Does the Canon S80 mount on the desktop?

arilev · Jan 17, 2006

Hi all,

I am interested in purchasing the Canon PowerShot S80 but I know that some (or is it all) previous Canon cameras do not mount as a drive on the desktop under OS X. I'd like to avoid having to carry around a card reader to transfer files back onto the camera. I'm running Tiger. Anyone know if out of the box this will mount or if not if there is any third party software to make it show up as a drive?

Thanks

Ari

iPhil · Jan 17, 2006

arilev said:
Hi all,

I am interested in purchasing the Canon PowerShot S80 but I know that some (or is it all) previous Canon cameras do not mount as a drive on the desktop under OS X. I'd like to avoid having to carry around a card reader to transfer files back onto the camera. I'm running Tiger. Anyone know if out of the box this will mount or if not if there is any third party software to make it show up as a drive?

Thanks

Ari

Below is from Consumer.usa.Canon.com :

Canon is conducting compatibility tests for the current versions of Canon digital imaging software with the shipping versions of Mac OS X 10.4 [Tiger]. Results will be posted soon. For now, Canon is not claiming compatibility with Mac OS X 10.4

I'd say try it in tiger and see if S80 camera connects

Edit:

More from Canon site:

Mac OS X 10.1 and newer come with Image Capture drivers that support most of Canon's digital cameras with USB interfaces. When a compatible camera is connected to a compatible Mac computer running OS X 10.1 and newer, the computer detects the camera and automatically launches Image Capture. This Apple program allows JPEG images in the camera to be downloaded to the Macintosh. NOTE: RAW files from Canon digital cameras cannot be downloaded in OS X via Image Capture. We suggest the use of File Viewer Utility or an external card reader. Also, movie files shot with PowerShot cameras cannot be downloaded in OS X via Image Capture or iPhoto. We suggest the use of ImageBrowser or an external card reader.

Baldanzi · Jan 17, 2006

iphil said:
Below is from Consumer.usa.Canon.com :

Mac OS X 10.1 and newer come with Image Capture drivers that support most of Canon's digital cameras with USB interfaces. When a compatible camera is connected to a compatible Mac computer running OS X 10.1 and newer, the computer detects the camera and automatically launches Image Capture. This Apple program allows JPEG images in the camera to be downloaded to the Macintosh. NOTE: RAW files from Canon digital cameras cannot be downloaded in OS X via Image Capture. We suggest the use of File Viewer Utility or an external card reader. Also, movie files shot with PowerShot cameras cannot be downloaded in OS X via Image Capture or iPhoto. We suggest the use of ImageBrowser or an external card reader.

I have an S50 and an Ixus/Elph. I have a rev D 15" PB running Tiger and have zero problems when I plug the camera into the computer. iPhoto opens automatically and i am asked if I wish to download the pictures, then asked if I want to delete the originals on the camera. Movie files shot on both cameras come right into iPhoto with no problems whatsoever. Now as far as dumping stuff back onto the camera - you can drag and drop back onto the camera icon in iPhoto - but I think - I'll check tonight - that you may not be able to then "see" the images on the cameras LCD...but they are indeed on the chip. I'll check tonight. You know, I've never looked to see if the camera icon pops up on the desktop?

arilev · Jan 17, 2006

Hi Baldanzi and iphil,

Thanks for your quick help. I actually have an S50 which everyone in my house is always trying to get a hold of so I figured I'd upgrade a bit and let them have at it. I really like the S50 and so I am pretty set on buying another Canon camera. The thing that always drove me crazy about the camera was that I didn't know how to get photos back onto the memory card once I had taken them off. I've been using iPhoto to get the photos off of the camera but wasn't aware that you could actually drag them back onto the camera through iPhoto. I'll have to try that tonight. If that works then it really won't bother me nearly as much that the S50 (and most likely the S80) doesn't appear on the desktop or in finder when plugged in and it will be the green light to go ahead and buy the S80.

