Why is PTP camera runnining in my activity monitor if I am not using it?

This process doesn't relate to an onboard isight/facetime camera. It's part of the Image Capture software that MacOS uses to connect to, and download images from, camera devices.

Do you perhaps have, or have had or tried to set up, a multifunction printer/scanner/fax device on the system - or even on a prior system if you used Migration Assistant to set your MBA? I have seen a scanner service process on my iMac (running Snow Leopard) which is connected to an HP printer/scanner, though it only appears when the device is powered and connected.

Why does it use over 20% of the CPU?

Hi I figured this out for my case: ptpcamera used around 13-18% CPU time. I had just flickr upload BETA installed today.

Ma Iphone6 was connected via USB.

So what I did was to disconnect the iPhone USB from Macbook Air Early 2015 and voila PTPCamera dropped to insignificant CPU time usage.

Possible causes:

1/ Flick Uploadr was using the service continuously as it is constantly checking for changes in Photos Library. However, when I paused it nothing happened to ptpcamera process, it was still frying my CPU

2/ ptpcamera process is constantly checking USB connected iPhone / iPad for new photos, or media

I am on El Capitan Beta 3

Hope this helped.

I noticed PTP camera would start up every time I connected my iPod to my iMac to back it up. It used 80% cpu on my iMac. I got tired of killing it each time so I just deleted it. So far no bad effects....

Maybe this helps...

Next time you connect your iPod, open the app 'Image Capture". At bottom of screen on left you'll see a small square icon, click on it and change the setting. Close 'image capture'app.