USB2 to MacPro Thunderbolt adapter

There are three form factors for FireWire devices.

The highest speeds (FireWire-800) are supported by the squarish, center-notched connector also known as the 9-pin connector. It has additional signals to allow balanced drivers (aka push-pull drivers) on the data lines to attain highest speeds. It can provide power for the external device.

The next highest speeds are provided by FireWire-400. It uses a squarish connector with one short side rounded, and can resemble the letter D in outline. It has 6-pins in the connector and the data cables. It can provide power for the external device.

The same FireWire-400 speeds are provided by the 4-pin connector. This is the one used in cameras and similar equipment. It simply drops the power pins, otherwise is identical ind function to FireWire-400. It is smaller and squarish, and has a center notch. It is often mistaken for "some kind of small USB".

Interoperability:

If the device can support FireWire-800, and the signals are present in ALL the cables, devices run at FireWire-800 speeds. Otherwise, they automatically run at FireWire-400 speeds. Devices that claim to "adapt" from one to another generally just provide the correct connectors and drop the extra signals required for FirWire-800. The devices themselves drop back to FieWire-400 and work just fine. This whole ecosystem is remarkably well behaved -- there are no stories of manufacturers producing devices that do not inter-operate.

additional information and pictures here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1394

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If the Canon is using USB which from your post seems to be the case then the Mac Pro 2012 model has the same USB 3.0 ports as the older (silver) Mac Pro so you would simply use the same cable.

If you were actually using an old FireWire cable between the Canon and the old Mac Pro then the Mac Pro 2013 does not have a built-in FireWire port and you would need the adapter mentioned by Smokerz.

It should be noted many old cameras used a special form of FireWire called by Sony iLink which used a different type of connector and this might be where the confusion has arisen. This would be the type of FireWire cable you would need along with the Apple ThunderBolt to FireWire adapter.

See - https://www.amazon.com/FireWire-Panasonic-Camcorder-Connect-Computer/dp/B079TDV1T2/

Strictly speaking this is a FireWire 800 to FireWire 400 cable but the difference is that it omits the normal pins also present which would provide power - hence it can be smaller than a normal FireWire 400 connector.

If it was a USB cable then it could just plugin to the Mac Pro 2013 you have as it has the same USB 2.0 ports as the older Mac Pro models.

I suspect the Canon is actually using a special form of FireWire called iLink which is basically a FireWire 400 connection but without the wires for providing power. This allows it to use a smaller connector.

You would therefore need the Apple ThunderBolt to FireWire adapter mentioned by Smokerz but would also need a special cable like the following.

https://www.amazon.com/FireWire-Panasonic-Camcorder-Connect-Computer/dp/B079TDV1T2/

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