Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

radhak

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 28, 2003
218
0
NJ, USA
Tried iPhoto first time yesterday, and it imported all JPG files from my Canon A70 without a fuss.
But the A70 also allows me to record short video clips too (in AVI format), which iPhoto did not touch at all, and I can't even see it in the iPhoto thumbnail-browser.
Tried iMovie but i think it expects the device to be connected via the firewire port because the screen said 'no camera attached'.
I am new to Macs, so did not know how to browse the camera in a 'file mode' (on Win 2000, i would just open explorer and browse to the attached camera that shows up as another drive), so finally had to import the avi to my Thinkpad and copy to the iMac using my usb thumb-drive; once done, Quicktime plays it nicely and even am able to drop it into iMovie and see it play.

I hope i am only missing some minor stuff for the import...:(
 

maka

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2002
155
8
Madrid (Spain)
I've got a A40 (similar but older model) and The only way to import the movies in OS X (that I know...) is with a program that comes with OS X in the Application Folder... now I'm not at home and don't have my mac with me, and I don't remember the name of the app but it's got a camera icon and is named something like "Image Capture"

It lets you download all the photos and movies from the camera, but if you use iPhoto for the pictures, you can set it to only download movies.

Hope you find it :)
 

dynamicd

macrumors 6502
Jul 16, 2002
271
8
Chicago
The name of the app is image capture. By the way, how do you like your A70? I'm seriously looking into getting the A80 that is coming out next month and was wondering how it's predecessor is. I know, it's a little off-topic.
 

ftaok

macrumors 603
Jan 23, 2002
6,485
1,571
East Coast
Alternatively to Image Capture, you could access your memory card via the Finder. Most digital cameras mount as if they were a separate USB disk.

Just remember to "eject" it before unplugging the USB cable.
 

maka

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2002
155
8
Madrid (Spain)
I love it (that is my A40) I am very happy with it and I don't think I will get a higher model because for me it's resolution is enough.

I also love all the manual settings you can control with it (I guess that's about the same in the A70 and A80) but I still have to experiment a bit with the exposure time/diafragm/iso settings...

You can see some pictures (scaled down) I made with it on the web site from my band. They are mostly night/low light pictures from concerts.
It's at www2.elcirculodewillis.com/fotos2.html

Cheers,
 

radhak

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 28, 2003
218
0
NJ, USA
Originally posted by dynamicd
The name of the app is image capture. By the way, how do you like your A70? I'm seriously looking into getting the A80 that is coming out next month and was wondering how it's predecessor is. I know, it's a little off-topic.

The A70 is one my most beloved possessions now. Its 6 months since i bought it, and i am still finding it fun to use, to stretch it to do some or the other new thing (it offers up manual control upto the nth level). And when i printed out some of its pictures, i have felt pretty proud, tho i am not a very talented photographer by any long shot.

is there an A80 coming out? any idea what is the improvement proposed? i can't think of any, unless the 3.2MP is bumped up to 4 or something. The A70 has started figuring as top pick in many a reviewer's list, and justifiably so [ okay, the red-eye reduction could do with some refinement ...]
 

radhak

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 28, 2003
218
0
NJ, USA
Originally posted by ftaok
Alternatively to Image Capture, you could access your memory card via the Finder. Most digital cameras mount as if they were a separate USB disk.

Just remember to "eject" it before unplugging the USB cable.

Can i do that? I tried, equating the Finder to the 'My Computer' of windows where i could have, but did not get anywhere.
[ btw, am i right in that equation? ]

When i attach my usb thumb-drive, it immediately shows up on the desktop with a 'no-name' label, but not the camera.
 

ftaok

macrumors 603
Jan 23, 2002
6,485
1,571
East Coast
Originally posted by radhak
Can i do that? I tried, equating the Finder to the 'My Computer' of windows where i could have, but did not get anywhere.
[ btw, am i right in that equation? ]

When i attach my usb thumb-drive, it immediately shows up on the desktop with a 'no-name' label, but not the camera.
Maybe your camera doesn't mount like a USB disk. I know my Sony DSC-P7 mounts and I can access the pictures from the Finder. Perhaps it's something that the camera manufacturers have to build in.

