Congratulations to Lexar! Recommendation—Buy Their Cards!

Spring in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia (click to enlarge)

A few months ago, one of my closest photography friends, Bill, told me a sad story.  He loaned his camera, including its memory card, to another one of our friends, Gary, to temporarily use when we were on Virginia's Eastern Shore photographing wildlife.  Two things are important in his generosity. Bill had some of his images on the card and Gary lives several hundred miles away from us. Bill told Gary to just take card home with him, remove his images, then send the card back here, which he did. He sent it by U.S. Postal Service mail.  All seemed well.  Just doing a favor for a close friend.

When the card arrived, however, there was nothing and I mean absolutely nothing, on the card.  Bill's computer didn't even recognize the card when inserted in the card reader.  He then inserted into the camera in which it was used, a Nikon D800E, and the camera didn't even recognize a card was in it.  Even the manufacturer's software was gone.  What gives?

A few days afterwards, we were talking on the telephone and he relayed the story to me. We surmised that, when Gary sent the card via the U.S. Postal Service, it had passed through one of their powerful X-ray machines, which may have wiped out the software.  I had previously read about that being a danger and we think that is what happened.  We know there is no danger to memory cards when going through the check-in line at the airport, but the USPS seems to use a totally different, and much more powerful technology, obviously much more powerful than does TSA use.  I suggested to Bill that he send the card to Lexar and see if they could a) tell him what happened to it and, b) see if they could recover his images.

Bill emailed Lexar and they advised him to send the card to them.  In his email, he told them that he didn't think the loss of images/card was their problem and that he was not complaining about the card nor asking for a replacement, but asked if they could recover the images.

Three months pass.

Last week, from United Parcel Service (UPS), Bill received a package, with no paperwork or note or anything.  Inside was a brand new Lexar CF card identical to the one he sent in.  He called me and told me that Lexar had sent him the replacement card, even though, in his judgement, they didn't have to. Congratulations Lexar!  But it gets better.

A few days afterward, he gets a package in the mail with two CDs inside.  He had no idea what they were since there was no documentation included.  But, there was some handwritten numbers on the CDs.  He put one into his computer and, lo and behold—there are the images from the card!  Lexar had recovered his lost images.  And No Charge for the service!  Again, congratulations and thank you Lexar!  Lexar went above and beyond in this case.  Fantastic!

I use Lexar and Sandisk cards almost exclusively and have never had an issue with either.  After his experience, I have now come to think of Lexar as a real 'stand up' company and I think I will be buying their cards from now on.  They have impressed me and I like to reward good service and good products.  I hope you do also.  That is not to say Sandisk and their cards are not worthy of your business.  But, now I know Lexar has really good customer service and does more than they have to in order to attend to their customers' needs.

Lesson #1 to be learned from this.  Don't send your memory cards through the U.S. mail as they may end up going though one of their powerful X-ray machines.

Another lesson to be learned from this.  Bill's generosity in lending Gary his camera and card when we were out on our long photography weekend was rewarded, unasked, by Lexar.  What goes around, comes around.  Kindness was rewarded!

Thanks for looking.

Dennis Mook

Many of my images can be found at www.dennismook.com.  Please pay it a visit.  I add new images regularly.  Thank you.


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