GH3 SD Card Stuck In Camera

C

cameron

Member
I've got an SD card stuck in my gh3 camera body. The spring mechanism is still working, allowing the card to pop out part way. When I go to pull it out though, it doesn't go any further. I don't want to force it. When I push it back in and turn the camera on, I get a message saying write protect is enabled.

Any ideas to solve this?

gh3-card-stuck.jpg
 
sounds like the tab has gotten caught on something inside. no solution from me im afraid. maybe try sliding some thin paper or plastic film in to feel around? something along the lines of push card in, insert paper same of same width in then press to see if that guides it out.
 
I've had this happen to me while in Vegas. Lesson here, don't try removing it yourself. I ended up destroying my memory card and had to send my camera in for servicing....
 
Just happened to me last month the day before a shoot with the two year old 16gig SanDisk card, was able to dislodge the card. I took the card out to inspect I heard something fall off the card and hit my desk and vanish onto the floor never to be recovered. Some how the thin layer of plastic that holds the protective switch on the side of the card got sheared off leaving it hanging off the side of the card and it was the gray switch that fell out. Took pictures of the card and sent them to SanDisk support. After going thru the many layers of support emails and providing an account of how it happened and how I store the cards, I sent them the receipt (bought thru B&H and they had my receipt still on file.) and they sent me out a new 16gig Extreme card, they even paid for return shipping with the RMA.
 
I held my breath and wiggled it about, maybe even used needle nose pliers, I really don't recall how much force was used.
 
Here is the scan of the removed card. Notice the missing protective lock/switch missing on the side. They were also very concerned if I had lost any data on the card which I didn't due to just prior uploading all files off the card and reformatting in camera with all my cards. It was when I reinserted it into my second GH2 when it got stuck.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/images/DVXuser_413/attach/jpg.gif
 

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Luckily my card was blank also. Unfortunately it happened at about Noon on the day of a wedding video shoot. I had another gh3 and a t3i to get me through the day.
 
This is a latent design flaw of the SD card socket in Panasonic G-series cameras. An SD card with a loose or missing write-protect tab is literally a death trap for these cameras. If you forcibly pull the jammed card out of the socket, it can permanently damage the socket's internal mechanism. It happened to one of my GH1's and I had to send it back to Panasonic to replace the camera's entire motherboard.

The reason the SD card cannot be ejected is because an internal mechanical latch is stuck in the card's write-protect cut-out. If the card has not been manipulated forcefully, it is possible to insert a thin needle down the write-protect side of the card and gently push back the latch to free the card. I do not recommend this as it's possible to do additional damage to the socket with the needle. If the camera is still under warranty, the best option is to return it to Panasonic for repair.
 
Thanks Lpowell!

Contacted the closest service center. Pretty disappointed with the estimate they gave me.

"If I can remove the card without having to damage the main circuit, you might be looking at about $100. If the circuit requires replacement, you would have to add $225 for the part to the labour charge. Of course, shipping and taxes are additional."
 
Lpowell said:
If the card has not been manipulated forcefully, it is possible to insert a thin needle down the write-protect side of the card and gently push back the latch to free the card. I do not recommend this as it's possible to do additional damage to the socket with the needle.
Click to expand...

I'd purchased my camera from BH, but live in Canada, so wasn't covered by warranty. In talking with the Lumix rep, it seemed like it wouldn't have been covered by warranty anywhere, since a third party product is involved in the problem. Don't quote me on that.

Since I was looking at $115-$340 to get this serviced, I opted for the needle. I pushed around a few times, not hitting anything. Eventually I found the right spot, not too far in, and gently pushed it down. The card came out. The tab was broken off. I didn't see it fall out, so it probably has a permanent home in my camera now.

To really tempt fate (aka, being an idiot), I decided to test the card in my other GH3. I figured since it had no tab now the risk of it getting stuck was gone. It instantly got stuck, before even having pushed it in all the way. Same needle trick solved it in one try. So if you get a broken card out of your camera, it's done. Don't try to use it again.

Back to the first GH3, I was a bit scared to try putting a card in again. I'd had enough of being stupid, so instead of testing it with a 32GB card, I used a 2GB card. It inserted fine. I was able to shoot a few photos. Came back out fine.

Thanks for all the feedback on this thread, and thanks Lpowell for the needle suggestion! You helped me save at least $115.
 
GH3 sdhc card stuck solution

GH3 sdhc card stuck solution

Did anybody find a long term solution for preventing sd cards stuck in Panasonic G series memory card slots?
After losing two sdhc (16gig and 32gig) I decided I will put small clear tape pieces on all of my cards to prevent breaking them? It works fine for now but I didn't test it in the long term. I'm affraid if after a while the tape will make the card stuck and the other thing is if the card will overheat because of the tape? Does anybody using this method? I love my GH3 and never had any other problem but this issue is a deal breaker for me. As a wedding videographer my nightmare is if a full card stuck in just before the "YES" and I can't put in a new one...
 
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