How does one take photos and then download images from a digital camera onto one's computer?

There are two options you can use:

1. The camera has a USB output socket that feeds into the USB input socket of the computer. The Camera also comes with an software installation disk. Once the software is installed the computer will automatically sense when you plug the camera into it. Another drive then appears alongside the A:, C:, D: drives that the computer displays in Explorer (or the 'My Computer' Window). Double-click on the extra drive letter (E: for example) and a folder will be seen. Inside the folder are the photographs. Drag, or 'Copy & Paste', the icons into another folder on you hard disk. Turn off the camera and disconnect the lead. Make sure the photographs are in your folder on the hard disk before deleting them from the camera.

2. You can buy an adapter for digital cameras that fits into the Floppy Disk drive. To use this, remove the smartmedia card from the camera (the photos are stored on this) and plug it into the slot provided on the adapter. Put the adapter into the Floppy Drive and retrieve the information (photos) from it in the same way you would an ordinary floppy disk.

You don't need to install any software for retrieving photos using the Floppy Adapter option. However, the adapter may be an expensive extra whereas the software disk is supplied in the package.

I bought an adapter but used it only a few times because I found it was less trouble to get photos from the camera to the computer using option 1.

*EDIT* Typing mistake.

I have a card reader that fits into the USB port and you download the pictures like a floppy drive. I think it's much easier than hooking up the camera (and using the batteries!) to the computer through the USB port.

Did your camera come with any instructions? It should tell you how to do it.

I hadn't thought about that way ladymacb. That makes three options then

The back my computer is a bit of a job to gain accesss to and I haven't got any USB sockets at the front. What I do is to leave the lead plugged into a USB hub at the back of the computer and leave the camera end at the ready on the top of the desk.

The camera battery usage isn't too much of a problem. I suppose the downloading doesn't take longer than a minute usually.

Was the card reader supplied as part of your camera package, or did it have to be bought as an extra?

I got the card reader from a friend of my dad's... he got a new camera that took different cards, so he gave me the card reader and his memory cards.

Downlaoding for me is like a second or so - when I plug the card in, it works just like another hard drive, I just have to move the pictures to where I want on my real hard drive...

I'm glad this subject came up (courtesy of flowerchild) because my wife and I are buying a digital camera for our joint Christmas present. It comes with a camera 'dock' that recharges the batteries and also prints 4X6" images. With 5 megapixel resolution it should produce superb photos. I'll keep you all informed.

Well, we got the camera! Shot 24 pics at Christmas with the family and all but one was usable. Printing them is another matter for which I spent over 3 hours on the phone to tech support and still have not resolved.

Using a digital camera is an entirely new and pleasant experience if you are used to film cameras:

I'm learning to take more pictures with the digital camera because when I preview the photo on the small image capture window and don't like it, I just press a button to delete and take another. I'm not worrying about shooting unusable film photos that I will be charged for after processing.

One feature that I don't like is the "red eye" reduction. Red eye is caused by the camera flash when photographing people or pets and is a result of the flash hitting the eye pupil and reflecting back to the camera. The eye absorbs most light but reflects the longer wavelength (red). It makes you look like you've been on a long weekend bender. To minimize this effect, the manufacturer introduces a double flash: there is a pre-flash to cause your pupil to react and the iris close down somewhat before the main flash follows to take the photo.
The result of this tiny delay is that you don't get the photo that you thought you did. When I took a picture of someone clearly smiling, the smile had disappeared when I reviewed the photo window. I think I'll turn this feature off next time because red eye reduction can be done in the computer.
Actually, your computer is the photo lab -- you size the photo, use landscape or portrait, add special effects, crop and enlarge, color enhance, change contrast and brightness... I love it!
Now, if I can only get my printer dock to work.