PM is so slow reading my card it is completely useless

[Dave_W]

I started having his problem over a year ago.  After multiple emails with tech support, it was determined that my old hardware might have been the issue. (7-year-old laptop with other issues).

Well, I just got a brand new computer, downloaded the latest PM, I'm using a Thunderbolt connection with a USB 3.2 Gen2x1 CFexpress reader of 10 Gbps, a Delkin Black 325 Cfast card with 3500 Mbps read speed, and it took OVER 5 MINUTES FOR PM JUST TO POPULATE THE CONTACT SHEET.  The card was only 20% full, and PM was only reading about 2,000 JPGs.

I shoot professionally, and PM is preventing me from doing my job! 

PM 6.0, build #7285.

[Kirk Baker]

I'd like to see your Photo Mechanic log.  In Photo Mechanic go to the Help menu and choose "Reveal Support Data..." and moments later a Windows Explorer window will come forward with the zipped log file selected.  Use the 'Attachments and other options' link when you're composing your reply to this message and there you'll be able to upload your zipped PM log file.

Thanks,

-Kirk

[Dave_W]

Here ya go

[Kirk Baker]

Dave,

Thanks.  Are you sharing your card between two cameras?  Looks like a R1 and a R6.  Does Canon recommend this?

I'm seeing indication that at least one CR3 is malformed.  This could be due to the card failing.  Is the card relatively new?

How long does it take to copy the files to your hard drive via Windows Explorer?  Note: if you're going to test this, I suggest unmounting the card, unplugging the card reader, and then waiting 30 seconds before plugging the card reader back in and then inserting the card into the reader.

I see that you're sorting by Capture Time.  This requires PM to read the metadata of every image in the folder before it can complete the sort.  I suggest initially sorting by Filename (which should be no different in order vs. Capture Time when working directly on the card) and it should be much faster for the sorting phase.  Also, if the quality of the thumbnails isn't of utmost importance, you can turn off the generation of high quality thumbnails in the Contact Sheet page of the Preferences dialog.

-Kirk

[Dave_W]

Dave,

Thanks.  Are you sharing your card between two cameras?  Looks like a R1 and a R6.  Does Canon recommend this?

No, my R1 uses a Cfast, the R6 only uses SD.  This import was using the Cfast.  I can't share the cards.

I'm seeing indication that at least one CR3 is malformed.  This could be due to the card failing.  Is the card relatively new?

The card is less than 6 months old.

How long does it take to copy the files to your hard drive via Windows Explorer?  Note: if you're going to test this, I suggest unmounting the card, unplugging the card reader, and then waiting 30 seconds before plugging the card reader back in and then inserting the card into the reader.

Those very same 1600 jpgs, (plus some RAWS, a total of 15 Gb's) took roughly 10 seconds to copy onto my hard drive.

I see that you're sorting by Capture Time.  This requires PM to read the metadata of every image in the folder before it can complete the sort.  I suggest initially sorting by Filename (which should be no different in order vs. Capture Time when working directly on the card) and it should be much faster for the sorting phase.  Also, if the quality of the thumbnails isn't of utmost importance, you can turn off the generation of high quality thumbnails in the Contact Sheet page of the Preferences dialog.

You guys suggested that last year when this problem started. It doesn't matter if I sort by filename, capture time, rating, etc.  It still takes forever to read and populate the contact sheet.  No way sorting by capture time should hinder this operation to 5 minutes!!  That's ridiculous.  I never had this problem before last year. I would easily populate a contact sheet within seconds, and I ALWAYS sorted by capture time.  Here's a link to a screen record of that process last night.  It's over 5 minutes long, so you'll want to fast foward. You can see the ingest  population and sort start at 74% at around the 36 second mark:   https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hvzuko5tmgli9jmwxawhj/Screen-Recording-2025-11-05-084315.mp4?rlkey=0eo66ksmzszvhvrswy7qom0gp&st=npvkwm54&dl=0

-Kirk

[Kirk Baker]

I'm seeing indication that at least one CR3 is malformed.  This could be due to the card failing.  Is the card relatively new?

The card is less than 6 months old.

Do you reformat the card when you shoot new pictures on it?

