Konica Minolta + iPod question

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 02:38:30 GMT, junktin wrote:

> Apple says the camera must use one of the protocols PTP, Type 4 (or
> Normal) or Mass Storage.
>
> I can see nothing in the camera owners manual that indicates one of
> these (or any other for that matter.)
>
> An email to Konica Minolta has been notably ignored.
>
> Can anyone offer any insite, experience or educated guesses (see how
> desparate I am?) as to whether this combination is likely to work?

The manual for my Fuji camera describes the menu option that
changes the USB connector's mode. It can be set to enable Web Cam
mode, and in that mode pictures can't be transferred to the
computer. But the normal, or default is referred to as "DSC (Mass
Storage device) mode". This is because in this mode the flash card
is used to emulate a mass storage device (a hard disk drive) for the
purpose of saving and transferring images. I know virtually nothing
about Apple computers, but would guess that PTP, type 4 is a
Peer-to-Peer protocol, possibly for transferring files via the
internet. I doubt that any cameras would support PTP type 4, but
there's a slim chance that one of the new cameras supporting Wi-Fi
might.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 02:38:30 GMT, junktin wrote:

> Can anyone offer any insite, experience or educated guesses (see how
> desparate I am?) as to whether this combination is likely to work?

I missed this part of your msg. in my other reply. In case it
wasn't clear, my guess it that the combination will work since the
protocol used by the camera to transfer files to the computer works
only when the camera sets the USB port to "Mass Storage device"
mode.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Thanks for both of your replies.

I have tackled the camera owner's manual with more diligence now and
have found a couple of re-assuring clues"
It does follow the memory card folder structure that Apple requires
(starting with a DCIM folder with internal folders for photos)
It describes the transfer mode as switching between a "data storage
device" and a remote camera. While "data storage device" is not quite
as exact as the wording "mass storage device", I think I will assume
they are talking about the same thing.

I just phoned Konica Minolta (Canada)'s tech support and tried to get
him to confirm conclusively that this camera did, indeed, conform as a
"mass storage device" but the most I could get out of him was that it
acted like an external drive. His suggestion was to get an SD card
reader and plug that into Apple's camera connector (connected to the
iPod) but that means unplugging and plugging the SD card a lot. Then
you get into a whole new debate about which will last longer - the SD
card contacts (on card and in the camera) or the tiny USB connectors.
At least the card reader option would give another possible way of
making the iPod serve if the direct connection was found not to work.

Local Apple dealers don't seem to bother with demo models of the iPod
and camera adapter and my daughter is away travelling with the camera,
in any case, so testing beforehand is not an option.

Dave

ASAAR wrote:
> On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 02:38:30 GMT, junktin wrote:
>
>
>>Can anyone offer any insite, experience or educated guesses (see how
>>desparate I am?) as to whether this combination is likely to work?
>
>
> I missed this part of your msg. in my other reply. In case it
> wasn't clear, my guess it that the combination will work since the
> protocol used by the camera to transfer files to the computer works
> only when the camera sets the USB port to "Mass Storage device"
> mode.
>