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USB connection to a Mac


dgktkr

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I have tried copying SL picture files into a Mac using the USB cable, and I'm getting not so useful and unexpected results. When plugged into the Mac Mini on my desk (Late 2014, El Capitan), the SL does not appear as a mass storage device in the finder. At the USB level, things appear connected: the SL indicates "USB PTP Connected" and the computer indicates a USB connection with "LEICA 601 (Typ 601)". However, I can't locate the photo files with the Finder.

 

On an older Mac Mini (mid 2011, also running El Capitan) in a different room, the behavior is the same, except that when I plug in the USB cable from the SL, the photos that are on the SL are visible to Photos.app and it asks me if I want to import them.

 

This second Mac Mini is set up for dual boot and when I boot up in windows, all the photo files appear as you would expect from a connected device.

 

So it doesn't appear to be a hardware problem. Is it just that El Capitan is not fully compatible with the way the SL wants to present its files?

 

For the time being, the workaround is to take the memory card out of the camera and use a card reader to get the files on to the Mac.

 

Have any of you tried copying your SL picture files into a Mac using the USB cable?

 

dgktkr

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Easy enough to check it out. I pulled out the supplied USB3 cable and attached it to my OS X El Capitan system. 

 

The instruction manual seems to be incorrect in its description of USB connection to OS X. The SL does not mount as a Finder/Disk Utility file volume, it mounts via PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) and is only accessible to applications which recognize this protocol. Both Image Capture and Photos apps recognize the camera and display the contents of the camera's SD card. They can transfer files into the OS X file system. I don't see any options to change the USB connection protocol listed in the manual or in the SL menus. 

 

Using a card reader is much much faster and more convenient than PTP. I don't know why I'd ever bother with it. 

Edited by ramarren
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Easy enough to check it out. I pulled out the supplied USB3 cable and attached it to my OS X El Capitan system. 

 

The instruction manual seems to be incorrect in its description of USB connection to OS X. The SL does not mount as a Finder/Disk Utility file volume, it mounts via PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) and is only accessible to applications which recognize this protocol. Both Image Capture and Photos apps recognize the camera and display the contents of the camera's SD card. They can transfer files into the OS X file system. I don't see any options to change the USB connection protocol listed in the manual or in the SL menus. 

 

Using a card reader is much much faster and more convenient than PTP. I don't know why I'd ever bother with it. 

 

yes, I'm a little bit surprised because the SL misses USB "mass storage" - only PTP (which is still important für tethering). M (240) has both USB types.

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I'm aware of the iOS app for iPhones and iPads that works over wifi: "Leica SL". Is there an Image Capture program that runs on OS-X over USB? What's the URL for download?

 

dgktkr

 

 

Easy enough to check it out. I pulled out the supplied USB3 cable and attached it to my OS X El Capitan system. 

 

The instruction manual seems to be incorrect in its description of USB connection to OS X. The SL does not mount as a Finder/Disk Utility file volume, it mounts via PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) and is only accessible to applications which recognize this protocol. Both Image Capture and Photos apps recognize the camera and display the contents of the camera's SD card. They can transfer files into the OS X file system. I don't see any options to change the USB connection protocol listed in the manual or in the SL menus. 

 

Using a card reader is much much faster and more convenient than PTP. I don't know why I'd ever bother with it. 

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I'm aware of the iOS app for iPhones and iPads that works over wifi: "Leica SL". Is there an Image Capture program that runs on OS-X over USB? What's the URL for download?

 

Image Capture is a standard OS X utility application. It's in every OS X system's Applications folder. It can read and transfer to the Mac images stored in the SL's storage cards over the USB connection. 

 

I don't know if it is possible, but it might be: connect up the SL and the Mac with the cable, start Image Capture, then operate the camera. The images might appear in Image Capture dynamically, and from there you can use it to download them into a hot folder that Lightroom knows about to auto-import them, creating a simple tethering system. I don't have time today to rig this up and see if it works.

 

Leica Image Shuttle is a tethering application available from the Leica website through the Members area. Based on a quick scan of the manual, it has functions similar to the "Leica SL" iOS app (camera control and capture, storage review) but also handles raw format files and can transfer them direct to the computer. At present, there are versions available for Leica S model cameras. From another conversation, I believe they are readying a version of it for use with the Leica SL body. 

Edited by ramarren
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Thanks ramarren. I found Image Capture and started it up. It found the SL after I plugged the cable in and turned it on. The imports were straightforward. That accomplished what I wanted to do without too much fuss. Although, it looks like downloading files this way is a heavy drain on the camera battery. I think the battery was fully charged when I started the download of 40 photos, and it was 25% discharged (1 out of 4 bars) a few minutes later when the download was done

 

I'd like to point out that Lightroom 6.3 recognizes the SL via the USB cable and allows importing from the camera, but I just downloaded and started using it a few days ago, so I'm shying away from it for the time being. Unfortunately, my favorite until now, Iridient Developer, doesn't use PTP to recognize connected cameras. It just knows about photos it can see in the file system.

 

dgktkr

 

Image Capture is a standard OS X utility application. It's in every OS X system's Applications folder. It can read and transfer to the Mac images stored in the SL's storage cards over the USB connection. 

 

I don't know if it is possible, but it might be: connect up the SL and the Mac with the cable, start Image Capture, then operate the camera. The images might appear in Image Capture dynamically, and from there you can use it to download them into a hot folder that Lightroom knows about to auto-import them, creating a simple tethering system. I don't have time today to rig this up and see if it works.

 

Leica Image Shuttle is a tethering application available from the Leica website through the Members area. Based on a quick scan of the manual, it has functions similar to the "Leica SL" iOS app (camera control and capture, storage review) but also handles raw format files and can transfer them direct to the computer. At present, there are versions available for Leica S model cameras. From another conversation, I believe they are readying a version of it for use with the Leica SL body. 

Edited by dgktkr
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Thanks ramarren. I found Image Capture and started it up. It found the SL after I plugged the cable in and turned it on. The imports were straightforward. That accomplished what I wanted to do without too much fuss. Although, it looks like downloading files this way is a heavy drain on the camera battery. I think the battery was fully charged when I started the download of 40 photos, and it was 25% discharged (1 out of 4 bars) a few minutes later when the download was done

 

I'd like to point out that Lightroom 6.3 recognizes the SL via the USB cable and allows importing from the camera, but I just downloaded and started using it a few days ago, so I'm shying away from it for the time being. Unfortunately, my favorite until now, Iridient Developer, doesn't use PTP to recognize connected cameras. It just knows about photos it can see in the file system.

 

Glad to hear it. Not consuming the camera's battery is one of the reasons I have always used a card reader rather than connect the camera to the computer. 

 

(bolded) Yes, that makes sense: LR reads direct from the iPad/iPhone/etc even though they connect as PTP too. It didn't occur to me to check because, although I use Lightroom constantly, I always use a card reader.  :)

Edited by ramarren
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