How long does it take to copy the files to your hard drive via Windows Explorer?  Note: if you're going to test this, I suggest unmounting the card, unplugging the card reader, and then waiting 30 seconds before plugging the card reader back in and then inserting the card into the reader.
Those very same 1600 jpgs, (plus some RAWS, a total of 15 Gb's) took roughly 10 seconds to copy onto my hard drive.

If the images had already been loaded by PM, then copying via anything else will be incredibly fast since the data will already be cached by the system.  Did you follow the instructions I gave you before copying the images via Windows Explorer?

I see that you're sorting by Capture Time.  This requires PM to read the metadata of every image in the folder before it can complete the sort.  I suggest initially sorting by Filename (which should be no different in order vs. Capture Time when working directly on the card) and it should be much faster for the sorting phase.  Also, if the quality of the thumbnails isn't of utmost importance, you can turn off the generation of high quality thumbnails in the Contact Sheet page of the Preferences dialog.

You guys suggested that last year when this problem started. It doesn't matter if I sort by filename, capture time, rating, etc.  It still takes forever to read and populate the contact sheet.  No way sorting by capture time should hinder this operation to 5 minutes!!  That's ridiculous.  I never had this problem before last year. I would easily populate a contact sheet within seconds, and I ALWAYS sorted by capture time.  Here's a link to a screen record of that process last night.  It's over 5 minutes long, so you'll want to fast foward. You can see the ingest start at 74% at around the 36 second mark:   https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hvzuko5tmgli9jmwxawhj/Screen-Recording-2025-11-05-084315.mp4?rlkey=0eo66ksmzszvhvrswy7qom0gp&st=npvkwm54&dl=0

You indicated that this problem is relatively new (last year).  What has changed about your system in the last year?  Cameras?  Cards?  Card readers?  OS?  Computer?

I'll have a look at your video and see if I can spot anything that will help explain what is going on.

-Kirk

[Dave_W]

I'm seeing indication that at least one CR3 is malformed.  This could be due to the card failing.  Is the card relatively new?

The card is less than 6 months old.

Do you reformat the card when you shoot new pictures on it?

I always reformat when shooting a new gig. (I'm a 10 year professional photographer. I'm not a Newb)

How long does it take to copy the files to your hard drive via Windows Explorer?  Note: if you're going to test this, I suggest unmounting the card, unplugging the card reader, and then waiting 30 seconds before plugging the card reader back in and then inserting the card into the reader.
Those very same 1600 jpgs, (plus some RAWS, a total of 15 Gb's) took roughly 10 seconds to copy onto my hard drive.

If the images had already been loaded by PM, then copying via anything else will be incredibly fast since the data will already be cached by the system.  Did you follow the instructions I gave you before copying the images via Windows Explorer?

Yes. (See above. I'm not a newb)   

I see that you're sorting by Capture Time.  This requires PM to read the metadata of every image in the folder before it can complete the sort.  I suggest initially sorting by Filename (which should be no different in order vs. Capture Time when working directly on the card) and it should be much faster for the sorting phase.  Also, if the quality of the thumbnails isn't of utmost importance, you can turn off the generation of high quality thumbnails in the Contact Sheet page of the Preferences dialog.

You guys suggested that last year when this problem started. It doesn't matter if I sort by filename, capture time, rating, etc.  It still takes forever to read and populate the contact sheet.  No way sorting by capture time should hinder this operation to 5 minutes!!  That's ridiculous.  I never had this problem before last year. I would easily populate a contact sheet within seconds, and I ALWAYS sorted by capture time.  Here's a link to a screen record of that process last night.  It's over 5 minutes long, so you'll want to fast foward. You can see the ingest start at 74% at around the 36 second mark:   https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hvzuko5tmgli9jmwxawhj/Screen-Recording-2025-11-05-084315.mp4?rlkey=0eo66ksmzszvhvrswy7qom0gp&st=npvkwm54&dl=0

You indicated that this problem is relatively new (last year).  What has changed about your system in the last year?  Cameras?  Cards?  Card readers?  OS?  Computer?

