Where can I find drivers for my ancient digital camera?

September 9, 2008 9:09 AM

Where can I find software to connect my computer to my camera? I have a Dell running Windows XP and an old Canon Powershot G2 from 2001.

I bought my camera in 2001, and have subsequently lost the cd that lets me install driver software. I've been to the Canon site and tried to download drivers that will connect to the camera and download, to no avail. On my Mac at home, I just connect with iPhoto. On this work PC, I have no idea ... any suggestions?

Thanks, your help is greatly appreciated.

posted by chinese_fashion to Computers & Internet (14 answers total)

You should have a USB cable that connects the camera to the computer. Just connect it and turn the camera on. Ninety-five percent of the time, I've found that does it; XP's autoplay function should then ask you what you want to do with it ("open folder to view files" would be the option you want.) In the event that the autoplay is disabled on your work computer, just connect it and turn the camera on and then go into the "My Computer" folder; there, you'll find that the camera is listed as a drive. Open it; your pictures should be there.

On some more complex Canon cameras (my wife's Rebel, for example) I've found that the camera sometimes doesn't simply read as a drive. In those cases, you have to plug it in and wait for the autoplay; then, instead of selecting "open folder to view files," there ought to be an option called (I believe) "Microsoft Digital Camera and Scanner Viewer." That one should pick up your pictures.

There are very few digital cameras that require external drivers to view images in XP.
posted by koeselitz at 9:24 AM on September 9, 2008

Did you try just plugging it into the PC and seeing if the computer recognizes it like an external hard drive?
posted by Dec One at 9:24 AM on September 9, 2008

According to the Canon Support site(click on FAQs), Windows XP(which I assume you are using - the same should happen in Vista, though) should autodetect the camera and launch the "Cameras and Scanners" wizard. Have you tried just connecting the camera and powering it on?

It is also likely that the camera would show up as a removable drive in My Computer.

If you're on a machine that somehow still uses Win98, you'll need to find and install a program called ZoomBrowserEX.
posted by owtytrof at 9:26 AM on September 9, 2008

me: On some more complex Canon cameras (my wife's Rebel, for example) I've found that the camera sometimes doesn't simply read as a drive.

Sorry, unclear: you should try this option if you see the camera as a drive and open it, but there are no pictures there, even though you know you took pictures.
posted by koeselitz at 9:26 AM on September 9, 2008

Try google's Picasa. Load it up, attach (and turn on) the camera, and click the "Import photos" button, and select the source.
posted by inigo2 at 9:30 AM on September 9, 2008

Or you can use a card reader. However, Canon does indeed offer drivers and other downloads. They're easier to find if you start at www.powershot.com, then scroll to the bottom for the digital camera product archive.
posted by sageleaf at 9:30 AM on September 9, 2008

Make sure the camera is set to display pictures, not camera mode. I seem to remember that some would not register in camera mode.
posted by lee at 9:31 AM on September 9, 2008

Response by poster: I've tried just turning the camera on in playback mode, to no avail. Trying Picasa now ...
posted by chinese_fashion at 9:38 AM on September 9, 2008

Response by poster: Hmm. The computer doesn't seem to be recognizing the camera at all when it's plugged into the USB port and in playback mode. Picasa says "no device detected," and it doesn't show up as an external drive, either.
posted by chinese_fashion at 9:42 AM on September 9, 2008

Response by poster: Got it! Thanks for all your help ...
posted by chinese_fashion at 10:09 AM on September 9, 2008

What was the problem with downloading the driver from Canon? I downloaded what should be the appropriate .exe if you're unable to get it. With my Canons, I need to plug it into the USB while it's turned off. Once I turn them on, then XP gives me options to transfer, but they also show up in Windows Explorer and I can copy files directly.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 10:10 AM on September 9, 2008

Your best bet is to use a card reader, as it sounds like you've exhausted all options to connect the camera directly to the computer. You camera uses Compact Flash (CF) type media. You can buy one from Amazon like this here for less than $20. Or your local electronics store or office supply store should have it also. When you plug it in, it'll mount in your computer as an external drive, and you will be able to copy those files into Picasa or whichever program you favor.
posted by spoons at 10:12 AM on September 9, 2008

chinese_fashion: Got it! Thanks for all your help ...

Great! In case somebody else has the same problem: what did you do to get it to work?
posted by koeselitz at 12:38 PM on September 9, 2008

I'm with koeselitz ... hoped to see the magic trick too, but after researching my own similar issue (Canon Rebel XT, Windows Vista 64-bit) it doesn't look promising.

My work-around has been to plug the card into a card reader on my HP all-in-one scanner printer. Pain in the arse, but unless someone can point to different information, I think I just gotta wait until Canon finds a fix. FWIW.
posted by mcbeth at 12:31 PM on September 10, 2008