Can a Canon EOS 5D Mark II transfer .CR2 files over USB without EOS Utility?
Asked 11/12/2013
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2 answers
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I want to copy RAW (.CR2) files from a Canon EOS 5D Mark II to a Windows PC using a USB cable, but without using Canon EOS Utility’s import interface. When I connect the camera, Windows recognizes it as a camera rather than a normal drive, and I only see JPEG versions of the images instead of the .CR2 files I know are on the CF card. Is there a way to access the camera over USB as if it were a card reader, or otherwise copy the RAW files without uninstalling EOS Utility?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
3
First of all, I always recommend a card reader instead of a direct USB connection. It will be faster, you don't need special software, and it doesn't use your battery while downloading. I prefer the current USB 3.0 readers but many options exist.
This looks like what you are looking for:
- GNU Canon Camera Utilities - http://canoncam.sourceforge.net/
I wish I could tell you more about it here but I don't understand much of what the linked to website says.
This forum seems to have an answer:
- "Get gphoto2 from the repos." - http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1622433
Overall I think that the EOS Utility is really the way to go for direct USB transfers. The other options seem to be either complex, incomplete, or non-existent. Beyond that, I would advise picking up a USB card reader as they are typically much faster and also don't drain your battery.
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
No. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II does not present itself over USB as a normal mass-storage drive, so Windows cannot browse the CF card the same way a card reader can. Canon DSLRs use a camera-specific transfer protocol, which is why EOS Utility—or third-party software that supports Canon’s protocol—is required for direct USB downloads.
So your practical options are:
- use EOS Utility for USB transfer
- use compatible third-party software such as gphoto2/other Canon-aware tools
- use a CF card reader if you want simple file copy access without special software
A card reader is generally the preferred method anyway: it’s usually faster, doesn’t drain the camera battery, and gives direct access to the actual .CR2 and .JPG files on the card.
In short: you can transfer RAW files over USB, but not by treating the camera like a generic drive. To bypass EOS Utility’s interface, you’ll need other Canon-compatible transfer software; otherwise, use a card reader.
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