Digital Camera Picture Transfer

Digital Camera Picture Transfer

One Example of Moving Files from a Camera to the Computer’s Hard Drive

By Bob Fiske

Transferring Pics – Hard?

• Can be difficult– Many small steps to learn

• No standardization– Many brands of cameras– And smart phones

• The challenge:– Learn the procedure for your camera

Step 1: USB CableHere is my Canon PowerShot Camera

There’s a little flip door

Got it!

And I plug in the mini-USB plug

Step 1: USB Cable (cont’d)The other end is a regular USB plug

Well, that part is done

Comment on Step 1

• No USB cable?• Memory card– Many cameras use a memory card to store pics

• Some computers have a slot to load these cards

– This will probably make Step 2 less work

Step 2: The Camera Picture Folder

• If my camera is connected to the computer…– Then I want to view the picture folder on the

camera– That’s a big IF

• The first time I opened My Computer, I goofed

I thought this was my camera. Then I realized this is the laptop’s built-in camera.

Step 2: The Camera Picture Folder (cont’d)

• Oh. I’m supposed to turn the camera on.

• Then Windows connects to it

That green light meansthe power is on

This says, “Camera connected”

Step 2: The Camera Picture Folder (cont’d)

I almost always cancel this little window

Back to the My Computerwindow. Now I can open awindow for the camera.

NOTES:1. My Computer? Yes, if your computer runs Windows XP.

Newer versions of Windows (Vista, Win7, Win8) call it “Computer”.

2. Why are Bob’s pictures so crummy in this presentation?• ‘Cause he is shooting with his old cell phone camera• Oh, and ‘cause he’s a pretty bad photographer

Step 2: The Camera Picture Folder (cont’d)

• The camera’s picture folder– Finally!

• By the way, what is DCIM?– Digital Camera Image Management– Some cameras and phones store

pictures in a folder called “DCIM”

Step 3: Make a Folder on the Hard Drive• Time to transfer picture files– You need a folder on the hard drive– This is a combination of navigation and creating new

folders• Starting point– In older versions of Windows, you might start with

My Documents and go to My Pictures– After Windows 7 start with the “profile” folder, then

to to My Pictures

Step 3: Make a Folder on the Hard Drive

• Sub-folders– I made a folder “Digital Cameras” under My

Pictures– Under this folder I made a sub-folder “Canon

PowerShot”

Step 4: Park the Two Windows• Parking a window– This is putting a window in corner of the screen

• Note: Not maximized! (Instead, restore it down)

• Do this for the camera window and with the window of the folder you made on the hard drive

Camera window parked in lower right corner

My “Canon PowerShot” window parked in upper left corner Strange:

Bob has his Task Bar stuck on the left side!

Step 5: Drag Files from One Window to the Other

• Select files in the camera window– I do a Select All command• I’m moving all my pictures• This command is in the Edit menu of the camera

window• Or use Ctrl-A

Yes, that’s the Edit menu and the Select All command. So embarrassing!

Step 5: Drag Files from One Window to the Other (cont’d)

• Click-and-drag any one of the selected files• Drag it into the white space of the hard drive

window– All the selected files will be moved

• See the next slide…

Step 5: Drag Files from One Window to the Other (cont’d)

This arrow cursor with the “+” means “Copy these files to this folder”

All these picture files in the camera window have been selected. - See the blue lines around the thumbnails?

Step 5: Drag Files from One Window to the Other (cont’d)

• Be patient!– If you have a lot of files– Or they are LARGE picture files– Or your computer is slow

Step 5: Drag Files from One Window to the Other (cont’d)

• While I waited I took produce pictures

Step 5: Drag Files from One Window to the Other (cont’d)

• Patience is its own reward

What is the Best Pixel Resolution?

• Done.• Now, a digression: file size– Many people innocently set their cameras to

shoot at the maximum resolution• They think more pixels are better

• If you are a serious photographer, this is true• If you are not, then a medium resolution is

just as good as high resolution– And your files won’t be gigantic

What is the Best Pixel Resolution?

I just transferred 619 picture files

These files take up only 196 MB

What is the Best Pixel Resolution?These pictures I shot with my Canon PowerShot

- at medium pixel resolution

Step 6: Disconnect Your Camera

• Do you need to “Safely Remove” your hardware?– If Windows sees your camera as a flash drive, then

you need to inactivate the data connection

Check the notification area for the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon

Step 6: Disconnect Your Camera

• In my case, I don’t need to safely remove hardware– The icon is not present– I just turn off the camera and unplug it

No more green light

Step 6: Disconnect Your Camera

• And the camera no longer appears in the My Computer window

The End