how do I down load my pictures to my computer

[Danny]

Hi, jms092462!

So that the Community can help you better, we will need to know which Canon camera model you're using and which operating system is running on your computer (i.e. Windows or Mac OS, and which version thereof). That, and any other details you'd like to give will help the Community better understand your issue!

If this is a time-sensitive matter, our US-based technical support team is standing by ready to help 24/7 via email at http://Canon.us/SupportCF or by phone at 1-800-OK-CANON (1-800-652-2666) weekdays between 10 AM and 10 PM ET (7 AM to 7 PM PT). We also encourage you to check out our Knowledge Base at that same link for answers to common questions.

Thanks and have a great day!

[RobertTheFat]

You start by reading all the manuals that came with your camera. If you don't have them, you can find them on the Canon Web site. Then you'll be able to ask more specific questions that we can actually answer.

That said, the short answer to your question is, "You don't." Downloading can be tricky and fraught with unexpected complications. Instead, you should buy a USB card reader (even good ones are fairly inexpensive) and use that to read the image files into your computer. No matter what you may hear or read to the contrary, I assure you that that's how most serious photographers do it.

[kvbarkley]

Generally, you can just plug a USB cable into the camera and the computer, turn the camera on and wait. A default program will come up, (Photos for recent Macs) and allow you to download the images.

What have you tried? What happens when you try?

[Vpmsae]

Connect the camera via USB cable to the PC. After plugging in, select "USB Mass Storage"  browse to the new USB virtual drive, find the files/folders and copy/paste away. You can also use this manager to help you transfer photos.

[Tronhard]

You will observe that there are several options for downloading your images:

Option 1.

1. Plug an appropriate USB cable in to your camera and laptop and then turn on the camera.

2. If you are using Windows a dialog should appear identifying the connection and asking what you want to do.  One of choices is to downlod the images, and you should be able to choose where to put them.  Mac systems work in a similar way.

Option 2:

2. With the camera turned off, remove the card and plug it into an appropriate card reader.  If your camera uses SD cards and you have a slot in your computer you can just plug it directly in.  If not card readers can be purchased from electronics stores or through the WWW for a pittance.  In either case, when the card is recognized by the system it will identified as a removable drive and you can use your file manager to copy the images to wherever you want.

Both of the above do not require any specific software to make the transfer happen.  If you still have all the materials that came with your camera you should have an optical disc with Imagebrowser software from Canon to allow you to, amongst other things, tranfer files using the cable to the camera metthod.  If you don't  have the software disc any more you can log onto the Canon webside and download it for your camera model under the support menu system.

Frankly I would suggest getting some training on using whatever computer operating system you use.  If you hope to work with your computer and camera you should be competent in the operation of both systems' software.  It will take away a lot of frustrations for you and give you a lot more capability to work creatively with your photos.

Good luck!

cheers:  Trevor

[RobertTheFat]

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@Tronhard wrote:

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Frankly I would suggest getting some training on using whatever computer operating system you use.  If you hope to work with your computer and camera you should be competent in the operation of both systemss' software.  It will take away a lot of frustrations for you and give you a lot more capability to work creatively with your photos.

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An excellent point that is not made often enough.

[Waddizzle]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@Tronhard wrote:

... 

Frankly I would suggest getting some training on using whatever computer operating system you use.  If you hope to work with your computer and camera you should be competent in the operation of both systemss' software.  It will take away a lot of frustrations for you and give you a lot more capability to work creatively with your photos.

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An excellent point that is not made often enough.

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It is a very good observation.  But, many people are offended when you try to find a way to tell them that.  People who use Apple gear seem to know the least about their computers, probably because Apple hides the nuts and bolts of what's happening under the hood just a little too well.  They're just too accustomed to plugging stuff in, waiting a moment or two, and then they're off and running with new stuff.

[Tronhard]

I worked for 30 years from the introduction of the MacIntosh and the PC, using IOS, OS2(!) DOS, then Windows in its various iterations. both as a trainer and an engineer.  Way back at the introduction of the PC everyone took training as it was all completely new.  These days relatively few people take formal training, especially in the workforce, as it is considered thet people have somehow learned to use the software elsewhere. The fact is the most people can't use it to anywhere like its full potential and they do things the most difficult way possible in many cases.  It's like giving someone a sophisticted drill and watch them hammer in the screws with it! 🙂

In the same way people often miss many of the functions and benefits of the really sophisticated features in the new cameras as they use the new one just like the old one, without considering the upgrades on offer.  As someone once said " people use manuals like a drunk man uses a lampost - for support rather than illumination!"

I have just vented on the troll-laden DPreview site, not only for the poor quality of debate, often degenerating to invalid generalizations and vitrole (often unreasonably directed at Canon), but also because these debates focus on upgrading hardware instead of upgrading skills.  I have yet to meet a serious professional or amateur photographer who could categorically state that they are held back from taking great shots by their equipment.