Thanks again
Ari

law guy · Jan 17, 2006

I had an S80 for a few days and I don't recall an image mounting on the desktop. iPhoto of course immediately recognized it and it imported the photos in with no issues. I never attempted to put any files back on the card after I had gone and erased the photos (I don't have it set to auto erase), so can't comment on that element.

Take some test images with the S80 at your local camera shop and see if its for you. I didn't like results for indoor photos that I got with it. Often bright centers with light tapering off dramatically around the frame. These were at the 28 mm setting. I never saw this phenomenon with my P&S Canon s400 Elph. Also, see if the 2.5" LCD gives you the detail that you're looking for. It has a 115,000 pixle count and I found it very grainy and a little difficult to work with because it wan't clear what I was actually getting / going to get. Given the importance of the LCD on a P&S, I found this to be a bit of an oversight on Canon's part. Good luck.

Two images attached - these were both in a room with just the interior lamp light (a "normal" amount) and limited outdoor light. The second has a flash reflecting off something to cause a lens flair - I saw a few of those with the S80 in my short time with it.

balamw · Jan 17, 2006

law guy said:
I had an S80 for a few days and I don't recall an image mounting on the desktop.

None of the Canon cameras I have owned or used mount to the desktop. The S80 claims to support PTP, so Image Capture should work just fine.

I have been considering upgrading my S45 to either an S80 or an SD550 for a while now. Just curious, what did you replace the S80 with? Or did you just go back to the SD400?

B

Baldanzi · Jan 17, 2006

arilev said:
Hi Baldanzi and iphil,

Thanks for your quick help. I actually have an S50 which everyone in my house is always trying to get a hold of so I figured I'd upgrade a bit and let them have at it. I really like the S50 and so I am pretty set on buying another Canon camera. The thing that always drove me crazy about the camera was that I didn't know how to get photos back onto the memory card once I had taken them off. I've been using iPhoto to get the photos off of the camera but wasn't aware that you could actually drag them back onto the camera through iPhoto. I'll have to try that tonight. If that works then it really won't bother me nearly as much that the S50 (and most likely the S80) doesn't appear on the desktop or in finder when plugged in and it will be the green light to go ahead and buy the S80.

Thanks again
Ari

Wow, I couldn't have been more wrong! How the heck do you get stuff back on the camera in Tiger!!! I cannot drag stuff back into the camera. WTF??? Sorry if I got your hopes up but I just got home and tried it out - no luck getting stuff back onto the camera. Otherwise the camera works great.....sorry.

...If I were to upgrade - I don't think that more than 5 MP in a point and shoot is really needed. To me a real upgrade would be to a different "format". Like canons "G" series. Those are a bit bigger but they have many more controls and better/faster lenses. I've seen pix taken on a Canon G3 (3 megapixels) that are waaaay better than stuff I've seen from 5 or 7 MP P&S models. Keep the s50 and consider a G7 (or is it G8?) or an SLR

law guy · Jan 17, 2006

balamw said:
None of the Canon cameras I have owned or used mount to the desktop. The S80 claims to support PTP, so Image Capture should work just fine.

I have been considering upgrading my S45 to either an S80 or an SD550 for a while now. Just curious, what did you replace the S80 with? Or did you just go back to the SD400?

B

I'm still exploring on the replacement - the old Elph was an S400 - the now (almost - released March 03) three year old Compact Flash 4MP ELPH, much chunkier (comparatively) than the new SD400. I was sad to see it die from a second E18 error (the lense jams and won't go in) that I could not get it to recover from. Despite that, it took thousands of great pictures over three years and so I think I may give the SD500 a shot (it has a 2" LCD with 118,000 pixles vs. the SD550's 2.5 with 115,000, the same as the S80 LCD that I thought was a little too grainy). I also want to move from my film Nikon N80 to a Nikon D70s, but I still want a great P&S because half the battle is having a camera with you to start with and I found that I often would put my Elph in my pocket just in case. Two pics from the old Elph on this thread - post #11: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/167803/

seamuskrat · Jan 17, 2006

Same camera, same problems. Apparently, we can call Canon tech support, and they will swap out the unit for one that actually works.