Everything is new!!!  This was the sole reason I spent $5,000 on a new computer, because CameraBits tech support suggested it was hardware related.  I've got a new computer, new Camera (Canon R1), A new reader (the fastest out there), a New  I/O (Thunderbolt), a New Card,  ($500 Delkin Black) and the latest Windows 11.  (Brand new computer). 
We never did get to the bottom of the problem I was having last year. I just did work-arounds.  I would insert the card, and then go do something else for 5 minutes while the contact sheet populated.  This is a terrible workflow though, and I bought everything new specifically to speed up the entire process.  And Photomechanic is making that impossible.

I'll have a look at your video and see if I can spot anything that will help explain what is going on.

-Kirk

[ahoward]

The end of your video seems to indicate that the F drive has become disconnected. If I connect a memory card, open the Navigator so that I can see that card, unplug the card from my computer, and then double-click on the name of that drive in the navigator, I get the exact same message that you get at 5:08 in your video.

Based on this section of your log file

[Tue Nov-04-2025 21:21:59.967][00003f1c][5620540] DiskUtils.cpp:2467 FindFiles::_find() couldn't get valid file handle on 'F:\DCIM\100EOSR6\'
[Tue Nov-04-2025 21:21:59.967][00003f1c][5620540] DiskUtils.cpp:2474 FindFirstFile failed.  Error: 'Cannot create a file when that file already exists.'
[Tue Nov-04-2025 21:22:22.950][00003f1c][5606644] DiskUtils.cpp:2467 FindFiles::_find() couldn't get valid file handle on 'E:\DCIM\100EOSR1\'

and the folder name 100EOSR1 on your Contact Sheet, I am guessing that the drive this folder is on would have been assigned to E at the time of this video, and unfortunately that never shows up in the Navigator and we can't see the cards in Windows Explorer while this is happening, so its hard to know what exactly is going on there, but if something is causing the F drive to disconnect arbitrarily, then it stands to reason that it could be happening to the drive the Contact Sheet is looking at as well.

It still takes forever to read and populate the contact sheet.

In your video, where you are initially sorting by Filename, the Contact Sheet appears to be populating near instantaneously (I hear the system sound indicating that a drive has been connected and then a moment later the contact sheet appears, and all the images display). Perhaps my use of the term 'populate' differs from how you are using it, but just want to explain what I'm seeing.

After the contact sheet populates, when you try to sort by capture time, which would force it to read the metadata of all files on the Contact Sheet that it hasn't read yet, if there is some connection issue with the card, then you are certainly going to be waiting for that to finish before it can show you the images in Capture Time order.

I can only assume that whatever is causing the F drive to disconnect is also affecting the E drive.

At this point, it would be best if we got on a phone call and we looked into the issue via screenshare. Especially when we have an issue that no one else seems to be experiencing, we find this to be the most effective way to troubleshoot.

We can be reached at 503-547-2800

[vale]

Hei Dave! I hope that you use the laptop on more than culling/editing photos and there are some specific programs that requires Win 11. Because with less money you could buy a Macbook Pro .....but back to your problem. If your workflow is impeded by this lost time of PM ingesting photos, why not just copy/move the files through windows explorer (which i understand is very fast) and then come back to PM? Yeah, it doesn't really fix the initial problem but at least you get started in seconds instead of minutes.

[Dave_W]

The end of your video seems to indicate that the F drive has become disconnected. If I connect a memory card, open the Navigator so that I can see that card, unplug the card from my computer, and then double-click on the name of that drive in the navigator, I get the exact same message that you get at 5:08 in your video.

Based on this section of your log file

[Tue Nov-04-2025 21:21:59.967][00003f1c][5620540] DiskUtils.cpp:2467 FindFiles::_find() couldn't get valid file handle on 'F:\DCIM\100EOSR6\'
[Tue Nov-04-2025 21:21:59.967][00003f1c][5620540] DiskUtils.cpp:2474 FindFirstFile failed.  Error: 'Cannot create a file when that file already exists.'
[Tue Nov-04-2025 21:22:22.950][00003f1c][5606644] DiskUtils.cpp:2467 FindFiles::_find() couldn't get valid file handle on 'E:\DCIM\100EOSR1\'

and the folder name 100EOSR1 on your Contact Sheet, I am guessing that the drive this folder is on would have been assigned to E at the time of this video, and unfortunately that never shows up in the Navigator and we can't see the cards in Windows Explorer while this is happening, so its hard to know what exactly is going on there, but if something is causing the F drive to disconnect arbitrarily, then it stands to reason that it could be happening to the drive the Contact Sheet is looking at as well.

