Sony Alpha DSLR A100: A Better Manual

Section 9: Your A100 and Your Computer

Downloading the Image Card to Your Computer

Once images are recorded onto your memory card, they can be accessed and treated by your computer just like any other computer memory storage device, such as a hard drive. You can leave the card in the camera and attach the included USB 2.0 cable directly from the camera to the computer. You can also plug the card into either an external or built-in card reader. As soon as you do either of the above, you'll hear a beep from your computer and an icon will appear onscreen or in your file browser to indicate that a new drive has been added.

There are several ways to move the files from the card to the computer:

• Open the folder on your computer that contains all your photos. Create a new folder and give it the name for this shoot.

• Plug in the camera or the card reader and open the folder that contains the photos. Select and copy all of them.

• Click inside the new folder on your computer and choose Paste. All of the images on the card will be copied to the folder on the computer.

• Do not erase the original files or reformat the card with the computer.

• Use Sony Image Data Converter for the A100 or your image processing software to confirm, edit, and process your images.

• Return the card to the camera to format the card so that it is ready for a new shoot.

Formatting the Image Card

In order to recycle the image card, you must format it. It is safest to do this formatting in camera in order enusre that the formatting ...