Need freeware to transfer images from camera to computer

[Infinabyte]

This is the e-mail I got just now from Canon:

Dear Canon Customer:

Thank you for writing to us. We value you as a Canon customer and
appreciate the opportunity to assist you with the EOS 10D.

Full versions of the ZoomBrowser program and other software originally
packaged with your camera are not available for download. You may,
however, purchase a replacement copy of the Solutions CD containing this
software from the Canon Sales and Accessories Department at
1-800-828-4040. That department is available from 8 AM to Midnight ET,
seven days a week. Drivers are not available on the replacement CD.

The driver necessary to connect your PowerShot camera to the computer
can be downloaded from our Web site:

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/con...categoryid=303

If you have trouble with this link, please use the following steps to
reach the same page:

1. Point your browser to www.powershot.com.
2. Click on Download Library.

At that site, choose your camera model from the drop down menus. You
will be led to a page from which you may download the appropriate driver
for your camera and operating system.

Before attempting the download, please make sure that you have disabled
any anti virus programs, pop up blockers, or firewall applications.
Such software may interfere with the download process or prevent you
from accessing our servers. Error messages may appear. Once the
download is complete, you may re-activate these programs.

We hope this information is helpful to you. Please feel free to contact
us again if you have any other questions or concerns with the EOS 10D.

Thank you for choosing Canon.

Sincerely,

Liz
Technical Support Representative

Special Note: Certain issues are very difficult to resolve via email.
If your question remains unanswered after you have received this email,
you may call our special toll-free number for email customers with
unresolved issues and speak to a technician by dialing 1-866-261-9362,
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 midnight ET, and Saturday 10:00 a.m. -
8:00 p.m. ET (excluding holidays).

If you prefer to continue to communicate via email, reply to this
message and we will respond as quickly as possible.

As I don't have the CD since I got the camera used, I'd have to pay for it. I haven't called them to order it. I'll have to think about this first to decide if I want it/what questions I need to ask before purchasing. If it was free I'd just get it.

Hmm... so whatever I do, even if I can get the RAW files onto the computer, I'm going to need a RAW converter, whether I get it from Canon or elsewhere. Maybe I'll ask them whether other programs convert RAW, or if there's is proprietary. I just downloaded the instruction book, I'll give that a look and see if it answers any of my questions.

masdog, I'm not sure what info you need, but I'll give it a shot. What would be helpful for you to know?

I'm using Windows 2000, 350MGHz. I did get the camera to take RAW pictures, but can't get them to transfer on the computer. I turn on the camera which is plugged into the computer, it automatically starts the TWAIN driver, and it asks me which program I want to use (Picassa or Imaging). With either of them the TWAIN screen pops up, and a little alert window titled "Canon Digital Camera" comes up saying, "Although RAW or animated images exist in the camera, this software only displays JPEG images".

It's not Picassa or Imaging saying that, it's the TWAIN screen itself.

[masdog]

Hmm... so whatever I do, even if I can get the RAW files onto the computer, I'm going to need a RAW converter, whether I get it from Canon or elsewhere. Maybe I'll ask them whether other programs convert RAW, or if there's is proprietary. I just downloaded the instruction book, I'll give that a look and see if it answers any of my questions.

Download RAWShooter Essentials while you still can. You can get it at http://www.photo-freeware.net/raw-sh...essentials.php

I turn on the camera which is plugged into the computer, it automatically starts the TWAIN driver, and it asks me which program I want to use (Picassa or Imaging). With either of them the TWAIN screen pops up, and a little alert window titled "Canon Digital Camera" comes up saying, "Although RAW or animated images exist in the camera, this software only displays JPEG images".

It's not Picassa or Imaging saying that, it's the TWAIN screen itself.

That's it? Its not a problem with the TWAIN Driver, that is a problem with the software you want to use to edit the images. The TWAIN Driver recognizes that the software you're trying to import the images to can't display or edit RAW images, so it won't let you. I posted a link above that tells you where to get a free RAW editor.

The solution to all your problems exists in this posts in the following numbered points. Ignore them at your own peril.

1) Download the RAW program I linked to above and here for good measure.
2) Buy a CF card reader. This will avoid the problem of having to use your camera, and the TWAIN driver that you don't like, to transfer images to your computer.