HELP: Repeated SanDisk V90 Card Failure on Lumix S5 II (Need Real Feedback – Not Basic Troubleshooting)

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1

Hey everyone,
I’m reaching out for some real support and insight. I’ve now had two SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB V90 SD cards fail on me during a shoot — nine months apart — both under similar circumstances. These are not cheap cards, and the loss of footage is beyond frustrating.

Here’s my detailed breakdown:

Camera & Setup Info

  • Camera: Panasonic Lumix S5 II

  • Firmware: Latest version (fully up to date)

  • Cards: SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB V90 UHS-II

  • Total Cards Owned: ~15 (all high-end SanDisk V90s)

The Problem (Occurred Twice, 9 Months Apart)

  • Issue: Card corrupts during a shoot.

  • Error Message: “Please insert SD card” appears mid-shoot.

  • Result: Card is not recognized by camera or computer. Recovery software fails to even read it.

Common Denominators in Both Card Failures
  1. Old Footage on Card:
  • I did not format the card before the shoot because it had footage from earlier that day or a previous session.
  1. Frequent Playback During Shoot:

  • I was reviewing and playing back clips often during the shoot.

  • Then switching back and forth between playback and shooting mode — probably 20+ times that day.

  1. Failure Occurred During Transition:
  • Card failed right as I transitioned from playback mode back to shooting mode.
Recovery Attempts (Both Times)

  • Tried 3 different computers and 2 other cameras.

  • Tried multiple recovery software programs.

  • In both cases: Card not even recognized = cannot recover data.

  • Important distinction: If the card had simply been corrupted, I could have used recovery software to retrieve the footage. But because it was a complete card failure, the card couldn’t be read at all — making recovery impossible.

  • The only theory I can come up with is that there may have been some sort of electrical short or glitch when the camera transitions from playback to shooting mode — it’s the only moment that lines up in both cases, and the only thing that remotely makes sense at this point.

  • Conclusion: Not a corruption issue — total card failure.

My Usual Workflow (for the past 9 months):

  • I always use a freshly formatted card before every shoot.

  • I follow best practices with formatting in-camera before use.

  • These two failures are the only exceptions (where I didn’t freshly format before shooting).

My Questions for the Group:

  • Is this a camera issue (Lumix S5 II)?

  • Is it a card brand issue (SanDisk V90)?

  • Or do I absolutely have to freshly format every card before every use, even if the card already has footage from the same camera/session?

  • Has anyone else had issues switching between playback and shooting modes and encountering this kind of error?

Final Notes:

  • All footage was recorded on the same camera and left in the same card. No cross-camera or card swaps.

  • I’ve contacted both SanDisk and Panasonic — both gave me basic troubleshooting and provided no help.

  • I’m looking for real feedback or insights to avoid this happening again.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

2

@rmillervideo

Have you checked our knowledge base articles?
(Get Support for Your SSDs and Flash Products | Sandisk)

Try this one.

Have you opened a Support Case?
If not, contact SanDisk Technical Support for assistance.
(Contact Support | Sandisk)

3

When I use card based cameras for shooting video I keep a lot of them on hand so that I can shoot and not fight cards

I suggest a USB card reader as these are inexpensive and convenient. I use SanDisk as the cards work fine.

I suspect fakes as the cards I have work fine years old

4

Hi @rmillervideo,

From what you shared, it sounds like a full card failure, not just corruption. It’s important to always freshly format the card in-camera before each shoot, even if it has old footage.

Frequent playback and switching modes can stress the card too. It could be a rare card defect or a fake card issue, so check authenticity. Less likely it’s the camera if no one else reports it. Rotate cards often and avoid heavy playback during shoots to stay safe.

5

Right. A full card failure. Just a bummer the card is that “sensitive”.

As far as the card, how do you “check authenticity”? I buy my cards from reputable sources. What identifying markers can I expect?

Also a bummer if I cant use my camera to check my footage. For how much we spend on these things, I should be able to review my footage.

6

Sadly counterfeiters work hard. I have one old 32GB SD that I use for file history on an old laptop. Periodically I erase the SD card and write zeros so it is refreshed and put it back to work. My Dell XPS 15 9570 has a SD card slot so I put the card there for want of more storage. My Lenovo T14 had a micro SD slot but that machine croaked but I have a USB card reader so I can read any card on any machine.