HELP! Downloading Canon photos

[VespaFitz]

We got a new Canon EOS Rebel 300D at the office and my boss is asking me to download the photos. I installed the software, and I think I'm doing it right, but it's a ridiculously convoluted method for downloading, compared with the Nikon View software I'm familiar with.

The Nikon software automatically launches the Nikon View program as soon as you connect the camera and turn it on. You click "Transfer" and all the photos download. Simple

The only way I can figure out how to download the pictures from this Canon camera is to fire up the Adobe Photoshop Elements program that came with the Canon software.

Aren't I just supposed to be able to copy the images from the camera itself? I've been running piece of crap for 15 minutes now and I've successfully gotten 4 out of 140 images to download. I could be here all week.

HELP!!

[patch29]

I don't have a 300D so I cannot answer your question directly.

What OS are you using?
Are you downloading directly from the camera?

I use Mac OS X. I have an external firewire card reader. It is much faster than USB from the camera. I pop the card in it. The CF card shows up as a disk icon and I copy the images to a location on my hard drive. No software needed, the computer has several programs that have the ability to automate the importing, but I have them disabled. If your computer has firewire or USB 2.0 an external reader is the way to go.

[DoctorIt]

We got a new Canon EOS Rebel 300D at the office and my boss is asking me to download the photos. I installed the software, and I think I'm doing it right, but it's a ridiculously convoluted method for downloading, compared with the Nikon View software I'm familiar with.

The Nikon software automatically launches the Nikon View program as soon as you connect the camera and turn it on. You click "Transfer" and all the photos download. Simple

The only way I can figure out how to download the pictures from this Canon camera is to fire up the Adobe Photoshop Elements program that came with the Canon software.

Aren't I just supposed to be able to copy the images from the camera itself? I've been running piece of crap for 15 minutes now and I've successfully gotten 4 out of 140 images to download. I could be here all week.

HELP!!Fitz, get $20 from your boss and head to an electronics store ASAP. Get a CompactFlash card reader, preferably USB 2.0, it'll be the best $20 you spent towards that Canon. I have the 300D and have NEVER used the direct connection from the camera.

However, if you can't get a card reader, I'm almost positve you need to install the FileViewer Utility that came with the camera, not the PS Elements. If you can't find the CD quickly, you can just download it:

http://www.powershot.com/powershot2/customer/fvu-e.html

Good luck.

[pathfinder]

I don't have a 300D so I cannot answer your question directly.

What OS are you using?
Are you downloading directly from the camera?

I use Mac OS X. I have an external firewire card reader. It is much faster than USB from the camera. I pop the card in it. The CF card shows up as a disk icon and I copy the images to a location on my hard drive. No software needed, the computer has several programs that have the ability to automate the importing, but I have them disabled. If your computer has firewire or USB 2.0 an external reader is the way to go.
Just pull the compact flash out of the camera and plug it into a compact flash card reader - I have never downloaded anything directly from the camera. USB 2.0 compact flash card readers are available at amazon or pcconnection for about $20 bucks. THEN you can access the pictures just like any other drive. Copy the images to a cd-r for backup at the same time.

[fish]

Howdy VF! :wave (can you tell advrider is down?)

Are you shooting RAW? If so, then you have to use the Canon software to process them before you can do anything else. If you are shooting JPEGs, then you can save right to disk and process at your leisure. Definitely get the card reader...it's way faster (and easier) than a direct connection to your camera.

[pathfinder]

Howdy VF! :wave (can you tell advrider is down?)

Are you shooting RAW? If so, then you have to use the Canon software to process them before you can do anything else. If you are shooting JPEGs, then you can save right to disk and process at your leisure. Definitely get the card reader...it's way faster (and easier) than a direct connection to your camera.Fish is correct that if you are shooting RAW as opposed to jpgs, you will need RAW converter software - you can still use a card reader tho - you CAN COPY RAW files to a CD-R but cannot VIEW them.
There are other converters than the Cannon RAW converter - I use Photoshop CS and the File Browser in PS opens RAW files directly from the compact flash in a card reader directly into the PS RAW converter. From there it is a just a few steps to tiffs or jpegs or Photoshop.psds.
Incidently Fish - I have been infected by the RAW virus ( not software - just figuartively speaking ) and am astonished by the quality of the images from the D10/300D images from RAW. I will post a few of them later tonight so you can see them.

[cletus]

Hey Fitz,

Yet another vote for the CF reader. It's the only way to go!

[fish]

Incidently Fish - I have been infected by the RAW virus ( not software - just figuartively speaking ) and am astonished by the quality of the images from the D10/300D images from RAW. I will post a few of them later tonight so you can see them.
Cool...can't wait to see them. If you don't mind, could you post two versions (one PS'd and one jpeg straight from RAW)?

[ian408]

If USB isn't an option, you can always get a PCMCIA adapter
for a laptop (high on the PITA factor though).

I bought a cheapie USB reader (no long cable) and not much bigger than
the card and tossed it in the bag.

Loading from the camera is a major PITA if you're not already set up to
do it. Not to mention it eats camera battery.

Ian

[gus]

Hey Fitz,

Yet another vote for the CF reader. It's the only way to go!
Alright ...what am i missing here ? I just plug the camera in...what advantage will a card reader give me ?

[ian408]

Alright ...what am i missing here ? I just plug the camera in...what advantage will a card reader give me ?

Don't need to power up the camera.
card reader looks like a removable disk drive to OS.
It's faster (less setup time).
Ian

[gus]

Don't need to power up the camera.
card reader looks like a removable disk drive to OS.
It's faster (less setup time).
Ian
Thanks for the reply ian

...now i know why i havnt got one...i dont need it.

[fish]

Alright ...what am i missing here ? I just plug the camera in...what advantage will a card reader give me ?
Speed.

[tsiya]

My Oly C4000 uses SmartMedia at an alarming rate shooting with TIFF, My Oly C2500L uses both SmartMedia and CompactFlash, and the little Kodak My Grandson uses is set up for SD cards. Coming in from an expedition meant a lot of putting cards in cameras, taking them out again, over and over, to the point that I was worried about wearing out the cameras. Having a reader that will handle everything makes it a lot easier, when I come in with 6 or 7 different cards. If I knew what I was doing, wouldn't need so many cards, but at my level I shoot a lot to get some good results. My card reader was money well spent.

[wxwax]

but at my level I shoot a lot to get some good results. My card reader was money well spent.

Me too, and good results not always guaranteed. The card reader is a real convenience. I often only download the shots I think I want, let the others sit on the CF card in the reader. Eventually I concede that I'll never use the others and erase them.

One other note: Canon does recommend reformatting the CF in the camera every once in a while, not just erasing the card via the card reader.