Free Mac Photo Recovery Methods to Recover Digital Camera Files

Eleanor Reed

Jan 15, 2024 • Filed to: Photo/Video/Audio Solutions • Proven solutions

Are you also experiencing the same? Whether you have camera data by unintentional deletion or because of memory card error, you can do digital camera recovery easily.

This article offers you an insight into different aspects of digital camera files, including its causes, various solutions, and tips to avoid digital camera files.

Part 1: How Are Digital Camera Files Are Lost

Digital camera files can get lost because of any reason. You can click on the deleted button, reset button accidentally. There can be some other cause too. So, before learning the different ways on how to recover digital camera files, it is vital to how these are lost.

If you want to restore camera photos, you should have sufficient knowledge about different aspects of a digital camera. It includes how digital camera files are stored and the main causes of data loss in digital cameras.

Overview of Digital Camera Files

A digital camera is an incredible tool that generates digital images of your most memorable moments. It records images as raw data in a collection of bytes, which is processed into JPEG format to store digital photos. In most digital cameras, the default storage location is the SD card or memory card.

Different Causes Leading to Loss of Digital Camera Files

As said above, the loss of digital camera files can be any. We are listing here some of the common causes for data loss in digital camera files:

• Accidental Deletion - You intended to click on the different options but clicked something else in the flow of things. It's an old habit that may cost you some precious photos.
• Unplanned Formatting of SD Card - In any digital camera, the prime storage device is the external SD card installed in it. In case you format your memory card, you won't be able to see your photo collections.
• Malware Infection - You tend to transfer your photos and videos from memory cards to the computer, as the storage capacity of our SD cards is limited. In such cases, if your computer is infected by malware, it can also affect your SD card.
• SD Card Corruption - One of the typical reasons for memory card corruption is pulling it out without even switching-off the camera. Moreover, if you are ignoring messages like 'memory card full,' ignoring and continuing to use it can cause data loss as well.
• Usage of Camera at Low-Battery - Your memory card may suffer data loss if you are using it at a faulty battery. If it shuts down while using, it may corrupt your memory card and make your photos inaccessible.

Part 2: Different Methods to Recover Deleted Photos on Mac

The moment you lose your digital camera files, you might think you have lost them forever. But thankfully, there are different methods that help you recover your lost, corrupted, or deleted files. But you need to know the right methods and the steps to perform these methods.

Depending on the condition, you can either use the command prompt, camera deleted photo recovery software, and various other ways. Here are some of the effective methods to restore digital photos on Mac. Read on to understand them and proceed step by step as guided here.

Method 1: Free Camera Deleted Photo Recovery Software on Mac

One of the sure short ways to retrieve digital photos is to use camera deleted photo recovery software applications. Recoverit is a powerful digital photo recovery software. It works best to recover deleted documents, photos, videos, and audios, as the software supports 1000 or formats and file types. The amazing software tool works best to deep scan different storage devices to recover your lost camera photos.

Now, if you're thinking about how to get pictures from camera to Mac, simply take out the memory card, plug into a card reader and connect it to your computer. Download the Recoverit app on the system and follow the steps mentioned below.

Step 1: Choose a location to begin scanning camera Photos

Once you download the app on Mac, launch Recoverit. You can either choose your digital camera or memory card storage. After selecting the storage location, click on 'Start' to begin the process.

Step 2: Initiate scanning of the digital camera storage

Recoverit application will begin scanning your storage location to look for your lost/ deleted photos on the SD card. It might take some time to complete.

Step 3: Preview and restore lost/deleted photos

As the scanning is completed, you can look at all the recoverable pictures. Take a careful look at all the recovered photos that you want to restore. Select the ones that you want and click on 'Recover' to restore photos from the camera.

Tips

• Make sure that you store your recover photos in a separate location and not where you lost it in the first place.
• When you lose photos due to any reason, stop using it to avoid overwriting in the SD card. It may hinder in the retrieval of lost pictures at the time of recovery.

