I need a digital camera expert!!

For my birthday last week I got a Sony Cybershot digital camera.
I've taken lots of photos and got some printed already.
My problem is I cannot get the software that came with the camera downloaded onto my computer. I've even called the software provider.
I have coworkers who have the same computer as mine and I might try to have them try to download to see if its my computer or the software itself.
I have windows 98 and don't plan on getting a new computer until next spring or I do not want to update the software.
However I read in Sunday's newspaper about getting a card reader cable w/ the USB port and I would be able to load the pictures on my computer that way???
Is this correct and where/and what brand of this cable would I buy??
The camera does take excellent pictures and I would like to show off my "herd"!!

Generally, your Microsoft Picture that comes with most computers is capable of downloading the pictures from the camera. From my experience, the camera should come with the cable and all you need to do is to plug it into your computer.

Hey, I'm not sure if your camera has the option, but I know on my HP digi cam I can change the settings to basically turn the camera into another drive (a, c, d, etc). If yours has this setting you could just connect the camera to the computer with the USB cable and copy and save the pics onto your hard drive. I don't need a special usb cable to do this either. Not sure if that helps or not.

Originally Posted by bumpy

Generally, your Microsoft Picture that comes with most computers is capable of downloading the pictures from the camera. From my experience, the camera should come with the cable and all you need to do is to plug it into your computer.

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Microsoft Picture is on Win 2000 or better. It's not on Win98.

Yes, you can get a card reader, in fact I MUCH prefer it as you don't have to use your camera or its battery power. Any one that will read your particular type of memory and that has a USB plug will do. It's a bit more user friendly with Windows XP (what we have) or Win2000 or better though. I did have the occasional issues with Win 98 in that my machine would occasionally freeze or not "see" the reader, but a lot of this was due, I think to us running it through a hub instead of directly into the computer.

I hate card readers. You may actually have software on your computer that will recognize your canera without installing yet more stuff on your haddrive. I know recently, I took pix with mine and uploaded them to my laptop - which did not have the siftware (HP) on it. There was plenty of software on my Toshiba laptop tho that recognized the photos. As soon as I cnnected the camera, the default editor came up and I uploaded the pix. Maybe you can bypass thet.


Card readers are pretty much useless - just a waste of money. They get in the way.

Originally Posted by CyberKitten

I hate card readers. You may actually have software on your computer that will recognize your canera without installing yet more stuff on your haddrive. I know recently, I took pix with mine and uploaded them to my laptop - which did not have the siftware (HP) on it. There was plenty of software on my Toshiba laptop tho that recognized the photos. As soon as I cnnected the camera, the default editor came up and I uploaded the pix. Maybe you can bypass thet.


Card readers are pretty much useless - just a waste of money. They get in the way.

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Sorry, have to disagree with you on that. The card reader I chose to get is a 9in1 "multi reader" ... it will read pretty much ANYTHING ... this past weekend we had company and since I had the reader and NOT the proprietary software or the cables that came with his camera, he was able to download his pix and burn a CD so that he could empty his memory. Which is the reason I got this particular card-reader.

However, this reader won't work with Win 98 (trust me it's HIGHLY doubtful, though not impossible of course, that there's software on a Win98 system that will recognize her camera.)

Different strokes for different folks as they say.



Cindy

I have three (!) digital cameras (one of which my youngest nephew is going to get this week), and I have to say that I was totally disgusted with all of them before I got a card reader. I have a 6 megapixel "downstairs" camera, a 3 megapixel "upstairs/travel camera", and the 1.3 megapixel camera I'm going to give to my nephew the day after tomorrow. The card reader allows me to store pictures with a minimum of fuss, and use various software programs to "process" the photos,

I have a Sony Cybershot and I always use a card reader! It's much easier.

Is the software that came with your camera not compatible with Windows 98? I also use Windows 98 SE. I have an Olympus camera and connect my camera directly to the USB port to transfer files via Explorer. All you need to do is make sure you install the camera's driver onto Windows first.

She can't get the program to "take" . It's a problem with newer equipment and the old Win98 OS. It's one of the reasons we finally upgraded (we run Win XP.) as we were running into the same kinds of problems. Well, that and that I want to be able to play Pirates and Dungeon Siege II !

