Upgraded laptop will no longer recognize my Cannon Rebel XT

dick

Hopefully I have this in the correct thread - if not please move as needed (thanks Mods)

I have a new laptop running windows 7 and just loaded the cannon software that came with my camera 3.5 years ago. Now that I have the apps loaded when I try to go out and look for the camera it is not recognized by the new machine. This fact does not surprise me as the old software probably has some incompatibilities with window 7.

My first question is should I search for updated software so that I can download from the camera directly or should I invest in a drive that will read the compact flash media?

Second question, what is a good idea for solid flash card reader that I can just plug into the USB or other port on the new machine?


Thanks,

Rich

Scott_Quier

dick wrote:

Hopefully I have this in the correct thread - if not please move as needed (thanks Mods)

I have a new laptop running windows 7 and just loaded the cannon software that came with my camera 3.5 years ago. Now that I have the apps loaded when I try to go out and look for the camera it is not recognized by the new machine. This fact does not surprise me as the old software probably has some incompatibilities with window 7.

My first question is should I search for updated software so that I can download from the camera directly or should I invest in a drive that will read the compact flash media?

Second question, what is a good idea for solid flash card reader that I can just plug into the USB or other port on the new machine?


Thanks,

Rich

First question, Win7 x86 (32-bit) or Win7 x64 (64-bit)? There are some older Canon cameras for which Canon has not (and probably will not) release drivers for 64-bit O/S. For example, I can not get the Canon EOS Utility to recognize my 20D because there is a driver for which there is not a 64-bit version.

And, yes, go to the Canon website for the XT and see if they have what you need.

It is good idea to have a card reader - they a usually a better and faster alternative to downloading your images through the camera USB port. I am currently using SanDisk Extreme FireWire CompactFlash Card Reader and have found it to be reliable on both WinXP and Win7. There cheaper alternatives and this one is useless unless you have a FireWire port on your computer (not all do).

dick

Scott_Quier wrote:

First question, Win7 x86 (32-bit) or Win7 x64 (64-bit)? There are some older Canon cameras for which Canon has not (and probably will not) release drivers for 64-bit O/S. For example, I can not get the Canon EOS Utility to recognize my 20D because there is a driver for which there is not a 64-bit version.

And, yes, go to the Canon website for the XT and see if they have what you need.

It is good idea to have a card reader - they a usually a better and faster alternative to downloading your images through the camera USB port. I am currently using SanDisk Extreme FireWire CompactFlash Card Reader and have found it to be reliable on both WinXP and Win7. There cheaper alternatives and this one is useless unless you have a FireWire port on your computer (not all do).

Scott:

Thanks for the feedback - the new OS is 64 bit; iTunes slapped me around on this earlier.

I will go poke around the Cannon site and see what I can find. I don't have a firewire port so I will go with a USB solution. One item of note is that the new machine may not have firewire but it does have i.LINK and eSATA/USB I/O ports. These may not be helpful if there are not any products that use these but I will poke around.

Rich

Scott_Quier

dick wrote:

Scott:

Thanks for the feedback - the new OS is 64 bit; iTunes slapped me around on this earlier.

I will go poke around the Cannon site and see what I can find. I don't have a firewire port so I will go with a USB solution. One item of note is that the new machine may not have firewire but it does have i.LINK and eSATA/USB I/O ports. These may not be helpful if there are not any products that use these but I will poke around.

Rich

There are plenty of card readers that use the USB. I don't know about i.link or eSATA.

TexPhotog

dick wrote:

Scott:

Thanks for the feedback - the new OS is 64 bit; iTunes slapped me around on this earlier.

I will go poke around the Cannon site and see what I can find. I don't have a firewire port so I will go with a USB solution. One item of note is that the new machine may not have firewire but it does have i.LINK and eSATA/USB I/O ports. These may not be helpful if there are not any products that use these but I will poke around.

Rich

I'm goint to take a stab at this and guesstimate that you have a Sony laptop???

i.link is the name that Sony gave to FireWire...

craig_d

TexPhotog wrote:

I'm goint to take a stab at this and guesstimate that you have a Sony laptop???

i.link is the name that Sony gave to FireWire...

I had the same thought -- it must be a Sony machine.

