Downloading Pics from Olympus Digi

[conchnclyde]

The Olympus Digital Camera Manual refers to using the AC Power Unit for downloading pics to the computer, thus preventing power loss and possible loss of pics.

Is this something that most practice for downloading, and should I get an AC Power Unit for this purpose, or do you ever have any problems downloading on the battery power.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

One other quickie, When setting the White Balance at depth(s), do you use something white that you carry or just find a reference, or does it matter. A bit fuzzy on this function.

Thanx,

Clyde=-)

 

[Gilligan]

Aloha,
I have the C2040Z and use the bats to download my pics so long as there is still ample power left in them. It only takes a minute or so to download them. I do "copy" them to the desktop and leave the originals in the camera in case I bugger them up while checking them out and adjusting them in Photoshop or for some other reason. I like to use the bats to get them as low as possible before recharging them. I also have the AC adaptor just in case. You may run into power supply probs if you use the bats to watch the pics on your TV first then download them.
As for the white balance I saw a post here that showed comparison photos of using it and not using it and the author used anything close to white at the particular depth he/she was at at the time and it seemed to work for them.
:shades:

 

[Dee]

I use either a card reader or the USB cable and battery power. Either of these methods work very well. They are both simple read as a removeable hard drive. I copy all photos to a file on my hard drive and make a CD of the originals. This is kept for posterity! Then I delete the photos IN THE CAMERA, never through the computer or card reader.

If I need to tweak the photos on Elements, I use the photos on my hard drive.

White balance....this is what your camera uses to judge what white looks like underwater and thus, the other colors as well. My C-4040 reads WB just fine on the auto setting but your camera may vary. A white dive slate is most commonly used to set your white balance, as shown in the example Gilligan mentioned.

 

[MonkSeal]

conchnclyde once bubbled...
The Olympus Digital Camera Manual refers to using the AC Power Unit for downloading pics to the computer, thus preventing power loss and possible loss of pics.

Is this something that most practice for downloading, and should I get an AC Power Unit for this purpose, or do you ever have any problems downloading on the battery power.

Downloading pictures from your camera is power consuming. That's the one reason why it's not recommended to rely on battery power. Maybe if you lose the battery power during download, pictures can be lost. But I've never heard about such case.

If you have an AC power unit and you can turn it on then do it. At least you'll save your batteries and extend their lifetime.

 

[SubMariner]

We sold our C4040Z and now have a C5050Z, but what I will be talking about will work with BOTH cameras:

It's called a ZiO! (Their spelling, not mine, BTW... including the exclamation point.)

With this little gizmo you take the memory card out of your camera, put it in the ZiO, then plug the ZiO into your USB port. Windows XP immediately detects the ZiO as a removable drive and you can then DL/Copy or whatever through Windows Explorer.

Now, I have to admit that we've only used this with WXP; I don't know if there are any complications or additional steps to use it with other Windows versions.

The ZiO is very compact, and slim (about 3" long 2" wide, and 1/2" thick". Easy to use & take along on trips, etc. So far ours has been to the Red Sea, Bonaire, Canada, etc., etc., etc.

Here's a link: http://www.microtechint.com/zio/

Bonne chance,

~SubMariner~

 

[Dee]

The card reader I use is a Zio!. I actually have 2...one each for SM and CF cards. As Sub says, it's a no brainer to use. Insert your card into the Zio! then connect to your USB port on your PC or laptop. It will show in your file editor as a removeable drive. Mine is Drive F. Look through it just like you do any other drive. I usually Select All and move them by dragging them to a temporary file in My Documents.

When the PC recognizes the Zio! as a removeable drive, it also places an icon in your toolbar. When you are finished, double click on that icon and you'll get a message when it's safe to remove the Zio! from the USB port. Removing it too soon, without 'permission' could damage the card is it's still being read at the time.

One reason I use the USB cord and download directly from my camera is to put less wear on my SM card my taking it in and out so much. SM cards have the circuitry on the outside of the card, that cute little gold design is THE brains of the card. If I get in a hurry and scratch that card in some way getting it in or out, I trash the card. Of course I don't do this if my battery is real low.