Same usb cable for different cameras

[yankfan]

Anyone have any experience with this? Using the same usb cable for

two different cameras? I have the usb cable that came with my HP

Photosmart 850 camera hooked up to the computer I'm writing this on,

and just purchased a D70. Is it possible the same cable could be used

for both? I'd like to be able to upload pics from the D70 and not

have to keep switching cables.

[tommyinca]

USB cable follows the usb standard. As long as the plug at the camera size is the same size (2 sizes I think), you can mix them.

 

I use the same USB cable for all our camera, Canon 300D, SD100, A70 Pansonic and Card readers. I used to have a Sanyo, that one takes a different size.

[jack_fisher1]

I plug my D70 into the USB cable I previously (and currently) use for the Canon Powershot S45. Works with either camera. USB is USB, as long as the plugs fit. Have fun. Now we have a spare USB cable!

JF

[robin_sibson1]

Nearly right. I believe that the cable specification for USB 2.0 is more demanding than that for pre-2.0, and in any event some devices, particularly some flat-bed scanners, have a reputation for not working unless they are used with the supplied cable, usually because this has more in the way of ferrite cores than the off-the-shelf kind. So if it fits, try it, but be aware that it might not work.

[ron_goodenow]

I use a little retractable Zip-Linq cable with all my Oly USB capables when I travel with my subnote. Works like a charm.

[lex_jenkins]

USB 2.0 cables appear to be reasonably compatible.

 

I recently was trying out some notebook PCs in a local store and wanted to see some of my own photos on the screen.

 

The notebook didn't accept CF cards and I'd forgotten my camera's USB cable, which has a tiny plug on the camera side. The sales clerk brought one over that worked perfectly.

[yankfan]

Ok, that done, I tried it, but the computer is looking for a driver. I have none installed. It recognized the d70 but wants to install the driver..is it on the Picture Project software cd? Or should I download one from Nikon? D: and E: are both cd/rom drives. Does this make any sense? Do I sound stupid or what?

[lex_jenkins]

If you're using WinXP it should automagically recognize your camera as a new device. It will simply register as a new "drive" and appear in Windows Explorer, so you don't even need Picture Project, Nikon View, Capture, etc.

 

Win98 and WinME (just a tarted up trampy version of Win98), are different matters. You'll need to be sure the D70 is set to transfer via USB (there are two options on my D2H, dunno 'bout the D70), otherwise, no go.

 

Then you may need to go through the Control Panel to install a new device.

 

Then you may need to restart the computer.

 

Assuming this pleases the gods of Plug And Pray, when you plug in your camera and turn it on (in that order), the computer should recognize it.

 

From there you can *COPY* files from your D70 to whatever directory you choose on your hard drive.

 

I emphasize *copy* because hard, expensive experience with SmartMedia cards has taught me that using any command other than "copy" can scramble the SM card's brains. CF cards may be resistant to this but I'm not taking any chances. I don't use the "move" command and I sure as heck don't use the "delete" or "format" commands from the PC.

 

When I want to free up the CF card I use the camera's own delete commands - selective or mass. Or I format it using the camera's format command.

 

And if you're using a Mac... never mind.

[Spearhead]

<i>some flat-bed scanners, have a reputation for not working unless they are used with the supplied cable,</i><p>

 

Reputation or documentation? Reputation doesn't mean much, if this can't be documented, it's certainly not worth repeating.<p>

 

I've used lots of cables, with USB 1.0 and 2.0, without any problems of compatibility. I've never heard of any documented cases of problems with incompatible cables.

[yankfan]

Experienced no problems with XP, or using the USB cable with the WIN98. I don't know if I want to go thru the hassle in WIN98 though. I think I'll just stick to uploading to the XP system in my digital darkroom, then just burn a cd and copy those to the WIN98 system. It'll save the trouble of burning the cd eventually anyhow.

[joe_zammarelli]

Go to Wal-Mart, buy a Lexar Media reader for $30 and just swap chips. I use it for xD and CF, plus it handles two others I don't recall just now. No battery drain either.

 

Just my dos centavos.

[isaac sibson]

Jeff - It has occured with two scanners of mine and a friend of mine had problems that were down to the cable also. The issue was trying to use a long (5m) USB A-B cable in place of the supplied cable (1m + ferrite). Manufacturers of consumer electronics (as I deal with professionally) are notorious for cutting cost at every corner where necessary so they don't supply a ferrited USB cable for no reason when they could save a few cents by supplying a normal one.

 

There will of course be situations where it works fine without such a cable, but there are clearly enough instances where local EMI is enough to cause problems that they supply such cables.

 

I would have to check the documentation for my scanner, but I believe it suggests not using anything other than the supplied cable.