Nikon Coolpix 4800 won't recognize SD card

[osp001]

Howdy! I'm a photographer from way back when- used to do my own B&W prints, in fact. I'm on my second digital camera; picked it up, and now I have a problem not covered in the manual. Of course, it's 5 years old, so it's bound to be busted SOMEHOW.

Bought a Nikon Coolpix 4800 off of eBay; it works just fine, except for one thing: when I put in an SD card, it still only recognizes internal memory. I select format- no dice, it just formats the internal memory. I've tried both 1 gig and 2 gig SD cards- no joy. I've tried formatting them on an external card reader/writer- still no joy.

I'm beginning to suspect that my $40 investment was a mistake, but if anyone has any other suggestions, I'm willing to listen!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dwig]

1. Is there a menu choice to select between the card and internal memory and if so did you select the card?

2. When you formatted the cards in the external card reader were you careful to select FAT and not use the usually defaut FAT32?

 

[digital flower]

Did you try a smaller size/slower card?

 

[osp001]

Thanks for all the replies; no options come up for formatting- it just offers formatting of the internal memory. Similarly, I've tried formatting both ways (FAT and FAT32)- no joy.

I wish I could find a smaller SD card to try! I thought I had one around here somewhere, but it must be buried if I do. The smallest I can find is a 1 gig card from Walgreen's- which cost me more than a 2 gig card from Fry's Electronics.

I'm starting to think there's something wrong with the interface between the card and the camera, but I'll try to find a smaller card somewhere before I give up completely.

 

[Dwig]

...no options come up for formatting...

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I was suggesting that you look for an option to select whether the camera saved to the card or to internal memory.

Also, have you checked Nikon's web site to download an instruction manual?

 

[osp001]

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I was suggesting that you look for an option to select whether the camera saved to the card or to internal memory.

Also, have you checked Nikon's web site to download an instruction manual?

Oh, yes- sorry. I have a .pdf of the website, and I've searched forwards and backwards for anything specific to the card versus internal memory- and found nothing. I took it to a local camera store- very good people there- and they couldn't get it to work even with an older 256 meg card. I suppose my only recourse now is to try to drop it just right that whatever connection is loose is somehow made right.

Bummer! The camera otherwise works well.

 

[ShutterBugger]

Hey there, hope you haven't throw the camera out. I had the same problem with a similar model Nikon Coolpix L18. The problem is a design flaw. If you memory card slot is located in the same place as the batteries, it is very important to push in the memory card FIRST before putting the batteries in. The memory card doesn't always lock in place, even though it feels secure. Make sure the sucker is fully pushed in.

If that doesn't solve it, tough luck and pray to the technology gods for forgiveness.