Deleting photos from attached camera

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Level 1

8 points

Deleting photos from attached camera

Here's my question: How do you delete pictures from a digital camera if you did not choose for iPhoto to delete them after import?

My attached camera (Canon PowerShot A720IS) contains about 800 pictures. I want to retain about 20 on the memory card of the camera. I can't find any way to delete anything on the camera's memory card through iPhoto, but the camera is not visible through Finder, which makes it impossible to reach the pictures that way either.

Deleting 780 pictures one by one through the camera's own interface seems a little bit stone age.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on May 25, 2009 11:31 PM

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Answer 1

LarryHN

Level 10

106,136 points

May 26, 2009 10:25 PM in response to t-e

I guess the answer to my question is that through iPhoto or the Finder I can't delete the photos from the camera. That's a shame.

That is correct - however Cannon is the company to contact re changing that - most other manufacturers implemented standard interfaces that mount to the desktop so you can copy and/or delete photo via the finder directly from the camera - For what ever reason Cannon has not

I can access my Sony cameras' Cards from the finder as mass storage devices and so preform any finder functions on them - a USB card reader (I got mine at Radio Shack for about $12.00) will allow you access to your memory card

LN

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Answer 2

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,768 points

May 26, 2009 12:04 AM in response to t-e

Use a USB Card Reader for your Camera's card and then you'll be able to delete them with the Finder.

Or use the software that came with your camera.

Why use a Card Reader?

Because it’s safer: Less risk of your images being lost if your camera shuts down during transfer.

Because it saves the battery on your camera

Because it saves wear and tear on your camera ports

Because it’s almost always faster.

Regards

TD

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Answer 3

PT

Level 7

20,894 points

May 26, 2009 7:11 AM in response to Yer_Man

Terence Devlin wrote:
Because it saves wear and tear on your camera ports

By increasing the wear and tear on your card slot?
I would call that bullet a non issue. You are more likely to be upgrading to a new camera long before the USB port on the camera wears out. And if it did wear out, THEN you could switch to a card reader. On the other hand, I have read accounts if card slots getting damaged from card insertions. Once that goes, the camera is garbage.
Regards,
Patrick

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Answer 4

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,768 points

May 26, 2009 8:29 AM in response to PT

Patrick

The thought behind that is that the Card Reader is permanently attached to the Mac, so it's a connect once only type of thing.

You are more likely to be upgrading to a new camera long before the USB port on the camera wears out

Really? I've seen a person who damaged the USB port on their camera within three weeks of purchase - it happens when you try and force the cable in upside down.

Of course, maybe you upgrade your camera every week. 😉

Regards

TD

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Answer 5

PT

Level 7

20,894 points

May 26, 2009 8:56 AM in response to Yer_Man

Terence Devlin wrote:
The thought behind that is that the Card Reader is permanently attached to the Mac, so it's a connect once only type of thing.

Ya but what I meant is that you are now shifting the wear & tear to the card slot on the camera itself (as well as the actual media card although that can be easily replaced) by moving the media card from camera to reader and back again.
I would much rather have the USB port on my camera stop working from wear & tear than the card slot of the camera. If the USB port goes, then I can always switch to a card reader solution. But if the card slot goes bad, I can no longer use the camera at all.

I've seen a person who damaged the USB port on their camera within three weeks of purchase - it happens when you try and force the cable in upside down.

Note I said "wear out" the port, not breaking it because the user doesn't know which way is up and feels if the port gives resistance to just shove harder. Your bullet referenced wear & tear, not accidental breakage.
On a yahoo group I frequent for Olympus dSLRs, one person accidentally broke off one of the pins inside the Compact Flash slot of their camera (pins being a weak point of Compact Flash cards. vs. other pin-less card types). More of a fluke due to some sort of mishandling (I assume) like your USB example. But if I am going to break one or the other, I pick breaking the USB connector.

Of course, maybe you upgrade your camera every week. 😉

I wish! 🙂 I actually use my cameras for a fairly long time before finally updating to something else. I recently (December) bought my first dSLR. Previous to that I have used three digital cameras since February 1998. I read some groups were it seems like people are buying three cameras each year! Wish I had their disposable income.
Regards,
Patrick

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Answer 6

t-e Author

Level 1

8 points

May 26, 2009 10:19 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thank you Terence and Patrick for your advices and entertaining dialog. I guess the answer to my question is that through iPhoto or the Finder I can't delete the photos from the camera. That's a shame.

Terence Devlin wrote:
Use a USB Card Reader for your Camera's card and then you'll be able to delete them with the Finder.

If this is the only way to do it I suppose I'll have to go and buy a card reader.

Terence Devlin wrote:
Or use the software that came with your camera.

The possible software that came along with the camera must have been of little or no interest, since I've buried the CD behind piles of other CD:s in the very last corner of a cabinet. Most likely the software was either Windows-only or didn't give any additional benefit to Mac + iLife. I'm sure there is a good reason. The bottom line however, is that I wanted to do this directly with iPhoto with the camera attached. Since that can't be done I guess in practice the only option now is the card reader.

Regards,
Tom

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Answer 7

t-e Author

Level 1

8 points

May 26, 2009 10:57 PM in response to LarryHN

LarryHN wrote:
That is correct - however Cannon is the company to contact re changing that - most other manufacturers implemented standard interfaces that mount to the desktop so you can copy and/or delete photo via the finder directly from the camera - For what ever reason Cannon has not

Right, now I understand. That explains why I can access pictures on my Nokia N85 phone's memory card directly via the finder, but not the Canon. The Nokia works fine with iPhoto (and the finder) in all respects.

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Answer 8

LarryHN

Level 10

106,136 points

May 26, 2009 11:04 PM in response to t-e

I don't have Cannon - but I have seen some reports that certain Cannon cameras have multiple connection modes and that one (I think it may be mass storage) will allow your to mount the camera on the desktop - connect your camera and check the menus (or read the manual) and see if you have any options - on a previous Sony I could select from several modes but only while it was connected - My current one just says Mass Storage when I connect it and I do not see any options

LN

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