Method 2: Free Restore Camera Photos from Backup

Losing all your photos is a bad experience. People often make a backup of their photo collections. Although it's a great idea to ensure peace of mind even when you lost your original photo collections.

If you are using MAC, it has an in-built backup and recovery tool "Time Machine" that works effectively in such situations. So, the chances of retrieval are there if you have already created a backup of your digital camera files with the help of a Time Machine. You can follow the steps below to know how to retrieve the photo from backup using the Time Machine tool.

Step 1: Connect the backup hard drive to Mac.

Step 2: Now, open 'Finder' to look for the Time Machine.

Step 3: Click on the Time Machine and select 'Enter Time Machine.'

Step 4: Locate the backup of the digital camera files.

Step 5: Select the one that you want to recover and click on 'Restore.'

Method 3: Free Recover Deleted Photos from SD Card

While Recoverit is an excellent option to restore deleted photos from SD cards, there are some other techniques that help you recover your deleted photos from the SD card.

If Mac has old drivers, it is not able to send or receive memory card data correctly. Updating the disk driver can help. Proceed it with the below steps:

Step 1: Select "System Preference"

You can find it on the Apple icon at the top.

Step 2: Click on "Software Updates"

Step 3: Select "Update Now." If there are multiple updates then you can click on "Update All."

Once the drives are updated, check the SD card again.

Method 4: Repair Broken Camera and Get Data Back

If it's a minor issue related to the SD card, you can use the built-in Disk Utility app that includes a First Aid option. It repairs any problems with connected drives. Disk Utility is a feature of Mac operating systems, which is used to manage internal and external disk storage devices. Once you connect the SD card to your Mac and follow the steps mentioned below to know how to repair it.

Step 1: Go to the main Finder menu and click on 'Go.'

Step 2: Open 'Utilities' and click-on 'Disk Utility' to open the application.

Step 3: On the left side, you will see the connected drives.

Step 4: Select 'First Aid' on the top of the screen and tap on 'Run.'

Now, this will scan your SD card and try to fix any problem it could find.

It may take some time to scan and fix any issue related to SD cards. Once it is completed, restart the computer. Now, recheck your file. The issue may have been sorted out.

Part 3: How to Avoid Losing Digital Camera Files

Though you can recover your deleted data files with the methods discussed above. But try to make efforts to avoid such instances by keeping your files safe from deletion or corruption.

If you don't want to see yourself in a scenario where all the photos from your digital camera are lost, there are few things you can control. Here are five tips to avoid such incidents affecting your experience.

• Avoid abrupt ejection of SD card - It would be best if you switch off the camera first before taking out the memory card. Even if you are ejecting it from the computer, make sure that you choose the 'safely remove hardware option' before taking out the memory card.
• Keep a backup of all the digital photos - By creating a backup of all the important files, you can reduce the chances of losing all the photos. It would be great if you create a backup of all the files at several places. Even when you lose one backup, you still have the second backup.
• Use a camera with sufficient battery - Using a digital camera at a low-battery could create a compromising situation for data storage. Hence, you must use a camera with a full battery.
• Use reliable antivirus - If you are transferring your camera photos to the SD card, you should use a reliable antivirus to prevent SD card from malware attacks.
• Always check the storage device before formatting - Navigation is a crucial part of how effectively you use its functionalities. Insufficient understanding can lead to unintended action and the formatting of photos.

Follow these tips and reduce the chances of data loss.

Closing words

Whether you are a professional photographer or an occasional user, always have a backup of all your captured digital files, to restore in case of any accidental deletion.

However, if your backup got deleted or have forgotten to take it, in the absence of it you can try recovering data with the methods discussed above. Follow the detailed steps carefully. Of all the above ways, Recoverit serves as the best free photo recovery software for Mac. From deleted to corrupted to lost digital files, it effectively recovers deleted files from the camera.

We hope you will be able to recover your lost digital photos effectively with the methods guided in this article!