Oops - Canon software now incompatible with Macs?

[a7]

I (along with many, probably most Mac users) am now on Mavericks. 

Mavericks works great, and I highly rcommend it to all fellow Mac users. My old computer is actually working a lot faster now and all my old apps work fine. Well, except for  Canon CameraWindow.

It used to launch automatically when I plugged in my camera. Now it doesn't. Even if I launch it manually, it says that no camera is found.

Anyone have a solution to this?

In another post, someone posted a solution that was supposedly provided by Canon product support. But it doesn't work, and I expect that whoever suggested didn't test it on the Mavericks.

[Tiffany]

Hi a7!

So that the Community can help you better, we will need to know exactly what model camera and version of Mac you're using. Any other details you'd like to give will also help the Community better understand your issue.

Thanks and have a great day!

[a7]

My OS is (as mentioned) Mavericks (also known as OS X 10.9).

My camera is the Powershot Elph 300 HS. 

I check to make sure that I have the latest Canon software and I do. Unfortunately it does not seem to work on Mavericks.  

All Macs are currently shipping with Mavericks. Also many, maybe even most, Mac users have upgraded to Mavericks because it was made available to all existing Mac users for free. So I would expect this is impacting a fairly signficant number of people. I've seen a number of complaints on the Apple forums.

To be honest, I'm surprised that Canon hasn't taken a more active approach in working on ensuring compatibility with new OS's while they are in beta stage, so they aren't left flat-footed on the side-lines trying to play catch-up after the OS is released. I realize that Mac users comprise "only" about 15% of the market. While a minority, I would think that would be a big enough minority for Canon to care about them. 

Maybe it's my mistake for expecting too much of Canon?

[optics_bokeh]

Try updating the software to the latest version.

Or you can also copy the files manually.

[a7]

Optics, the first thing I did was make sure I had the latest software. 

Canon has not updated its software and it's not compatible with Mavericks.

[a7]

Over on the Apple forums I see that some many people are also having trouble with Canon printers on Mavericks due to lack of driver support. So this is not just isolated to cameras.

I suppose Apple is loving this... Just another reason for Mac users to start avoiding Canon printers and buy Apple printers as well. They tout their printers at the Apple Store with taglines like, "Shop for printers that work great with your Mac.y tout their printers at the Apple store. "

The Canon printers are probably a much better deal... but ONLY if they work. If not, what's the point...

Same thing with cameras. Canon cameras are great, but only if they work-- in this age of digital cameras, it's not enough for a camera to just take good pictures--it also has to be compatible with your computer. If it's not it's time to get something else.

[a7]

I thought as a work-around I'd download the pics using Canon software on a Windows laptop and then transfer them over to my Mac on a thumb drive. So I installed all the Canon windows software for the camera, but am finding it much less user friendly then the Mac software I had (back when that still worked). For some reason it just downloads all pics (from multiple dates) into just ONE folder with today's date. If there as some way to change this to download pictures into a folder coinciding with the date the picture was taken I didn't see it.

Luckily Windows 7 has a feature that does that. So now I can download the pics from the camera to the PC, then copy them onto a thumb drive (slow...) and then copy them from the thumb drive to my Mac (very slow again...)

The process takes much longer than just downloading directly and is a pain in the butt.

[gmkelm]

FYI, Apple has not sold printers under the Apple brand since the early 1990s.

Mavericks is the issue, not Canon. I have not updated to Mavericks yet and will not until I am sure that all of my 3rd party hardware is compatible. However, your camera will mount to the desktop as a drive when you attach via USB cable - then just drag your photos to your Pictures or designated photos folder.

[a7]

You're correct that they are not Apple branded. Rather they are third-party printers sold by the Apple store as being compatible.

http://store.apple.com/us/mac/mac-accessories/printers#!

Thanks for the advice on manually downloading. I am currently downloading using a Win7 laptop and transferring to my Mac. 

[TCampbell]

I use a Mac and run Mavericks.  I have both EOS and Powershot cameras.  The Powershot uess "Camera Window" to communicate with the camera and do image transfers.  Camera Window is running fine under Mavericks -- I have no issues.

I am running Camera Window DC v8.9.1.5

(I also have no issues with my EOS cameras which use different software than the Powershot camera.)  

You may have a different issue.

Specifically which software application and version number are you running which will not see your camera?

If you do not have version 8.9.1.5 of Camera Window DC, you will need to download and update it.  You can find it here:  http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/digital_cameras/powershot_sd_series/powershot_elph_30...

Also... VERY IMPORTANT... Canon's website will auto-detect that you have Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks.  The list of software for that OS has not been completely populated on their site.   Tell the website you are running OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) instead and you'll see the latest software.  Under 10.9, the Camera Window DC utility does not show up.

If this does not solve your issue, make sure your computer can actually see your camera.   To do this, do the following:

On your Mac, open Finder.

Navigate to the "Applications" -> "Utilities" folder (you can alternatively just hit CMD+SHIFT+U in Finder and it will instantly open the Utilties folder.)

Connect your camera via USB and make sure it is powered on.

Run the "System Information" utilitty (it's one of the icons in your Utilities folder.)

On the left, under the Hardware section, you'll see a section for "USB" - select that.

In the upper right, it will display the "USB Device Tree".  Somewhere on that list, you should see your Canon camera (again... camera must be connected AND powered on.).   Apple's "System Information" utility ONLY scans and builds this list when it is started.  If you connected or powered up the camera AFTER starting System Information, then navigate to the top menu and select "File" -> "Refresh Information" (or CMD+R).  This will cause it to rescan for devices.

Note... all USB devices will report information EVEN on a computer that has no device drivers or software for that device at all.  In other words, if your USB port, cable, and camera work (nevermind software compatibility or presence of correct drivers), it WILL show up.  If it does not show up, then something else is wrong.