Travel Technology - Uploading a Video clip from Canon Powershot SD300 onto a Mac

The title says it all...

....i'm wondering how to transfer a video clip from my Powershot to my Mac. I haven't installed the driver's or programs that came with the camera (didn't feel the need to since i've got iPhoto and that has been working great for pictures) so i'm kind of stuck trying to upload the clips to my computer. Any help will be greatly appriciated -- thanks.

The title says it all...

....i'm wondering how to transfer a video clip from my Powershot to my Mac. I haven't installed the driver's or programs that came with the camera (didn't feel the need to since i've got iPhoto and that has been working great for pictures) so i'm kind of stuck trying to upload the clips to my computer. Any help will be greatly appriciated -- thanks.

I have Mac OS X 10.4.1 (Tiger) and iPhoto 5... videos from my Canon SD300 upload automatically. This is one of the new features of iPhoto 5. Perhaps you have an older version of iPhoto in which case just do the old click-and-drag routine thusly: On your desktop double-click the icon that represents your camera, find the video files and drag them to whichever location you want on your hard drive.

I have Mac OS X 10.4.1 (Tiger) and iPhoto 5... videos from my Canon SD300 upload automatically. This is one of the new features of iPhoto 5. Perhaps you have an older version of iPhoto in which case just do the old click-and-drag routine thusly: On your desktop double-click the icon that represents your camera, find the video files and drag them to whichever location you want on your hard drive.

You have an icon come up when you look up computer to the Mac? I don't.

I've got iPhoto 5.0.2

When I hook it up iPhoto pops up and asks if I want to import it and when I click import it just sits there. Perhaps i'm just being impatient and it takes time?

EDIT:::: Just waited and it imported but it created an empty folder...I can't find the imported video clip

You have an icon come up when you look up computer to the Mac? I don't.

I've got iPhoto 5.0.2

When I hook it up iPhoto pops up and asks if I want to import it and when I click import it just sits there. Perhaps i'm just being impatient and it takes time?

EDIT:::: Just waited and it imported but it created an empty folder...I can't find the imported video clip

Here's what iPhoto Help says:

What's new in iPhoto 5?
...
Support for video clips
In addition to taking still photographs, taking short video clips with your digital camera is a great way to enhance your memories of an event. iPhoto 5 can import the video clips seamlessly and store them right alongside your photos. Just double-click a clip to play it, or drag several clips into iMovie to easily make a short film.

Also:

Transferring video clips from a digital camera

You can import video clips from any digital still camera compatible with iPhoto that uses QuickTime-supported video formats. To import video clips from your camera into iPhoto, follow the same steps as you would for transferring photos from a digital camera.

To learn more about transferring photos from a digital camera, click "Tell me more."

The first frame of a video clip is shown in your library with a camera icon and its total running time displayed on the bottom of its thumbnail. To play a video clip you've imported into iPhoto, double-click it. The movie opens in QuickTime Player. You can use the QuickTime controls to play and pause your movie, step through the movie frame by frame, fine-tune the sound, and more. To learn more about QuickTime, choose Help > QuickTime Player Help when QuickTime Player is open.

The video files are named MVI_nnnn.AVI and are located in the Originals folder within the Date folder in iPhoto Library, thusly: iPhoto Library>Year>Month>Date>Originals>MVI_0088.AVI.

Thanks for the detailed explanation but it just makes me more confused on why it isn't working. As I said, I click the import button after iPhoto automatically opens after it detects the camera and it goes to import the clip. After a minute or two it goes to the index page/screen where thumbnails of all your pictures are shown but the new import isn't there. There is a folder created for it but that is also empty. I don't get it -- is there something i'm doing wrong?

Try changing the download mode of the camera from normal to PTP. It's in the camera setup menu. You can also look in the Applications directory for the Image Capture app, which should do the trick.

Try changing the download mode of the camera from normal to PTP. It's in the camera setup menu. You can also look in the Applications directory for the Image Capture app, which should do the trick.

I have seached high and low for this option and can not find it. I'm also not 100% sure I know where your talking about when your saing to look in the applications directory for the image capture app. Sorry for being so unknowledgeable about this.... :(

Could be a problem with a file on the camera?

I always use a cheap multi format card reader to pull my photos into the Mac - you could try one of these and manually drag and drop the file over if necessary - though iPhoto does import from the card reader.

(Card reader is faster than the camera and I don't need to worry about the camera auto-shutdown)

I have seached high and low for this option and can not find it. I'm also not 100% sure I know where your talking about when your saing to look in the applications directory for the image capture app. Sorry for being so unknowledgeable about this.... :(
Canon claims (http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=OSCompatibilityAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=10599&keycode=macdr#PM) the option is in the camera setup, but I don't own that camera and can't test it. As far as the Image Capture app, open the finder (the little smiley guy on the dock). On the left pane you should see Applications, with an icon that looks like an "A" made of a pencil, a ruler and a paintbrush. Click on that icon. In the right pane, double click on Image Capture.

How long are these videos? I can't imagine why you have to go through all this. iPhoto works for me with my Canon, but I have used it for a grand total of one video, so I may not be the best person to ask. Anyway, good luck.

Canon claims (http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=OSCompatibilityAct&fcategoryid=145&modelid=10599&keycode=macdr#PM) the option is in the camera setup, but I don't own that camera and can't test it. As far as the Image Capture app, open the finder (the little smiley guy on the dock). On the left pane you should see Applications, with an icon that looks like an "A" made of a pencil, a ruler and a paintbrush. Click on that icon. In the right pane, double click on Image Capture.

How long are these videos? I can't imagine why you have to go through all this. iPhoto works for me with my Canon, but I have used it for a grand total of one video, so I may not be the best person to ask. Anyway, good luck.

The video clip is...i'm going to guess 8 minutes long. Finally it uploaded but I had to do it through Image Capture. Thank you for all your help!!!