Digital camera and mac (newbie)

J. Littleboy <davidjl.RemoveThis@gol.com> wrote:

: Don't connect the camera to the mac; get a card reader for the mac.

This went completely over my head. What is a card reader? Is it just to
transfer the pictures to my mac, or does it have some other use?

If my main interest in viewing/storing on the mac, what is the
advantage of going via a card reader as opposed to directly?

: See above. One note: don't format your cards on the mac,
: only format them in the camera.

Hmmm....

I think you are describing more advanced actions than I am aware of. I
just bought a 1GB card, inserted into camera and checked that it takes
pictures!

I didn't format it. Maybe there is some default formatting it came with
or acquired when I inseretd and used it. Should I format it before
usig? Why?

Thanks.
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

Newbie wrote:

> Just starting with my first digital camera (Contax i4R). I have a Mac
> with OSX 10.4. I have a few newbie questions:
>
> (1) Is there a correct order for the following four actions when
> connecting the camera to the mac, or does it not matter:

Some say it does not matter. Here is the best way:
Begin with the camera off and the Mac on. Plug the USB cable into the
Mac and the camera (doesn't matter which end first.) Turn the camera
on.

> (2) Similarly is there a correct order for the following actions when
> disconnecting, or does it not matter:

It matters. Eject the disk image that is the camera's memory card. In
some cases it is necessary to wait a few seconds before the next action
-> Turn the camera off. Remove the USB cable (doesn't matter which end
first.) Done.

Or, you may leave the cable plugged into the Mac at all times and
connect the camera when desired.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

In article <030920061734056116%newbie@no.spam>, Newbie <newbie RemoveThis @no.spam>
wrote:

> (1) Is there a correct order for the following four actions when
> connecting the camera to the mac, or does it not matter:

If the Mac is on, plug in the cord and camera in any order. IIf the Mac
isn't on, then turn it on.

> (2) Similarly is there a correct order for the following actions when
> disconnecting, or does it not matter:

If the camera is showing up as a mounted drive, eject it, then unplug
in whatever order you wish.
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

In article <030920061800472251%newbie@no.spam>, Newbie <newbie.RemoveThis@no.spam>
wrote:

> If my main interest in viewing/storing on the mac, what is the
> advantage of going via a card reader as opposed to directly?

None. If you can connect via USB the camera is a card reader.
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

In article <030920061800472251%newbie@no.spam>, Newbie <newbie.TakeThisOut@no.spam>
wrote:

> I didn't format it. Maybe there is some default formatting it came with
> or acquired when I inseretd and used it. Should I format it before
> usig? Why?

That's only relevant if you buy an unnecessary card reader.
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

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 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

In article <030920061800472251%newbie@no.spam>, Newbie <newbie.TakeThisOut@no.spam>
wrote:

>> Don't connect the camera to the mac; get a card reader for the mac.

> This went completely over my head. What is a card reader?

As the name implies, it reads (from and writes to) a memory card.

<http://www.lexar.com/readers/index.html>

> Is it just to transfer the pictures to my mac,
> or does it have some other use?

I use mine primarily for transferring photos to my Mac. It can also be used
to write to a memory card a la a "thumb" drive.

> If my main interest is viewing/storing on the mac, what is the
> advantage of going via a card reader as opposed to directly?

It is a bit more convenient to some. The card reader STAYS on the desk and
occupies less space than the camera.

>> don't format your cards on the mac, only format them in the camera.

> I think you are describing more advanced actions than I am aware of.

If you are new to digital photography, that's understandable. RTFM.

You can DELETE individual images or, using the format function, "erase" the
entire contents of the card. I always do the latter after I have downloaded
and backed-up the contents of the card. I rarely DELETE images while the card
is in the camera.

> I just bought a 1GB card, inserted into camera
> and checked that it takes pictures!

Good stuff and great fun, eh?

> I didn't format it.

That's OK.

> Maybe there is some default formatting it came with
> or acquired when I inserted and used it.

It was probably "clean" (formatted) when it was first used.

> Should I format it before using?

Not now! You'll lose your photos.