Cindy

If you have photo software, will that give you the option to import?

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

She can't get the program to "take"

.

Cindy

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I not sure what you mean by "take". Do you mean the software cannot detect when the camera is attached to the USB port? The original post said she couldn't "download".

Originally Posted by MissCharlotte

I not sure what you mean by "take". Do you mean the software cannot detect when the camera is attached to the USB port? The original post said she couldn't "download".

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Must be colloquial . Means the same thing.

Cindy

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

Must be colloquial

. Means the same thing.

Cindy

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Sorry. I'm a computer geek and do tech support at work. I get confused when people use general terms or the same term for everything they do related to computers. It's just a small pet peeve of mine. Gosh. I hope that didn't sound bitchy.

Originally Posted by MissCharlotte

Sorry. I'm a computer geek and do tech support at work. I get confused when people use general terms or the same term for everything they do related to computers. It's just a small pet peeve of mine. Gosh. I hope that didn't sound bitchy.

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Nah, no worries !

I have a sandisk card reader for my Canon. It works great, see if when you plug that in, (the usb plug) if a wizard pops up, if so it will walk you through all you need to get your pictures onto your computer. Or if nothing happens, after you plug in your usb, go to "my computer", you should see a canon drive (I believe it is "e" drive)on the bottom, you can click it also, and your pictures should come up right away.

Another vote for card reader, here. The thing is that when you plug that card into the reader, it becomes just another drive and your images are just files that you move from one drive to another, like any other file. No special software. No drain on your camera's batteries. No fuss. No muss. Then you organize, edit, enhance your images in whatever software you choose. There's an embarrassment of riches, some simple, some very sophisticated, some cheap, some expensive, some free.

Check out ACDSee.

It was an older version that came with my first HP Photosmart, version 3, I think, and the only complaint I ever had was that it didn't handle redeye correction. Other than that it was very good, very intuitive. You might find it here...

Older versions of ACDSee - cheaper, maybe free

Another one that's popular with TCS folks, is Irfanview I haven't used it much, but it does look promising.

A recent discovery is a freebie from google, Picasa, which looks amazing. I'm still getting acquainted, but I already think I like it -- especially at that price!

They all provide at least some organization, some manipulation, some printing and email capability. It's a question of what combination works for you.

But do the card reader thing. it simplies matters immensely.

Definately get a Card Reader... I have a SanDisk USB... u plug it in... u dont need to install anything.... it just pops up a screen that brings u to the folder ur pictures are in... or u click on my computer and u can select the card reader... it's so much easier... just COPY (DONT CUT)... copy and paste ur pictures from the disk to the computer... if u CUT the pictures, you wont be able to access the pictures from the disk anymore and u run the risk of ruining the disk, period.... hope this helps... lemme know if u wanna know anything else..

Now, I have to upload all my pictures off my digital LoL

With my Kodak Easyshare camera. I have a camera dock. It's the shiz!

Your digital camera I believe should have come with the software you'd need to upload thepictures from the camera to the pc. As a general rule, downloading software is risky and usually you only have them as a trial run. If you take your camera to a computer store, they'll show you which cable you need, though I suspect a standard USB cable will do it. Some cameras however have a smaller port that connects to the cable than are on the standard.

An application/program downloaded from the net is likely to only have some of the features on it that work, requiring that you purchase a full version to get the full benefits of the program. A USB port should auto-detect new hardware plugged into it and the program auto-run if it is set up to do so. At least that is about the standard. It sounds like you have a compatibility problem... possibly between your Operating System and the software you have downloaded. It is always advisable to look at the system requirements before downloading a program, and{or looking for an alternative. Have a word with a computer store, and they'll more than likely put you right Alternatively, I could lend you my IT consultant boyfriend.... as long as you give him back!

Like Sam, I also use a Kodak Easyshare... I bought the whole package for £80. It came with the camera, the USB cable needed, the software and a dock. It is auto-detected once the software is installed, it takes really good quality photographs with an additional option to "tag" pictures for sending to friends and family via e-mail etc.

I'm sure there is some way of fixing it... if you like I'll have a word with Rune and see if he can suggest anything