Canon 40D Connection Problems

I want to copy files directly from my Canon 40D camera to my Mac or to an external WD Passport drive but the Mac does not seem to see the 40D as a device and only starts iPhoto to import the photos.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

You didn't mention which Mac you have? Does it have an SD card reader built in? If it does, remove the card from the Canon and plug it directly into your Mac. That will also allow you to copy the photo files to the external hard drive. Otherwise, your Mac senses that a camera has been attached and that will cause iPhoto to open and ask to copy the photo files.

Also, what happens if you close iPhoto without it copying the files into the iPhoto library? Does the Canon memory card then appear? Reason I ask, is my Nikon and Sony cameras both will show their memory cards on the desktop mounted just like a hard drive.

Try this:

1. Open Image Capture (it's a program already on your Mac, in the Applications folder)
2. Plug in your camera. Change its setting (in Image Capture) so that it doesn't automatically open iPhoto.

Let us know if you can now view, select and save pictures as you like.

Cannot transfer images from camera except to Iphoto

Thank you very much. Problem solved.

Does image capture convert all raw files to JPEG?

Thank you Chas. I followed your advice and created a separate file of my raw files taken with my Canon 40D camera. But all but a few emerged as JPEG files.I want to use a add on editing software so raw files are what i would prefer.
The question then does Image capture automatically convert raw to JPEG files?