery, it is good to create a sector-by-sector disk image to recover raw photos from the image (not the original media). Creating a disk image adds an extra layer of security or safety.
Part 3. How to Recover Raw Photos on Windows & Mac?
You are now familiar with the reasons behind the loss of raw photos from your digital cameras and other storage devices. It is time to get into the details of how to recover raw photos on your Windows and Mac operating systems.
To restore deleted or lost raw images from your camera, hard drive, SD card, or other storage devices, all you need is reliable raw photo recovery software like Wondershare Recoverit. This tool not only enables you to recover deleted CR2, DNG, and NEF files but also helps you restore photos lost due to a corrupted SD card or hard drive.
Recoverit is an award-winning data recovery tool recommended by millions of users worldwide for efficient and secure raw photo recovery on Windows and Mac computers.
Why Recoverit?
Let’s examine the features that make this tool soar to new heights.
- It offers improved photo recovery from SD cards and 2,000+ storage devices.
- Recoverit supports professional photo recovery from various cameras, including but not limited to Sony, Nikon, Kodak, Canon, and Fujifilm.
- The user-friendly interface ensures 100% safe and secure photo recovery.
- Advanced scanning algorithms (deep scan) ensure precise recovery of your raw photos.
- It supports various raw image formats, such as ARW (Sony), NEF (Nikon), CR2 (Canon), and DNG (Adobe).
- You can preview photos before recovering them – an added benefit.
- This tool is best known for its highest successful recovery rate, i.e., 99.5%.
Steps to Recover Lost DNG, NEF, & CR2 Files Using Recoverit
Following the steps below will help you recover raw photos within minutes.
Step 1: Visit the official website of Recoverit, download the tool, and install it on your Windows/Mac OS.
Step 2: Connect the SD card or camera to your computer and make sure it is detected.
Step 3: Now, open the tool, enter the Hard Drives and Locations option, and select the camera or other storage devices connected to your computer. Once done, hit the Start button.
Step 4: Recoverit will start an automatic quick scan. If it is completed and you can’t find your DNG, CR2, or NEF files, you can scan the selected device again using the “All-around recovery” mode. It will take more time, but it will perform a deep scan to search for your lost or deleted raw photos.
The tool displays scanning progress in real-time at the bottom of the window. The best part? You can stop the scanning process at any time as soon as you find the photos you want to get back.
Step 5: Once Recoverit completes the scanning process, the photos will be available for recovery. Interestingly, you can preview before recovering them. Hit the Preview button to preview any photo you want.
Step 6: If you are satisfied with what you just previewed, click the Recover button, choose a new location, and save the recovered photos on your computer.
Part 4. How to Prevent Raw Photos Loss in the Future?
Though raw image recovery becomes super simple with Recoverit, why not keep your files secure? Below is a list of some actionable tips that protect your raw photos.
- Create Regular Backups: Backup your SD cards regularly to another external drive. Plus, create backups of your raw photos to cloud-based storage.
- Secure SD Cards: Keep your cards away from physical damage (like exposure to moisture and bending) by using a protective case.
- Enable Dual Card Slots: If the dual card slot option is available on your camera, don’t forget to enable this feature. This way, your raw photos will be saved to both SD cards simultaneously.
- Use SD Card Effectively: Don’t use one SD card with multiple cameras. It will help you prevent SD card corruption.
Final Words
Predicting data loss is next to impossible, so you can’t completely avoid losing your raw photos. If you have lost some of your raw images from your digital camera or computer, don’t be so concerned, as recovering them efficiently is no longer a difficult job with Wondershare Recoverit.
Before you get into the specifics of recovering lost or deleted raw pictures, it is important to know the reasons behind this issue, as stated in the discussion above.
Recoverit not only performs an instant raw photo recovery but also keeps your stuff 100% protected. It offers profound support for various raw photo formats, including NEF, DNG, and CR2. Plus, it supports hundreds of recovery scenarios and thousands of storage devices.
FAQs
How long do deleted raw photos stay on the storage device?
Though deleted raw photos create space for the new data files, they still stay there until you overwrite them with new data. Therefore, avoid overwriting to improve the chances of quick and safe raw photo recovery.
What is the best tool for restoring raw photos?
You may find a range of data recovery tools in the market, but not all may be trustworthy. Out of many utilities, Recoverit has proven to be an incredible recovery tool you can count on.
Can I recover raw photos from a formatted SD card?
The answer is YES. Many modern data recovery tools, like Recoverit, can read formatted SD cards and find your deleted raw files.
