Why doesn't my nikon 950 recognize pictures that I copy to compact flash card via card reader? I know the pictures are there because my HP1100 sees them and will print them when I put the card in the printer. Am I missing something or just can't be done? Would appreciate help. I would like to be able to load the card with selected pictures and use the camera to display on TV. Thanks

-- Jim Wilson (jimwils@dellnet.com), August 13, 2000

Answers

It seems that most of the digital cameras on the market are VERY picky about just what type of jpeg they'll display. Often just making minor changes to the file with an editor will render them unviewable. The safe bet is to copy the file to edit it and keep the camera originals to load back to the camera.

I suspect that in order to keep the in-camera firmware as simple as possible they wrote it to only read the format they produce. If any headers or anything are out of place, missing, or whatever the routine bombs. You might blame this on the camera, but equal guilt would have to be shared by image editing programs that change them needlessly.

Somehow, the big players in digital imaging and editing really need to get together and establish a FULL specification without so many variables and then stick to it!

-- Gerald M. Payne (gmp@surferz.net), August 13, 2000.

if it is the original file, then the nikon will view it. unfortunately if you have modified the file (like rotate it, etc.) and then saved it, most likely you would have lost the exif data that were on the jpg file. the exif data contains all the information about your image settings, including a smaller thumbnail, aperture, date, time, etc.. my suggestion is always to create a new file and work from it and leave the original intact.

i believe there are programs out there that can put the exif data on the images so that it can be recognized by the camera and viewed.

-- Keat Lim (keatlim@my-deja.com), August 15, 2000.

Thanks for the responses. However, these are untouched files that I downloaded to the PC, then formatted the compact flash card in the camera and tried to copy the pictures back to the card. As I said, I know the pics are there because my printer recognizes them but the camera will not let me view them. If anyone has had success here, please let me know. Thanx P.S. Nikon couldn't help me here.

-- Jim Wilson (jimwils@dellnet.com), August 16, 2000.

I've answered similar questions on other forums...here goes! There is a trick to uploading images back to the camera: 1) Follow the rules--that is, use the same file conventions (names, size, directory) 2) Preserve image data found in the file's EXIF header. EXIF is a standard format for describing the image.

Ordinary editing programs usually violate Rule #2 so the images are not displayable. Two downloadable programs that preserve this data are a) Tawbaware's Thumber [see the Digicam Software section at http://www.steves-digicams.com for the URL] and b) Olympus Camera Utility [http://www.olympus-europa.com/photogra/digimg/index.htm]. At the latter site, click Services & Support, Drivers & Utilities, Digital Cameras and select version C-5.11 (Win) or C-5.1 (Mac). The amazing thing about this app is that it can create a skeletal EXIF header [using its Save JPG(EXIF) function] that allows you to view most images even those from other digicams on your megapixel toy!

-- henry (tolbert9@aol.com), August 16, 2000.