It still takes forever to read and populate the contact sheet.

In your video, where you are initially sorting by Filename, the Contact Sheet appears to be populating near instantaneously (I hear the system sound indicating that a drive has been connected and then a moment later the contact sheet appears, and all the images display). Perhaps my use of the term 'populate' differs from how you are using it, but just want to explain what I'm seeing.

Okay...the files that populate almost immediately were already read and sorted by Photomechanic on an original ingest. (Same shoot)  My workflow is as follows:  I shoot a period of hockey. I might get 1500-2000 RAW images.  Come to my workstation, load card, populate contact sheet, rate, cull, etc.  Then I take the card out, back into the camera, shoot another period, and do the same thing.  What you're seeing are the images already read.  So when I insert the card into the reader subsequest times, PM instantly populates those images...but it stalls when trying the read all the new images.  That's what starts at "74%"....and took over 20 seconds to hit "75%"...and keeps going like that.

After the contact sheet populates, when you try to sort by capture time, which would force it to read the metadata of all files on the Contact Sheet that it hasn't read yet, if there is some connection issue with the card, then you are certainly going to be waiting for that to finish before it can show you the images in Capture Time order.

I can only assume that whatever is causing the F drive to disconnect is also affecting the E drive. 

I'm using a dual card reader, (Vantec USB 3.2 Gen2x1 ) as I'm shooting two camera bodies. One with SD, the other is a Cfast.  Each slot is assigned a drive. E and F. So there's no switching or putting the wrong card in the wrong slot.   You can see me point out the fact that the proper drive isn't being displayed with my cursor in the video.  But even when I'm not ingesting, and no reader is attached to the laptop, if I say, create a new folder on the hard drive, and then try to refresh the screen, the entire navigator pane completely blanks out, and takes about 20-30 seconds to reappear.  And in this particular case, the proper drive wouldn't even show up in that navigator pane during the reading of the card.  I don't know how the F drive or the reader could be disconnecting, as the laptop and reader are sitting on a table, I'm not touching anything, and everything is brand new.  So no sloppy port connections, etc. Everything is tight.


At this point, it would be best if we got on a phone call and we looked into the issue via screenshare. Especially when we have an issue that no one else seems to be experiencing, we find this to be the most effective way to troubleshoot.

We can be reached at 503-547-2800

[Dave_W]

Hei Dave! I hope that you use the laptop on more than culling/editing photos and there are some specific programs that requires Win 11. Because with less money you could buy a Macbook Pro .....

So if I'm having problems with my Chevy, you're saying if I switch to a Ford, my problems will be solved? 

...but back to your problem. If your workflow is impeded by this lost time of PM ingesting photos, why not just copy/move the files through windows explorer (which i understand is very fast) and then come back to PM? Yeah, it doesn't really fix the initial problem but at least you get started in seconds instead of minutes.

I'm actually going to try that.  Even though it seems to be an awfully redundant workflow, it might be quicker. But it means I'm transferring anywhere between 10-20,000 images onto my hard drive, culling them and putting them onto a different spot on my hard drive, and then deleting the 90% that aren't "keepers"??
  I don't know if PM will read and sort from my HD any quicker than the card.  10 Gbps transfer and read speed should be quick enough.
But I might try that.   It's just frustrating that I'm having this problem that CameraBits can't seem to fix.  I've been using PM in my workflow for over 7 years, and I've never had a problem until around last August with one of the new builds.  Don't ask me which one, I have no idea.  I just always keep my PM updated to the latest release.

[vale]

So if I'm having problems with my Chevy, you're saying if I switch to a Ford, my problems will be solved? 

