Section 74. Import Photos from a Digital Camera

74. Import Photos from a Digital Camera

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Just jump right in.

SEE ALSO

77 Convert Between Image Formats

78 Change Photo Resolution and Size

139 Set Up and Take a Picture

Windows XP makes it extremely easy to import photos from a digital camera into your PC. Before you can import the photos, of course, you must first install the camera so that it works with your PC, and install the camera's software, if it has any. To do that, follow the camera's instructions.

In this task, you'll learn how to import photos into your PC using XP's built-in software. Many digital cameras also include software that lets you import photos, so you can instead use that software to do it. The quality of the camera's software varies widely, though, so you might want to use XP's built-in software instead of the software that ships with your camera.

1.	Connect the Camera to Your Computer Before you can transfer pictures to your PC, you must connect the camera to your computer. Unless you have a very old digital camera, connect it to the USB port and install it according to the camera's directions. After you've installed the camera, even after you disconnect it from the USB port, XP will automatically recognize the camera the next time you plug it in.
2.	Run the Scanner and Camera Wizard When you plug your camera into the USB port of your PC, the Scanner and Camera Wizard might start up automatically. If it doesn't, you can force the wizard to run by clicking the Start button, choosing Control Panel , choosing Printers and Other Hardware , selecting Scanners and Cameras , and then double-clicking the icon of your camera, such as the Fujifilm FinePix A210 . 74. Import Photos from a Digital Camera The first screen of the wizard appears, telling you that the wizard is running. Click Next .
3.	Choose the Pictures You Want to Copy A screen appears, displaying all the pictures on your camera. There will be check marks in small boxes on the upper-right corner of each picture. When there is a check next to a picture, it means that you want to copy that picture to your PC. Uncheck any pictures that you don't want copied , and make sure that there are checks next to each picture that you do want to copy. When you've selected all the pictures you want to copy, click Next .
4.	Choose a Destination and Name for Your Pictures The Picture Name and Destination page of the wizard appears. From here you will choose the folder where you want to copy the pictures and provide a base name for the pictures. TIP By default, the photographs are placed in your My Pictures folder. If you want to place them in a different location, click the Browse button, choose the new location, and click OK . You can also give your group of pictures a name. When you give the pictures a name, two things happen. First, a folder is created underneath the destination folder you chose. For example, if you store pictures in your My Pictures folder, and you give the pictures the name Spring 04 , a new folder called Spring 04 is created underneath your My Pictures folder and the pictures are stored in that new folder. Additionally, all the pictures are given the name Spring 04 , and then ordered sequentially; for example, Spring 04 001.jpg, Spring 04 002.jpg , and so on. TIP You have the option of copying the pictures from the camera to your PC and leaving them on the camera, or deleting the pictures from your camera after you copy them. To delete them after you copy them, enable the Delete Pictures from My Device After Copying Them check box. If the box isn't enabled, the pictures are not deleted from the camera after you copy them.
5.	Copy the Pictures Click Next when you've chosen a folder and name. The wizard now copies the pictures from your camera to your PC and shows you the progress as the pictures are copied.
6.	Order Prints or Publish the Pictures Online After the pictures are copied to your PC, the wizard gives you three options: Publish these pictures to a website. Order prints of these pictures from a photo-printing website. Nothing. I'm finished working with these pictures. If you choose one of the first two optionspublishing the pictures to a website or ordering prints from a photo-printing siteclick Next and a new wizard will launch. You can first choose which of the pictures you want to publish or have developed from a photo-printing website. NOTE If you've chosen to publish the pictures to a website, you'll be given a choice of a number of sites on which you can publish the pictures, and you then follow the wizard's instructions for publishing them. If you've chosen to order prints, you'll be given a choice of sites from which to order your prints, and can then follow the wizard's instructions for ordering prints.
7.	Work with the Pictures The last option offered by the wizard, the Nothing option, is confusing because it makes it sound as if after the pictures are copied, there's nothing you can do with them any longer. That is not the case, however. You can now view the pictures on your PC and use them in the same way you can use any other picture: by printing them, sending them to family and friends as email attachments, using them in newsletters, and so on. When you select the Nothing option and click Next , the final screen of the Scanner and Camera Wizard appears. On that screen, there is a link to the folder that contains your picturesfor example, My Pictures\ Spring 04 . If you want to immediately view and work with your pictures, click that link. If you want to work with the images later, click Finish . When you want to work with the images, open Windows Explorer and go to the folder, in this instance, My Pictures\ Spring 04 . You can now work with the pictures as you can with any others. For more information about working with pictures, see 77 Convert Between Image Formats and 78 Change Photo Resolution and Size .