Q: Is it possible to recover deleted photo from a memory card a second time after a download? I missed some pictures while downloading to my computer the first time, and my camera now indicates an empty memory card. --A.
A: Unfortunately, if your camera indicated the memory card was empty, the photos probably have been deleted, and recovering deleted photos will be difficult.
At that point, I'd recommend trying to insert the memory card directly into your computer; perhaps the problem with reading the memory card is with your camera. There also is a slim chance that a photo printing store or a computer repair store could recover the photo files from a memory card that appears to be empty. As soon as you notice the problem, stop saving photos to the memory card in question. Your chances of recovering photo files lessens greatly if new photos have been saved to the memory card.
I always recommend making a backup copy of every set of photos after downloading before deleting them. A good way to make a backup copy is on a burnable CD on your computer. Or almost any store that can make prints from digital photos should be able to make you a backup copy of your photos on a CD.
Making backup copies of your photos on a regular basis is a good habit to follow every few months, making it less likely you'll ever need to recover photo files. After all, those photos are irreplaceable.
Finally, I recently reviewed two Kodak digital cameras that include an "Undo Delete" command, which is very handy for recovering deleted photos, as long as you catch your mistake right away while working with the photos on the camera. Hopefully more manufacturers will add this command to their menu structures.
Find more answers to common camera questions on the camera FAQ page.
