Canon and the amazing disappearing pictures

Canon has published an advisory warning users of flaws in some of its cameras that can make images disappear. The affected models are the EOS-1D Mark II and the EOS-1Ds Mark II.

The first bug surfaces when users press the display button while the camera is still writing pictures from its buffer to the memory card. The camera must be set to shoot in 'raw jpeg' format.

This combination of circumstances will cause the camera to crash and delete all pictures stored in the buffer. To resume operation users have to remove the batteries.

Another flaw can cause a loss of pictures for users of Lexar Professional 80x-speed compact flash cards. In addition to the two previously mentioned cameras, this vulnerability also affects the EOS 20D, EOS Digital Rebel XT, EOS 350D Digital, and EOS Kiss Digital N.

Lexar has published an advisory on its website suggesting that other makes of compact flash cards are also vulnerable to the flaw.

Canon said that it is working on a firmware upgrade for both issues, and will exchange affected memory cards.