Lost your photos? They’re usually still on the card.

This is generally our most asked question. The answer is generally “yes”. A photo deletion does nothing but remove the reference to the JPEG/RAW image in the card’s FAT/exFAT directory. So the photo remains intact in its original location in the flash until another frame is written over it. Providing you don’t use the card after deleting photos, there is an excellent chance we can carve those deleted images straight back.

Not often at all. When a camera formats a memory card, it performs a quick format, which creates a fresh FAT/exFAT table, and leaves the pictures alone, unchanged until you begin taking photos once again. Where we can still read the older directory structure, we will rebuild it; if not, we will extract JPEG/HEIC and RAW images based upon their distinct signatures.

Generally, yes. Most of the time when an error occurs like this, the cause is either pulling the card out while the camera is still in the middle of saving, or simply running out of power during the process of capturing a single frame. The damage done is typically just to the directory/file system, not to the captured images. Therefore, we repair the directory/file system and recover the images, even when your camera or phone has given up on the card.

Yes, all the major ones, plus JPEG, HEIC and MP4/MOV (video). There are specific signatures associated with each RAW format, therefore we can also recover files such as: Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fujifilm RAF, Panasonic RW2, Olympus ORF, Canon’s CR2 and CR3, plus the open DNG format, regardless of whether or not the file table is totally lost.

All of them: Memory Sticks, XQD, CFexpress, CompactFlash, microSD and SD cards used in cameras/dash cams/drones/action cameras. If photos were saved to the card, then the likelihood of us being able to recover them is quite good.

Very often, yes. But when the card is broken, bent or damaged by water it makes things much harder, although in general SD and microSD cards are made from a single piece (the controller and NAND) so we can use this to our advantage. In some situations, where the contacts or circuitry of the card have failed, we can reball the package or read the flash directly and rebuild your images at chip level.

Yes, if the phone had stored its photographs on an external memory card (microSD), just remove the memory card and send it to us. We cannot recover data from the soldered-in internal storage of a modern phone with no card slot, which falls outside of what we do. Let us know the make and model of phone you own and what happened; we’ll be honest about what options exist.

We charge two flat rate fees +VAT: £250 for memory cards/USB sticks, and £300 for hard drives. Our initial diagnostic service is complimentary, and in most cases you only pay if we recover your data. If the damage to your card is significant enough to require chip-level work, it can cost more; however, this will only ever be on a written quotation you have seen before we start any work.

Generally speaking, photo recoveries take anywhere from one to three working days to complete, with many done faster. Additionally, the diagnostic should typically take less than 48 hours. If you believe it is genuinely urgent please let us know and we’ll attempt to expedite your case.

Your media has two options for reaching us: either drop off your media to our Guildford office during standard hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm); or post it, fully insured since a card fits securely inside a padded envelope. Be sure to add your name, address, telephone number, and email so we can log it. After we receive your media we will perform a complimentary diagnostic, generate a written quote based upon what we find, and then contact you to confirm whether we proceed.