Hans-Georg Michna writes:

OK...really not trying to be contradictory here, but not only do the cameras
show up as drives in Windows Explorer, but I can copy, paste, drag and drop
files both from and to the card in the camera while connected with the USB
cable.

just wanted to mention that this is also what I would have
expected from the start. When I read Jim's remark that you can't
use the Canon camera like a USB drive and have to use special
software, I immediately did not believe that. You confirm my
thoughts.

It's operating system dependent. Newer Canon cameras have two protocols
for talking to a host, the original Canon one and a new standard called
PTP. If your operating system *also* supports this protocol, and
everything is set up properly, then you (apparently) can see the camera
mounted like a removable disk and use all the usual file browsing tools
to access it.

But, if you have an older Canon camera, PTP is not available. If you
have any version of Windows other than WinXP, the operating system
doesn't support PTP. In either case, you have to use the original Canon
protocol on the camera, and that does *not* support viewing the camera
as a disk device. Instead, you need to use the Canon software to access
it, either via a TWAIN driver (in programs like Photoshop) or a special
program. Or you removed the CF card from the camera and plugged it into
a card reader, the best solution in any case.

If Canon did that, a number of customers would take the camera
back to the shop and complain.

Canon cameras have been like this for years. I knew it when I bought my
cameras, and it hasn't inconvenienced me noticeably.

Dave