However, it would be more correct to say that there is an industry standard, IEEE 1394, which Apple calls "FireWire" and Sony calls "I.Link". FireWire is certainly a better-known name than "I.Link", but neither is more correct than the other, nor is it really fair to say that one is a name for the other -- they're both trademarked brand names owned by different manufacturers for essentially the same underlying technology.

Here is a page that explains the basics, and from which you can order adapter cables to link one type of FireWire/I.Link connector to another kind. I haven't used these cables, so I can't endorse them; I just found this through Google.

http://www.ramelectronics.net/audiovideo/computer-cables/firewire-ilink-cables/c20000-c21000-c21400-p1.html?gclid=CO6PheHQuJ8CFRRN5QodwWLQzw

Wil Davis

Hi Rich,

Welcome to DGPF.

I've used Olympus, Canon, and Nikon, I don't think I've ever used any of the software which came with the cameras. It always seems to me that each manufacturer has their own idea of what the "Ideal GUI" should be, and in my opinion not one of them has ever got it right! Some of them are quite bizarre; "clunky" doesn't even begin to describe it!

I plug the memory card/stick/whatever into the reader, and copy the files onto the PC.

I use a multi-card reader from Transcend; I think it cost around $25. I can't remember the model (no model # on it) but it reads all of these formats:

- mini/SD/SD/MMC
- CF/MicroDrive
- microSD/M2
- xD
- MS/MS DUO

It plugs into a USB 2.0 port and I've never had a problem with it plugging and playing under Win2k or XP. I haven't tried it under Vista or Win 7.

HTH -

- Wil

PS: I bought mine a while ago. Here's what looks to be a more recent version for less than $20. Good luck!

colourbox

Some more background that while not necessary to know, may help set the context.

The i.Link port on Sony laptops is also known as the "4-pin" FireWire 400 port found on many consumer miniDV video cameras. Sony put the i.Link port on there because they are one of the few brands who sell both miniDV video cameras and laptops.

Most FireWire card readers are going to use a "6-pin" FireWire 400 port that is on most PC Firewire expansion cards and was also on almost every Mac for about 10 years.

If you get a FireWire card reader, you want FireWire 400, because FireWire 800 readers are more expensive but won't run any faster on your 4-pin i.Link/Firewire 400 port. FireWire 800 card readers will run like blazes on PCs with "9-pin" FireWire 800 ports/cards on them, or on most Macs sold today since Apple has moved up to 9-pin FireWire 800.

FireWire 400 should be faster than USB 2.0 in real world throughput, but if you're strapped for cash USB 2.0 runs fast enough unless you have massive cards. The real difference is between USB 2.0/FireWire 400 and the much faster FireWire 800.

Wil Davis

Even more background:

I can't speak for Vista or Windows 7, but in my experience although IEEE 1394 is theoretically faster than USB 2.0, it is actually less "plug 'n' play" friendly; IOW I've seen it hang so many times when I've tried to P & P that I no longer use it; I find USB 2.0 far more convenient…

FWIW -
- Wil

Scott_Quier

Wil Davis wrote:

Even more background:

I can't speak for Vista or Windows 7, but in my experience although IEEE 1394 is theoretically faster than USB 2.0, it is actually less "plug 'n' play" friendly; IOW I've seen it hang so many times when I've tried to P & P that I no longer use it; I find USB 2.0 far more convenient…

FWIW -
- Wil

This is true. My 1934 card reader works very well, very fast compared to a USB 2.0 reader .... when it work. Sometimes it fails to recognize the card when it's inserted. So I have to physically, unplug the reader from the cable and re-plug it. Then it's good to go until the next time I re-boot the computer.

I can't wait for USB 3.0 CF card readers to hit the market - at least I haven't found them yet.

dick

TexPhotog wrote:

I'm goint to take a stab at this and guesstimate that you have a Sony laptop???

i.link is the name that Sony gave to FireWire...

Toshiba Satellite

dick

Thanks for the insight on card readers and the education on the standards around firewire.

I think it will be a USB 2.0 card reader. I am not looking for lightening quick speeds so the reliability of USB 2.0 will fit the bill.

Grainbelt

Just to muddy the water, if you have a PCMCIA slot on your laptop, you can get a multi-card reader that will slide in there. I had one on my thinkpad and it was great - didn't have to remember to pack it, didn't take up any more space, just left it in.