Downloading from a Nikon P5100?

Does anyone have suggestions on how to make this work?

When I attach the camera to the computer, the camera appears to know
that the computer is there; the LCD turns off and the power light
flashes. The computer does not appear to know that the camera is
there; there's no "new hardware" message and the camera doesn't appear
as a disk.

I found a troubleshooting guide on Nikon's web site, but it appears to
be for an older camera. It talks about how to make sure the CF card is
supported (the P5100 doesn't use CF) and it says to be sure the camera
is in MSC USB mode, something I can't find on the camera's menu or in
its manual.

On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:18:16 -0800, Jonathan Sachs wrote:

Does anyone have suggestions on how to make this work?

When I attach the camera to the computer, the camera appears to know
that the computer is there; the LCD turns off and the power light
flashes. The computer does not appear to know that the camera is there;
there's no "new hardware" message and the camera doesn't appear as a
disk.

I found a troubleshooting guide on Nikon's web site, but it appears to
be for an older camera. It talks about how to make sure the CF card is
supported (the P5100 doesn't use CF) and it says to be sure the camera
is in MSC USB mode, something I can't find on the camera's menu or in
its manual.

So get an inexpensive USB or firewire card reader. Using that will
guarantee 'compatibility'. It will also save your batteries.

Jonathan Sachs wrote:
Does anyone have suggestions on how to make this work?

When I attach the camera to the computer, the camera appears to know
that the computer is there; the LCD turns off and the power light
flashes. The computer does not appear to know that the camera is
there; there's no "new hardware" message and the camera doesn't appear
as a disk.

I found a troubleshooting guide on Nikon's web site, but it appears to
be for an older camera. It talks about how to make sure the CF card is
supported (the P5100 doesn't use CF) and it says to be sure the camera
is in MSC USB mode, something I can't find on the camera's menu or in
its manual.

This question comes up fairly frequently.
Answer 1: get a memory card reader. They are cheap (from ~10$ US) and
make life so much easier.
Answer 2: if you insist on hooking up the camera directly to the
computer via those awkward USB-cables, then make sure that the camera is
set to "mass storage device" or "mass storage class" or "Universal Mass
Storage" or whatever it is called in your camera (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_mas...e_device_class)

jue

In article , Jürgen Exner
wrote:

Answer 1: get a memory card reader. They are cheap (from ~10$ US) and
make life so much easier.

that's the best solution

Answer 2: if you insist on hooking up the camera directly to the
computer via those awkward USB-cables, then make sure that the camera is
set to "mass storage device" or "mass storage class" or "Universal Mass
Storage" or whatever it is called in your camera (see

nikon has stopped offering mass storage mode, at least in their slrs,
and probably other models too.

"Jonathan Sachs" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have suggestions on how to make this work?

When I attach the camera to the computer, the camera appears to know
that the computer is there; the LCD turns off and the power light
flashes. The computer does not appear to know that the camera is
there; there's no "new hardware" message and the camera doesn't appear
as a disk.

I found a troubleshooting guide on Nikon's web site, but it appears to
be for an older camera. It talks about how to make sure the CF card is
supported (the P5100 doesn't use CF) and it says to be sure the camera
is in MSC USB mode, something I can't find on the camera's menu or in
its manual.

Right, that guide is apparently for some older model(s). No recent Nikon
Coolpix uses CF.

As others have mentioned, it's easiest just to use an inexpensive card
reader. If you don't have one, you can connect the P5100 directly to the
computer if you're using Windows XP SP2 or Vista, *and* you have installed
the Nikon Transfer software that came with your P5100. If you're using
Windows 2000 you'll have to use a card reader. This is explained on p. 77 of
the P5100 User's Manual.

If you've lost or mislaid the User's Manual you can download one from Nikon
he
http://support.nikontech.com/app/ans...ail/a_id/14391

Darn nice little camera, I have one myself.

On 7 Jan 2010 04:22:27 GMT, ray wrote:
: On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:18:16 -0800, Jonathan Sachs wrote:
:
: Does anyone have suggestions on how to make this work?
:
: When I attach the camera to the computer, the camera appears to know
: that the computer is there; the LCD turns off and the power light
: flashes. The computer does not appear to know that the camera is there;
: there's no "new hardware" message and the camera doesn't appear as a
: disk.
:
: I found a troubleshooting guide on Nikon's web site, but it appears to
: be for an older camera. It talks about how to make sure the CF card is
: supported (the P5100 doesn't use CF) and it says to be sure the camera
: is in MSC USB mode, something I can't find on the camera's menu or in
: its manual.

You don't say what computer and operating system you're using. Only fairly
recent OSes support USB correctly, and some computers can be set in BIOS to
handle USB devices peculiarly. Do other USB devices work as expected on that
computer?

: So get an inexpensive USB or firewire card reader. Using that will
: guarantee 'compatibility'. It will also save your batteries.

Good advice, but I never heard of an inexpensive firewire card reader. OTOH,
unless you're a news photographer on deadline, USB is plenty fast. Just make
sure you have enough cards that you don't have to do a download in the middle
of a shoot.

