Argghh!!! My Camera (and its software) Is Killing Me!!!

April 20, 2009 8:31 PM

Two year old canon rebel xti + proprietary software (digital photo pro and EOS utility) are leaving me very frustrated. I've had this exact set up for at least a couple of years and last week my camera decided to quit interfacing.

I'm sure I'm just doing something dumb, so some basics might be helpful. Here are the details;

I run the programs and plug in the camera. The camera provides a "busy" sign and its orange light blinks. Then nothing. I've tried and retried everything in the book!

I've scanned through the "help" pages for the software and camera, and have been googling for a couple of hours with no results.

I have downloaded and installed the latest software updates.

Now, I'm going crazy.

MANY thanks in advance.

posted by snsranch to Technology (11 answers total)

Response by poster: It has just occurred to me that my wife uses the camera too, using the same software that came with the camera on HER machine. I hope this isn't a multi-computer licensing problem. But it shouldn't be considering that the downloads are free from Canon.
posted by snsranch at 8:41 PM on April 20, 2009

Is the battery fresh (recharged)?
posted by artdrectr at 9:03 PM on April 20, 2009

Best answer: Maybe I'm missing something, but is the proprietary software absolutely essential? Could you just — at least for test purposes — take some photos, then pull the memory card and pop it into a card reader and examine it? That would tell you if the camera is functioning in general.

I've played with some cameras that had absolutely abysmal built-in USB implementations, but worked just fine as long as you used them as standalone devices. I'm not sure why yours would have worked and then stopped working (the only thing I've ever had happen that's similar is mechanical failure of Mini-USB sockets), but the camera should still be usable.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:17 PM on April 20, 2009

Best answer: I use Picasa to import photos from my Rebel XTI. That might be another way to get the photos. Of course you can also go to "My Computer" (I assuming Windows here of course) and access the photos directly.

I seem to recall I have had similar issues as you with the EOS software. From memory the window seemed to get "hidden" somehow, but I could "find" it again my press Alt-Tab. That might also help.
posted by vac2003 at 9:19 PM on April 20, 2009

Best answer: Get a card reader. I don't know anyone who uses DPP or EOS Utility for copying photos off the camera, that's not really what that software is for.
posted by bradbane at 10:52 PM on April 20, 2009

I have the same camera and had the same problem until I downloaded the newer version of the software. I haven't had any problems since. The only difference in the way I use it is that I just plug the camera in and turn it on, and about 30 seconds later, the software starts up on its own, and I use the controls on the camera. (I just use the 'new pictures' option.)
posted by Stylus Happenstance at 5:01 AM on April 21, 2009

EOS utility works fine on both my Windows computer and my MacBook. I do what Stylus does - plug in camera, turn it on, wait for program to auto-run and select "download images". Check to see if there's a camera firmware update, maybe? Alternatively, slap the CF card into a card reader and see if the utility still comes up.

Picasa should do the photo download if you want it to, but I prefer the file handling / naming conventions the camera software uses, so I let it do the download and then manage photos in Picasa after the fact.
posted by caution live frogs at 6:18 AM on April 21, 2009

Is it possible you are using your wife's older version of the software and you need to update for your newer camera? Just a thought.
posted by sully75 at 7:52 AM on April 21, 2009

Best answer: Many people who get Canon DSLRs don't even bother to install the software that comes with the camera. A card reader is definitely the way to go for importing images; they are cheap enough that I have accumulated several over the last few years. Any number of programs will work for editing and organizing your photos and RAW support is pretty widespread. I have used Picasa, a few different versions of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, iPhoto, and Aperture with good results. My wife used the Canon software with her point and shoot for a while, but she recently got a new Mac and now greatly prefers iPhoto to the Canon software; we didn't even install it on her new machine.
posted by TedW at 8:41 AM on April 21, 2009

Response by poster: I knew I would end up slapping my forehead on this one. It's probably because I'm such a cheap skate that a card reader didn't even occur to me! It looks like for the ease and utility, they are well worth it.

Thank you guys very much, I appreciate all of your answers. I'm really excited about getting a new toy. Even when the software DID work, it was a pain.
posted by snsranch at 4:02 PM on April 21, 2009

Response by poster: Update: I'm using Picasa while waiting for the reader to arrive, and it is GREAT!

Thanks again everyone!
posted by snsranch at 5:39 PM on April 25, 2009