Was a little bit offtopic. Macs these days punch a lot of power, at cheaper prices that windows laptops. But for 'fun' try it on a friends mac, maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised (even the PM is not really compatible with the new M architecture)

I though that you ingest/copy directly from PM, not editing from card. CB said a lot of times that working on the actual card is not recommended. Of course that copying/culling/deleting is not a straight routine, but at least, in your current situation, it will save you some time. And if you got enough space on hard drive, you can leave deleting part for later, just focus on those rated/starred files that need fast delivery.

[alexmacnaughton]

Hi Dave, it's always frustrating when things stop working.

Since you've got a new computer, you would expect things to run smoothly.

I did test using PM to view a card directly on my computer, and it was very fast. But I'm on Mac, and the card was a CFexpress card, so a very different setup from yours.

I unfortunately don't have a solution to your problem, but I have a few suggestions for tests that may help identify the bottleneck.

First, I think the speeds quoted for cards, card readers, cables, and computer ports are quite misleading. All manufacturers quote speeds under ideal conditions, not in real-world use.

Troubleshooting ideas in no particular order:

1. Plug the card reader into different ports on the computer; not all ports operate at the same speed.

2. Run a speed test on your cards while connected to the computer.

3. I understand you're reading two cards at once — what happens if you just read one card?

4. Try a different brand of card reader.

5. Try a different cable.

6. With Nikon, you have the option of quick or full format. Do you have the same option on Canon? If so, perform a full format of the cards.


Finally, if you can't get your preferred workflow to work, you may need to consider changing your workflow.

[Kirk Baker]

So if I'm having problems with my Chevy, you're saying if I switch to a Ford, my problems will be solved? 

But for 'fun' try it on a friends mac, maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised (even the PM is not really compatible with the new M architecture)

Correction: Photo Mechanic 2025 is fully supported on all current and recently released Macintosh computers, including those with Apple Silicon (M-series) processors.  However, Photo Mechanic 6 does not directly support Apple Silicon (M-series) processors.

-Kirk

[Dave_W]

I love it when people make comments on a thread without properly reading the thread.

Hi Dave, it's always frustrating when things stop working.

Since you've got a new computer, you would expect things to run smoothly.

I did test using PM to view a card directly on my computer, and it was very fast. But I'm on Mac, and the card was a CFexpress card, so a very different setup from yours.

I was using a Delkin Black CFExpress card as well. Just initially reading a card is not the issue.  Try populating your card with around 10,000 RAW images on it. Put it into PM. Once a contact sheet has been populated by PM, remove the card, add another 2,000 images to it, and then reinsert it.  See how long it takes PM to re-populate that same card/contact sheet.

I unfortunately don't have a solution to your problem, but I have a few suggestions for tests that may help identify the bottleneck.

First, I think the speeds quoted for cards, card readers, cables, and computer ports are quite misleading. All manufacturers quote speeds under ideal conditions, not in real-world use.

5 minutes just to read and populate 15 Gb of data is roughly 40 Mb/s.  For a card and i/o device with speeds of 10 Gbps, that's a little slow, no?

Troubleshooting ideas in no particular order:

1. Plug the card reader into different ports on the computer; not all ports operate at the same speed.
Did that.  Thunderbolt, USB 3.2, USB 3.1, USB 3.0, two different computers....all the same painstakingly slow speed

2. Run a speed test on your cards while connected to the computer.
I transferred just under a Terabyte in under 90 seconds from my card to my HD, using Windows Explorer.

3. I understand you're reading two cards at once — what happens if you just read one card?
This problem is when reading just one card

4. Try a different brand of card reader.
I've tried 4

5. Try a different cable.
I've tried half a dozen

6. With Nikon, you have the option of quick or full format. Do you have the same option on Canon? If so, perform a full format of the cards.
Yes. Did that.


Finally, if you can't get your preferred workflow to work, you may need to consider changing your workflow.
So, something that has worked flawlessly for 7 years, and now all of a sudden doesn't work because of SW problems, I should change my entire business model? Brilliant.

Look, guys... I appreciate the attempt at help, but you're not understanding what exactly is happening by either A; not reading my posts thoroughly, and B) using anecdotal opinion rather than technical knowledge to help solve it.   The Camera Bits technical staff is working on the issue now, so I'm going to close this thread.