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This is weird. Nearly every day I connect the camera to this Mac, iPhoto automatically springs into action and shows me the new photos. I highlight them and within seconds they're imported from the camera to the Mac.

TODAY, it wouldn't do that. The Mac, iPHoto just kept saying "importing photos" for so long that the camera automatically switched itself off. I rebooted, switched camera on and off as usual.

Eventually I went to another Mac, plugged the camera in, got the photos and transferred them over here. Mind you, I had to click on the mounted disk icon of the camera to get them......... so I'm thinking, it's the camera, not either Mac's iPhoto?

On the other hand, if that half-a-surmise is correct, then why did this Mac show the new photos and get all ready to import them?

Can anyone make sense of this? Thanks in advance.

OS 10.6.8 imac
If you don't want iphoto to open when you connect your camera to your computer, open iphoto, prefs, general and where it says "connecting camera opens" change from iphoto to 'no application'

jaybass

or Image Capture which is very usable.

Hi

I'm not surprised that my question made no sense, because it makes no sense. Just now I plugged the camera into this Mac as usual, and iPhoto instantly uploaded the photos as usual.

I think computers do that sort of thing now and then, just to show who's the boss.

Roger,
OS 10.6.8 D80 nikon You got me thinking when you referred to Image Capture, an app I have never even considered. Upon googling, It seems to be quite a gem.
I inserted my memory card from my camera into my reader and then opened Image Capture which said it could not detect a camera or a scanner. I dispensed with my scanner long ago. Is this app useful without a scanner? At the moment I keep the photos I want and then put them into P/E 10 for editing. Assuming I knew how to use this app, would it be better than what I'm now doing? If so, why doesn't my D80 show when I open IC and also, is there a tutorial available for this app?
jaybass

Have you explored Image Capture's Help menu?

jon, What I gathered is that I should connect my camera to my imac with a USB cable which is less convenient than using a memory card. What springs to mind is that a memory card won't activate Image capture. I did notice that the USB cable should not used with a hub and I have just noticed that my reader is connected to my hub so perhaps that is possibly why my D80 doesn't show. However, thank you for reply. jaybass

I don't know about the connectivity of using a card, but what I like about Image Capture(when using my iPhone) is that it allows me to organize my pictures the way I like, and have easy access to them, rather than having to navigate through iPhoto's proprietary format. I have found that once you have a few thousand picture in iPhoto it gets very slow and clunky. I still use iPhoto, but I only put what pictures I want to in.

It sounds like you're organizing however you like anyway, so Image Capture would just be redundant.

I think you may be incorrectly interpreting the Image Capture help. In Mountain Lion the only thing Image Capture help says is When you are using memory card it is turned on when it receives power from the slot/adaptor/USB port.

I connect cameras and memory cards using USB with or without a hub and all have worked exactly the same way. (NOTE: I always use self powered USB hubs although the should not make a difference}.) Depending on my current preference settings, Image Capture, iPhoto, or Aperture generally launch automatically regardless of the media or the data path.

Thank you Roger, I concur with your thoughts. And firstly Joe, it was jon's idea to go to IC help which I did but afterwards I went to nikon's D80 & somewhere in there was mention of not using a hub when connecting my camera to the computer and also to switch the camera off before disconnecting...I think I got that right , however as Roger remarked it is redundant so all is well. BTW, my hub is self powered.
Thank you guys, jaybass