As for your analogy of the Finder to "My Computer", that's kinda right. There really isn't any analogy that equates Finder to the Windows world. Basically, I see Finder as the Desktop (although there's a destop "folder" within Finder).

Obviously, if USB thumbdrives are showing up on your desktop and your camera doesn't, then your camera isn't supported by Finder. You'll just have to use Image Capture for the files that iPhoto can't import.
 

radhak

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 28, 2003
218
0
NJ, USA
ImageCapture works!

Originally posted by maka
... a program that comes with OS X in the Application Folder... now I'm not at home and don't have my mac with me, and I don't remember the name of the app but it's got a camera icon and is named something like "Image Capture"

It lets you download all the photos and movies from the camera, but if you use iPhoto for the pictures, you can set it to only download movies.

Hope you find it :)

Yes, found ImageCapture, and it works exactly as you said. Thanks for the help !!
 

maka

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2002
155
8
Madrid (Spain)
you welcome :)

I just realiced that before, I answered to someone else, not you... hmmm.. I'd better pay more attention (of course, the question about the a70 was meant for you, not me... oh well)
 

MacBandit

macrumors 604
Something else that's interesting about Image Capture is it is bacsically a control pane. For some reason Apple chose not to make it part of the system preferences and instead made it an App. In it's options it actually controls what App opens when a camera is plugged into it and what should be done with the camera. I have it set to open automatically when I plug my Canon in and then I download everything manually.
 

radhak

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 28, 2003
218
0
NJ, USA
Originally posted by MacBandit
Something else that's interesting about Image Capture is it is bacsically a control pane. For some reason Apple chose not to make it part of the system preferences and instead made it an App. In it's options it actually controls what App opens when a camera is plugged into it and what should be done with the camera. I have it set to open automatically when I plug my Canon in and then I download everything manually.

Interesting, i shd do the same. I was wondering which one should i use for the import, this or iPhoto, but i am pretty sure i like this better. I have been noticing that iPhoto keeps 'thinking' a lot, maybe when the camera has more (40+ ) pics, and yesterday i had to 'force quit' it once (my first such action on a Mac, so pardon me mentioning it ;) ).
 

MacBandit

macrumors 604
Originally posted by radhak
Interesting, i shd do the same. I was wondering which one should i use for the import, this or iPhoto, but i am pretty sure i like this better. I have been noticing that iPhoto keeps 'thinking' a lot, maybe when the camera has more (40+ ) pics, and yesterday i had to 'force quit' it once (my first such action on a Mac, so pardon me mentioning it ;) ).

All my downloads go to my documents folder in my user folder. I have a folder for Internet downloads and a folder for Camera Downloads etc.. If I want to open them in iPhoto or some other app I then have the choice rather than being forced to use that one app. With iPhoto it's quite simple to open up all your photos you just start iPhoto and drag your new photo folder to the window and it imports them all. Just understand that when it imports them it duplicates all them and puts them in an iPhoto folder for safe keeping. That's the main reason I don't use iPhoto. I like to have all my photos organized in one folder but iPhoto doesn't allow me to really do that.
 

racostan

macrumors newbie
Dec 21, 2003
3
0
The easiest way is to download the images from the flash card directly... without connecting the camera through the USB port.
You need a compact flash card adapter.
There are different ones depending on what computer you have.
(PCMCIA adapters for that slot in laptops, or usb cradles for the desktops)

:)
 

MacBandit

macrumors 604
Originally posted by racostan
The easiest way is to download the images from the flash card directly... without connecting the camera through the USB port.
You need a compact flash card adapter.
There are different ones depending on what computer you have.
(PCMCIA adapters for that slot in laptops, or usb cradles for the desktops)

:)

This is true but you can't use Apples fantastic Image Capture program which can automatically download your photos.
 

trainguy77

macrumors 68040
Nov 13, 2003
3,567
1
I have a A70 and there was 2 disks that came with it. 1 of the disks had a program called image browser. with this program you can dowload the videos. You can also select which things to dowload. Other programs on those two disks are:File viewer utility, PhotoStich(connects many Photos) RemoteCapture, Easy-Photoprint, Easy-PhotoPrint Plus, Photo Impression( great basic photo editing) and VideoImpression 1.6(junky compared to Imovie)
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.