Bob

I appreciate everyone's efforts to help, but so far, it's not helping.

First, I have a card reader, and I have no trouble at all with it. Bit
my wife sometimes uses the camera, she hates card readers, and I need
to solve this problem to restore domestic tranquility.

Also, I actually have a reason to want to use a cable myself: I
sometimes have to transfer pictures at clients' sites, and a cable is
a lot easier to carry around for very occasional use than a card
reader is.

Second, I have XP SP2, and I have installed the Nikon software, and it
still doesn't work.

Third, I've got the manual. I mentioned that in the OP.

Fourth, as nospam mentioned, the instructions on Nikon's web site
apparently are obsolete, and refer to an option that doesn't exist on
my camera. (I'm rather disappointed in Nikon. They evidently put much
less care into creating their web site than into creating their
cameras.)

Is there anything else I can try?

On Sat, 09 Jan 2010 07:55:41 -0800, Jonathan Sachs wrote:
: I appreciate everyone's efforts to help, but so far, it's not helping.
:
: First, I have a card reader, and I have no trouble at all with it. Bit
: my wife sometimes uses the camera, she hates card readers, and I need
: to solve this problem to restore domestic tranquility.
:
: Also, I actually have a reason to want to use a cable myself: I
: sometimes have to transfer pictures at clients' sites, and a cable is
: a lot easier to carry around for very occasional use than a card
: reader is.
:
: Second, I have XP SP2, and I have installed the Nikon software, and it
: still doesn't work.
:
: Third, I've got the manual. I mentioned that in the OP.
:
: Fourth, as nospam mentioned, the instructions on Nikon's web site
: apparently are obsolete, and refer to an option that doesn't exist on
: my camera. (I'm rather disappointed in Nikon. They evidently put much
: less care into creating their web site than into creating their
: cameras.)
:
: Is there anything else I can try?

I guess I'd at least try upgrading your XP system to SP3. It's been out long
enough that it isn't entirely implausible for Nikon to assume that computers
running their software have it.

Bob

On Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:55:01 -0500, Robert Coe wrote:

On 7 Jan 2010 04:22:27 GMT, ray wrote: : On Wed, 06 Jan
2010 20:18:16 -0800, Jonathan Sachs wrote: :
: Does anyone have suggestions on how to make this work? :
: When I attach the camera to the computer, the camera appears to know
: that the computer is there; the LCD turns off and the power light :
flashes. The computer does not appear to know that the camera is
there; : there's no "new hardware" message and the camera doesn't
appear as a : disk.
:
: I found a troubleshooting guide on Nikon's web site, but it appears
to : be for an older camera. It talks about how to make sure the CF
card is : supported (the P5100 doesn't use CF) and it says to be sure
the camera : is in MSC USB mode, something I can't find on the
camera's menu or in : its manual.

You don't say what computer and operating system you're using. Only
fairly recent OSes support USB correctly, and some computers can be set
in BIOS to handle USB devices peculiarly. Do other USB devices work as
expected on that computer?

Well, thanks Robert, but I'm not the one with the problem. For the
record, I run several Linux distributions and I don't have any problems
copying files in from various cameras. And, yes, all the other USB
devices work properly too.


: So get an inexpensive USB or firewire card reader. Using that will :
guarantee 'compatibility'. It will also save your batteries.

Good advice, but I never heard of an inexpensive firewire card reader.
OTOH, unless you're a news photographer on deadline, USB is plenty fast.
Just make sure you have enough cards that you don't have to do a
download in the middle of a shoot.

Bob

That could be read as "get an inexpensive USB card reader or get a
firewire card reader" - some folks prefer the firewire alternative since
it's a lot faster. "plenty fast" depends on how much you're transferring
and how often - plus what else you have to do while you wait. Personally,
I use an inexpensive USB card reader and I have enough cards to carry me
for a month or two.

On Sat, 09 Jan 2010 07:55:41 -0800, Jonathan Sachs wrote:

I appreciate everyone's efforts to help, but so far, it's not helping.

First, I have a card reader, and I have no trouble at all with it. Bit
my wife sometimes uses the camera, she hates card readers, and I need to
solve this problem to restore domestic tranquility.

Also, I actually have a reason to want to use a cable myself: I
sometimes have to transfer pictures at clients' sites, and a cable is a
lot easier to carry around for very occasional use than a card reader
is.

Second, I have XP SP2, and I have installed the Nikon software, and it
still doesn't work.

Third, I've got the manual. I mentioned that in the OP.

Fourth, as nospam mentioned, the instructions on Nikon's web site
apparently are obsolete, and refer to an option that doesn't exist on my
camera. (I'm rather disappointed in Nikon. They evidently put much less
care into creating their web site than into creating their cameras.)

Is there anything else I can try?

There are some pretty small card readers - I have one that's not much
bigger than the SD cards it accepts. Another option - Linux. You could
pack a Damn Small Linux or Puppy Linux Live CD along.