How to import video from my Canon IXUS 80IS compact camera?

Raider · 26 Sep 2009 at 11:42

I use Lightroom to import all my photos from my Canon IXUS 80IS, that works fine. However I want to get the .AVI movie files off there too.

iMovie doesn't recognise my Canon camera, so I can't copy them using that. Canon software on the CD isn't much help either, when I try to load Camera Window is just says "Failed to initialise program". The Canon Mac software really isn't up to much.

I suspect I'll have to get hold of a Card reader, but is there any way to get them from the camera via the cable? Thanks!

NickK · 26 Sep 2009 at 11:57

I use an 80IS quite happily but I don't have iMovie.

I use iPhoto 6 from my MBP Tiger-era companion disk and it downloads them quite happily. I then use QT to play the movies. I have Flip4Mac and Perian installed. It's worked in Leopard and Snow Leopard. Never used the Canon mac software.

Raider · 26 Sep 2009 at 12:06

Hmm does it not work with the new iphoto then? I'm using iPhoto 09 (v8.1).

I can't see any option to import anything from my camera, be it photos or video. It's like it doesn't recognise it. It springs to life when my iphone is plugged in, but not my camera. Why is that?

*EDIT* - Ok think I've found out how to do it. Just needed to fiddle with settings in ImageCapture. I'll try again now

PardonTheWait · 27 Sep 2009 at 09:47

When you open iPhoto and import everything off your camera, including videos.

Then when you open iMovie, in the bottom left where the events are, there will be an 'event' section called iPhoto videos, they'll be in there ready to go.

To make sure they work grab perian from www.perian.org and flip4mac from www.telestream.net

If iPhoto isn't opening of its own accord when you plug in your camera, open it yourself and the camera should show in the left sidebar. Otherwise, go iPhoto > Preferences > General > Connecting Camera Opens: and change it to iPhoto.

If you mostly use lightroom though I'd just plug it in and open iPhoto each time.