Need Camera Help

[Sketcher]

I wasn't sure which forum to put this in. I have a digital camera that has a video feature on it. The problem is, I can't figure out how to upload the video onto my computer. I tried iMovie, but it kept saying that no camera was attached. I've uploaded videos in iMovie before with DV cameras, but not digital.

I have Mac OSX 10.2.8. Any idea on the best way to upload a digital video from my camera to my computer (preferably in iMovie)?

[urstwile]

Did you try just copying the files from the camera to your hard drive first, instead of having iMovie do it? Maybe iMovie doesn't recognize the driver for the camera?

Just a thought.

[Sketcher]

Did you try just copying the files from the camera to your hard drive first, instead of having iMovie do it?

How would I do that?

[Red Kittie Kat]

plug the usb cord that came with the camera into the camera turn it on and then into a usb port and it should read it as a portable storage device and let you access the folder and move them onto your pc :)

[urstwile]

^^^presactly^^^ :)

Actually on the Mac OS, many cameras mount automatically, can you see it as a device on your desktop?

[Sketcher]

Actually on the Mac OS, many cameras mount automatically, can you see it as a device on your desktop?

No device comes up on my desktop when I hook up my camera. The only thing that happens is iPhoto automatically opens to let me import photos. Nothing for videos, though.

[urstwile]

Then I would check to see if perhaps your camera requires installation of a driver for your OS version, Sketcher. Most of the time, when I hook a digital camera to my computer here, it just pops up like an additional drive, and I can access files and drag them over and copy them.

I'm on a later OS version than you are (also Mac). Don't know if that's significant to the problem you're having.

[Sketcher]

That could be the problem. I was going to buy Tiger a few months ago, but then I read that Leopard was coming out this Spring so I'm just waiting for that.

As for now, I'll look for a driver to download. Thanks.

[Derfie]

I have a nikon camera that pops up on the desktop when I plug it in, however I recently bought a canon, and it doesn't pop up on the desktop. I am running OS 10.3.9 on my Mac. I plug in the camera and set the camera to view mode. Then I open the "image capture" software -Located in the applications folder. You should be able to choose what files to download from the camera including the video files. Make sure to turn the camera off first before unpluging it from the computer.

Hope this helps.

[mattmainster]

What type of camera are you using? Also, iMovie looks for an attached deviece through your firewire port, not usb.

[Craig B]

Sketcher. this may or may not be causing the problem (of your camera not mounting like a disk), but you can disable the auto launch iPhoto feature (i did, because it was annoying.)

Launch "Image Capture". Under it's preferences, choose "no applications" for the "when a camera is connected use" drop down. See if that'll let your camera mount like a disk and then get the movies off of it.

[Sketcher]

Thanks for the help everyone. Image Capture did work, but I didn't see a preferences option so it's still not mounting like a disk.

[urstwile]

Were you able to grab the videos?

[Tyger]

sketcher, have you tried iphoto? On my wifes Nikon I usually just import whatever is on the SD card and iphoto saves it in the library as a .mov file just like as if it was a regular picture. I then can go into imovie and open up the folder with the file.

Here's a pic...see how the video files have a video Icon. What version of iphoto are you running?

[fredrich]

If you can't get it to work, you can always transfer the files directly from the memory card (assuming you have a memory card reader that is).

I don't have Mac, so I can't comment much on the problem. I use the original software (Canon) to transfer images and video to my computer. Uninstalled the photo browser software that came with the drivers, because my blood pressure rises when programs like that pops up after I've transferred my pictures.