Once you have your pics onto your computer (and backed-up), you can
confidently format the card IN the camera using the menu's FORMAT command.
Good luck!
--

JR
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

In article <030920061732541824%dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderstone.ca>, Dave
Balderstone <dave.DeleteThis@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderstone.ca> wrote:

> In article <030920061800472251%newbie@no.spam>, Newbie <newbie.DeleteThis@no.spam>
> wrote:
>
> > If my main interest in viewing/storing on the mac, what is the
> > advantage of going via a card reader as opposed to directly?
>
> None. If you can connect via USB the camera is a card reader.

depends on the camera. a usb2 or firewire card reader is often faster
than downloading directly from the camera, especially since some
cameras are still usb1.
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

Newbie <newbie RemoveThis @no.spam> writes:

> Just starting with my first digital camera (Contax i4R). I have a Mac
> with OSX 10.4. I have a few newbie questions:
>
> (1) Is there a correct order for the following four actions when
> connecting the camera to the mac, or does it not matter:
>
> Turning camera on,
> Turning the Mac on,
> Connecting USB cable to the camera
> Connecting USB cable to the Mac
>
> (2) Similarly is there a correct order for the following actions when
> disconnecting, or does it not matter:
>
> Ejecting the Disk image representing the camera on the Mac screen
> Turning camera off
> Turning the Mac off
> Disconnecting USB cable from the camera
> Disconnecting USB cable from the Mac

Here is what I do.

Computer already on. Camera off.
Plug camera into computer.
-my camera comes on automatically,
-the other one I use needs to be turned on at this point.
Import pictures from camera into iPhoto.

Eject disk image representing camera.
Unplug camera.
Turn camera off if necessary.
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

In article <edfm75$6v7$1@nnrp.gol.com>,
"David J. Littleboy" <davidjl.RemoveThis@gol.com> wrote:

> "Newbie" <newbie.RemoveThis@no.spam> wrote:
> > Just starting with my first digital camera (Contax i4R). I have a Mac
> > with OSX 10.4. I have a few newbie questions:
> >
> > (1) Is there a correct order for the following four actions when
> > connecting the camera to the mac, or does it not matter:
>
> Don't connect the camera to the mac; get a card reader for the mac.
Why? I have a USB port on the camera and I just plug the USB cable
into the camera w/o taking out the card. I do have a card reader, but
this way seems much more efficient. Any reason to not do it this way?
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

"Newbie" <newbie.DeleteThis@no.spam> wrote in message
news:030920061800472251%newbie@no.spam...
> J. Littleboy <davidjl.DeleteThis@gol.com> wrote:
>
> : Don't connect the camera to the mac; get a card reader for the mac.
>
> This went completely over my head. What is a card reader? Is it just to
> transfer the pictures to my mac, or does it have some other use?
>
> If my main interest in viewing/storing on the mac, what is the
> advantage of going via a card reader as opposed to directly?
>
> : See above. One note: don't format your cards on the mac,
> : only format them in the camera.
>
> Hmmm....
>
> I think you are describing more advanced actions than I am aware of. I
> just bought a 1GB card, inserted into camera and checked that it takes
> pictures!
>
> I didn't format it. Maybe there is some default formatting it came with
> or acquired when I inseretd and used it. Should I format it before
> usig? Why?
>
> Thanks.

There is one other major advantage of a card reader which David Littleboy
did not mention.

You will not burst into tears if it accidently gets knocked off the desk.

Roy G
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

In article
<kurtullman-AE78CA.20502003092006 DeleteThis @customer-201-125-217-207.uninet.net.mx>
, Kurt Ullman <kurtullman DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:

> In article <edfm75$6v7$1@nnrp.gol.com>,
> "David J. Littleboy" <davidjl DeleteThis @gol.com> wrote:
>
> > "Newbie" <newbie DeleteThis @no.spam> wrote:
> > > Just starting with my first digital camera (Contax i4R). I have a Mac
> > > with OSX 10.4. I have a few newbie questions:
> > >
> > > (1) Is there a correct order for the following four actions when
> > > connecting the camera to the mac, or does it not matter:
> >
> > Don't connect the camera to the mac; get a card reader for the mac.
> Why? I have a USB port on the camera and I just plug the USB cable
> into the camera w/o taking out the card. I do have a card reader, but
> this way seems much more efficient. Any reason to not do it this way?

Unless your camera is plugged into a power outlet, it wears down the
camera battery (one reason that comes quickly to mind).

--
Spenser
 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie) 

In article <kOKKg.2368$TF5.697@newsfe1-win.ntli.net>, Roy G
<roy.gibson1 DeleteThis @REMOVE.tesco.net> wrote:

> There is one other major advantage of a card reader which David Littleboy
> did not mention.
>
> You will not burst into tears if it accidently gets knocked off the desk.

ROFL! Good point! Anybody with a cat, take note!


 >> Stay informed about: Digital camera and mac (newbie)