Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iMovie and iPhoto
- Thread starter EJBasile
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
As I understand it, any camera with a FireWire port will work with iMovie. I'm not sure about iPhoto. I'm assuming that your camera has the ability to take still images and you want them to integrate with iPhoto. You will certainly be able to use iPhoto, but some of the ease-of-use may be limited (you may have to extract the images manually or with the camera's software and then import them into iPhoto).
My suggestions:
1) search the web for the model of your camera with iPhoto or iMovie in the search criteria.
2) visit an apple store or reseller with your camera and find out.
3) call sony, or check their support info online.
My suggestions:
1) search the web for the model of your camera with iPhoto or iMovie in the search criteria.
2) visit an apple store or reseller with your camera and find out.
3) call sony, or check their support info online.
I had problems finding out about Mac compatibilitiy. Now I make sure before buying.
In general, FireWire camcorders will work with iMovie/Final Cut but I'm not sure this extends to all. Make sure you get Mini DV, NOT MICRO MV AS THIS DOES NOT WORK WITH MACS. Sorry for the bold, but that had to be said. If it's Mini DV and FireWire, there's a good chance it'll work. My dad's JVC camcorder works and that's not on the compatibility list.
iPhoto: most things work. The drivers should be included with OS X - certainly any Canon and I think most Sonys. The best thing to do is
check in the shop before you buy.
In general, FireWire camcorders will work with iMovie/Final Cut but I'm not sure this extends to all. Make sure you get Mini DV, NOT MICRO MV AS THIS DOES NOT WORK WITH MACS. Sorry for the bold, but that had to be said. If it's Mini DV and FireWire, there's a good chance it'll work. My dad's JVC camcorder works and that's not on the compatibility list.
iPhoto: most things work. The drivers should be included with OS X - certainly any Canon and I think most Sonys. The best thing to do is
check in the shop before you buy.
EJBasile said:
The imovie list is terribly out of date. Generally all the sonys that are minidv (not microdv or dvd) work, and pretty much all canons and panasonics (recent).
Check the apple support forums-->imovie. Folks have noted compatability over there for a whole host of cameras.
Amazing
I have been amazed at the high compatibility of cameras. For example, my friend purchased a new Kodak camera, I plugged it into my iBook and an icon of this brand new model showed up and it imported the photos fine. It has worked with at least 6 digital cameras that I have connected to it with no problems. Windows XP required drivers on half of them that it couldn't resolve. I had originally thought XP was more advanced than that.
I hooked up 2 separate video cameras and a product called Dazzle that bridges analog sources and all three worked fine. The one area that seems to be weak with Mac OS X is scanners. The scanners I have required a download and the only programs I could find to support the scanner was Adobe Photoshop and Elements because a special plugin was required.
Perhaps scanners aren't popular with most consumers anymore so there isn't as much of a demand to make this process better.
I have been amazed at the high compatibility of cameras. For example, my friend purchased a new Kodak camera, I plugged it into my iBook and an icon of this brand new model showed up and it imported the photos fine. It has worked with at least 6 digital cameras that I have connected to it with no problems. Windows XP required drivers on half of them that it couldn't resolve. I had originally thought XP was more advanced than that.
I hooked up 2 separate video cameras and a product called Dazzle that bridges analog sources and all three worked fine. The one area that seems to be weak with Mac OS X is scanners. The scanners I have required a download and the only programs I could find to support the scanner was Adobe Photoshop and Elements because a special plugin was required.
Perhaps scanners aren't popular with most consumers anymore so there isn't as much of a demand to make this process better.
I had a Canon Digital Ixus 400 (Powershot S400 in the US) and had an accident, so upgraded to the Canon Powershot S500. My Canon image software couldn't recognise the new camera and I had to install the new drivers but iPhoto already recognised it straight off! (I need to use the Canon software to download the MPEG movies)