I was so unhappy going from an A70 to this model and getting such lousy photos. I found out it is a defect canon knows about and will fix for you.

I sent mine after the holidays for repair, so hopefully I will get it back soon.

law guy said:
I had an S80 for a few days and I don't recall an image mounting on the desktop. iPhoto of course immediately recognized it and it imported the photos in with no issues. I never attempted to put any files back on the card after I had gone and erased the photos (I don't have it set to auto erase), so can't comment on that element.

Take some test images with the S80 at your local camera shop and see if its for you. I didn't like results for indoor photos that I got with it. Often bright centers with light tapering off dramatically around the frame. These were at the 28 mm setting. I never saw this phenomenon with my P&S Canon s400 Elph. Also, see if the 2.5" LCD gives you the detail that you're looking for. It has a 115,000 pixle count and I found it very grainy and a little difficult to work with because it wan't clear what I was actually getting / going to get. Given the importance of the LCD on a P&S, I found this to be a bit of an oversight on Canon's part. Good luck.

Two images attached - these were both in a room with just the interior lamp light (a "normal" amount) and limited outdoor light. The second has a flash reflecting off something to cause a lens flair - I saw a few of those with the S80 in my short time with it.

law guy · Jan 17, 2006

seamuskrat said:
Same camera, same problems. Apparently, we can call Canon tech support, and they will swap out the unit for one that actually works.

I was so unhappy going from an A70 to this model and getting such lousy photos. I found out it is a defect canon knows about and will fix for you.

I sent mine after the holidays for repair, so hopefully I will get it back soon.

That's good to hear. I really had to wonder if the performance of the S80 I had was what Canon intended. And I couldn't reconcile my results with the glowing reviews that I was reading on DPreview, DCresource, CNET, etc. Well, someone should note the issue in those reviews. There are a lot of folks out there who will probably assume that the results must be normal.

balamw · Jan 17, 2006

Sorry for the SD400/S400 confusion.

law guy said:
I still want a great P&S because half the battle is having a camera with you to start with

Amen. The S45 went a long way in that direction for me from the G1. The SXX series are great cameras as they pack most of the features of the G series cameras in a very compact size, while the Elph models start leaving many of those features off in the name of compact size.

The main attraction for me in considering an upgrade to the camera is taking better mini-movies without having to carry around a separate camcorder, and for that the SD550 and S80 are quite a bit better than the SD500 or S70.

B

law guy · Jan 17, 2006

balamw said:
Sorry for the SD400/S400 confusion.

Amen. The S45 went a long way in that direction for me from the G1. The SXX series are great cameras as they pack most of the features of the G series cameras in a very compact size, while the Elph models start leaving many of those features off in the name of compact size.

The main attraction for me in considering an upgrade to the camera is taking better mini-movies without having to carry around a separate camcorder, and for that the SD550 and S80 are quite a bit better than the SD500 or S70.

B

I like the mini-movie function too. That half-the-battle thing applied to movies as well. I found that most of the home movies I put together and sent around to family last year were little digicam movies from my Elph. The DV cam quality was (much) better, but I had to carry it with me. Also, my 15 fps s400 movies had an 8mm feel to them (with sound) that was kind of nice. I understand that the little cams are up to 30 and 60 fps now, so I'll be stepping up a bit in quality.

iMeowbot · Jan 17, 2006

Baldanzi said:
Wow, I couldn't have been more wrong! How the heck do you get stuff back on the camera in Tiger!!! I cannot drag stuff back into the camera. WTF??? Sorry if I got your hopes up but I just got home and tried it out - no luck getting stuff back onto the camera. Otherwise the camera works great.....sorry.

You have to use the Canon CameraWindow program. Camera->Add Image... from the menu, then painstakingly load them back up one at a time. Or buy a card reader.

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Does the Canon S80 mount on the desktop?

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