ZoomBrowser EX isn't working on Win10. Doesn't see the camera when connected via USB. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

I have a PowerShot Pro90 IS from 2002.  It's 21 years old, fully functional, and still taking excellent images.  Thanks Canon!  Providing great products for decades.

Unfortunately, the software that came with the camera, ZoomBrowser EX (V. 2.6.0.11), works great on our old XP based computer.  That's right,,,I have an XP laptop up and running and this old software runs just fine on it.

I'd like to get an app (or a fix) that allows me to transfer images to my Windows 10 system directly from the camera.

Currently, I have to remove the data card and read it with my USB card reader accessory.  👎

I prefer NOT to take my card in and out of the camera every few shots for inspecting images.  Something about data connections and dust makes me nervous.  Moving images through a USB cable is a better (safer?) way to go.

I see that Canon has another app called ImageBrowser EX and I'm wondering if that software is compatible with Windows 10.

If so, how can I obtain a copy of ImageBrowser EX, and if it's not Win10 compatible, what are my options for transferring images from my camera via USB cable?

Thanks for any suggestions offered. 😀

Columbine flower - unprocessedColumbine flower - unprocessed JPEG

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the link.  I read the post, but I'm not sure we have the same problem.

On this camera there is a special connector that plugs into the camera.  It's not a standard USB connector.  It sounded like the other person (RMQC) had a standard USB connector on the camera side also.  It wasn't totally clear.

If it turns out that Canon offers a different USB data cable that is more compatible with newer computers, then I might have to go that route.  $$.  ☹️

For now, I want to try to get a usable driver that works on my 64 bit system.  I searched the drivers on my Canon CD, but they appear to be for 32 bit OS's (Win95 up to Win2000).  If an appropriate driver doesn't solve this problem, then I'll need a back-up plan (i.e. a different USB cable possibly).

At this point, everything is pointing to the camera.  It's either the computer driver for the camera or the data cable (or both).  I'll keep working on this and let everyone know what works.  🤞

Maybe the techies at Canon can shed some light on which options to pursue once they're back from the holiday.  I appreciate all your ideas and suggestions.  Thanks again for your time.

[Anonymous]

Isn't your cable a mini-B USB to type A?

[Anonymous]

I don't think so.  Here's some pics to show what I've got.

The camera's data port doesn't look to be any kind of USB that I've ever seen before.  It looks totally custom.  Would you agree?

[Anonymous]

Yes, I agree. It's not the mini-B USB connector on the camera end.

[Anonymous]

Just to follow up, the camera data connector appears to have 10-12 connection points.

I really don't think this is a USB type connection.

Thanks again for your time and thoughts.

[Waddizzle]

The ZoomBrowser app is an obsolete for Windows XP, which is no longer supported by Microsoft.  The app is not compatible with Windows 10.

[Anonymous]

I was able to install ZoomBrowser EX from the CD on the Windows 10 computer without any installation problems and it seems to work OK until I try to connect to the camera.  The software hangs and has to be ended with the Task Manager.  When I start the Remote Capture software, it tries to connect and then brings up a dialog box saying it can't connect to the camera.

I'm guessing my problem might be a camera firmware issue.  The reason I'm thinking about firmware is because when I plug in the USB cable (camera in PC Connection mode), the computer responds with the "new device connected" sound.  Also, when I pull the USB cable out, the computer responds with the "device disconnected" sound.  The USB port is fine and works OK with all my other USB devices.

I'm thinking that the computer is making a sound because a power connection was made.  That doesn't necessarily mean that data is being exchanged between the two devices.

I'm hoping the technical staff at Canon can tell me if the camera's firmware can be updated to be Win10 compliant.  If there's no firmware update available, I might be stuck with moving the data card in and out of the camera.

Thanks for your reply and have a great day!   😀

[Waddizzle]

“ I was able to install ZoomBrowser EX from the CD on the Windows 10 computer without any installation problems and it seems to work OK until I try to connect to the camera.  The software hangs and has to be ended with the Task Manager.  When I start the Remote Capture software, it tries to connect and then brings up a dialog box saying it can't connect to the camera. “

The old XP software is not compatible with the hardware in Windows 10 platforms.  

[Waddizzle]

Here is a link to a review of the camera from 2001.  It briefly describes the hardware.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canonpro90/3 

Here is a snapshot from the above web page.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the DPReview link.  Their review of this camera pretty much sold me on it when I was shopping.  It's a great publication for photography equipment reviews and reasonable opinions.  I only hope that their recent acquisition by Gear Patrol doesn't compromise their past excellence.

After more troubleshooting of this problem, I've determined that I need a Windows 10 driver for this camera.  Device Manager sees the camera and can pull down it's name from the firmware, but there's no installed driver for the device.  I pointed Windows 10 to the older drivers that came with the camera, but they're too old and not usable for a 64-bit Win10 machine.

I've tried looking for drivers associated with more modern PowerShot cameras, but so far have not been able to find one on Canon's support website.  I just completed an online survey for them where I explained my problem.  The survey asked if I had contacted Canon Technical Support via phone, but I've never seen a phone number for that department on their website.

If anyone out there knows of a phone number where I can speak with their Technical Support group, please let me know.  I need to know if a driver for my camera that's Win10 compatible even exists.  Also, I'd like to know if another, more modern PowerShot driver would even be useful for this camera.

In the survey I completed, I down rated them for not supporting legacy products better.  Apparently, they don't support any products that are out of warranty.  A 1 or 2 year warranty for a product with a 10+ year lifetime and no support after the warranty period.  That doesn't make sense to a smart consumer.

Thanks for your time and comments.