Q: When I try to use iSight with iMovie and it says no camera available in iMovie '08

Here are my suggestions for your iMovie '08 problem.

One of them will resolve your trouble.  Try them in

any order you like, testing camera function after

each one until you have found the one that worked.

•  If you have not already done so, restart Mac and

    try again.  A simple restart often clears up minor

    issues, including yours.

• I am using iMovie '11 with no problems.  Some

   problems have been reported with the iMovie 9.06. 

   However, I can't find compatibility info for ver 8. 

   If possible, consider updating to this latest iMovie:

    http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/

• Try Apple's http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090

   suggestions. The specific "reset" procedure suggested

   there for your particular MBP model often restores normal function.

(Apple has changed the built-in camera's name on newer Macs from "iSight" to "FaceTime" and then to "FaceTime HD."  Regardless of the name of your built-in camera, the same info and troubleshooting applies.)

• Use your Mac's Disk Utility to repair permissions and then

   download and apply the latest Combo Update, for your Mac OS,

   the current one is at: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1581

    (yes, use this Combo even though you are already running 10.8.2)

Repair permissions again immediately following the system restart that completes the Combo update.   Then check whether your Mac's  > Software Update... menu command tell you that other updates are needed.  If so, apply them and finish with another permissions repair.

• If you still have problems after properly applying the Combo,

   try OS X's Recovery feature http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/ 

   to repair your hard drive or, if all else fails, reinstall a fresh copy of OS X.

• Properly applying the latest Combo update or repairing or

   reinstalling OS X can usually correct software problems. 

   However, if your trouble is caused by a hardware problem,

   there are no user serviceable parts of your webcam. 

   For hardware help, contact an Apple-Authorized Service Provider for service.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.8.2

One more idea...

If you've not already tried these suggestions, also consider the

"Sight or other webcams" section of http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1059

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.8.2