# GIMP- How do I Import pictures from a Camera



## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

Hello

I am using Ubuntu 7.04 with GIMP 2.2. I am trying to find out how to import pictures from a Digital Camera which is connected to the PC via an USB cable. I tried to search through the GIMP help file, but could not locate anything conclusive!

I ca import pics in Ubuntu but I would like to do it using GIMP in a way that the process becomes Distro independent.



So could any one please help me out?


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

Maybe Ubuntu is different than Windows in the following respect but if not, loading (importing) a whole bunch of photos into memory with a program usually results in a really slow and overburdened computer.
I've tried it with PSP10 on Windows and a few photos at a time are no problem but that method hurts workflow when the source is a USB connected camera. Importing and saving to disk before opening and working on them with a program is by far the preferred method.
Good luck though if you insist on finding out for yourself.


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## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

IMHO, your post has strayed far away from my topic . 

It is necessary for you import pictures from a DigiCam to your PC if you want to work on those. Now you can use the software supplied by the manufacturer of the DigiCam (which are mostly worthless and crappy) or use other third party software. I know adobe can do it, but I am more interested to know whether Open Source Software GIMP can do it or not.


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

Ahhh, you want a subroutine built into GIMP that pulls the image files off the camera and saves to disk like Picasa does. That's very possible and plausible if the programmers have put that function in or add it in the future.

I apologize for straying so from non-volatile...to volatile storage.


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## lister (Aug 10, 2004)

What fairnooks said has merit; if you open the images in the GIMP workspace rather than copy the data from the camera to the PC and _then_ work on them in GIMP, you're creating an unnecessary load on your PC as the images will be loaded into memory once in the GIMP workspace.

Plus, GIMP will probably have to 'save' the images imported from the camera to your HD which, if these are JPG files, will mean losing data by re-saving to a lossy format.


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## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

I do understand fairnooks point, but basically I am engaged in an volunteered project to write a tutorial on GIMP's working with Digital Camera. Unfortunately I do not use a Digital Camera myself and so I was hoping that others here may have some experience of doing so. :!:

Thanks for your responses.


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## Hughv (Jul 22, 2006)

I'm using GimpShop and Ubuntu 7.1, and this is easy enough using the File/Open Menu.
Just navigate to the Disk that represents the camera, and you're good to go.
As others have pointed out, though, a lot of images could negative effects.
I suspect it's far better to use the Import dialog which opens when you attach the camera.
This would mean that users have to learn something about files and where they're stored, and that's a good thing.


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## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

Thanks very much Hugv 

I shall discuss all the points raised and suggestions provided by all the valued members, with my coworkers and post here what we decide ultimately. Though I have a feeling that all of us will agree on providing both the options in the Guide and let the final user decide.

Happy new year to you all.


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## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

src2206 said:


> I do understand fairnooks point, but basically I am engaged in an volunteered project to write a tutorial on GIMP's working with Digital Camera. Unfortunately I do not use a Digital Camera myself and so I was hoping that others here may have some experience of doing so. :!:
> 
> Thanks for your responses.


Maybe you should try doing it if you are writing a tutorial.
How would you know whether or not what I tell you works? Then you tell others this is how to do it?


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## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

RootbeaR said:


> Maybe you should try doing it if you are writing a tutorial.
> How would you know whether or not what I tell you works? Then you tell others this is how to do it?


I am working in a team and other members do have one or two digital cameras. But none of them are sure on this particular point regarding GIMP as none of them has any previous experience of using GIMP (this point is implicit in my previous post).
It is not really possible for me explain the whole situation in a forum, and not that I am going to unless it is necessary to explain my problem. Honestly, I did not expect this type of comment here.


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## dvk01 (Dec 14, 2002)

I don't understand this

You are writing a tutorial on using gimp with a digital camera but you don't use a digital camera

Now all *nix versions are far harder for the average person to use that windows and programs that work under *nix don't always work the same way under windows

Gimp has a windows & *nix versions

however why reinvent the wheel
http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/

You reported a post as rude an offensive but all I see is common sense advice

You will find it extremely difficult to explain to someone how to do something that you can't do yourself

with all image editing programs it is far better to import the pictures first via which ever method the user uses

I use the simple open a folder & copy over from camera to HD 
then use what ever image manipulation program you want to play with images and GIMP is an image manipulation program


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## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

dvk01 said:


> You will find it extremely difficult to explain to someone how to do something that you can't do yourself


I agree, but I believe you are missing one point.  
There are many aspects of GIMP but this is where we got stuck, and I am not writing the tutorial alone. There are other co workers. We are all well versed with a Digital Camera in Windows envioronment but not in *Linux with GIMP*. One more misunderstanding I should clear, I may not use a Digital Camera ('cause regarding Photography I belong to the old, dwindling school which prefers film cameras over Digital Camera), but that does not mean I can not use a Digital Camera. I can use it, I have used it, but I do not use it at present.
I have asked this question on behalf of my team, as we are trying to get input from all the possible experienced sources, so that there is no mistake or ambiguity in the final result.

Hope after this explanation, the unwanted argument (which is brewing up) will cease.



dvk01 said:


> You reported a post as rude an offensive but all I see is common sense advice


Yes advice, but I did not feel comfortable in the way it was presented and I felt it was rude. Furthermore, I hope that you would agree that the advice is of hardly any use in my case. We are all grown ups, we hardly need moral teachings while trying to solve a problem which is not sourced from lack of moral.

Anyways, you being a moderator have full right to decide whether a post is offensive or not, and I have no intention to start an argument in this regard.

Regards...


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## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

src2206 said:


> Hope after this explanation, the unwanted argument (which is brewing up) will cease.


There is no argument.
You don't use Linux, you don't use the Gimp, you don't use a digital camera.
The Mod pointed out you can use the Gimp on MS. They also provided a link for tutorials on the Gimp. My search provided 333 000 tutorials. I am sure one of them will be written by someone who uses the Gimp. And a digital camera.
Good luck and Happy New Year!


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## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

*I use Linux *(Ubuntu 7.10 if you need to know that too), *I use GIMP* (again you missed that it is not "I" but "we") and *I have been using GIMP as well as other Image Editing Softwares* for quite some time; but I *never used GIMP to import pictures from a digital Camera and I was interested to know whether it is possible*.


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## dvk01 (Dec 14, 2002)

I think the confusion here is mainly what GIMP is

Gimp is an Image Manipulation program
That means it is designed to manipulate, change, edit or otherwise play with digital images on your computer

How the images get there is irrelevant and as far as I know GIMP doesn't have a method directly of importing images from a camera to your computer


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## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

Thanks Derek....that's exactly what I was trying to point out. I/ We used GIMP for various reasons but never to import pictures from any external source. And hence I/we was/were interested to know whether it is at all possible or not.

To be exact, my queries were almost *answered* by *post #7* and you could see that I have also *expressed my satisfaction* with the answers and inputs provided by the other members in *Post #8*. Now after what I have written in Post #8, was that post #9 really makes any sense or serves any real purpose? That is why I reported that post and I still consider that post to be rude and useless. Not surprisingly, the second post (#13) by the same poster was again based on misunderstanding and wrong evaluation about me (please refer to the second line). In light of the first post, I would say that #13 was also unnecessary and personal judgment in that way is again rude.

Anyways, let us all rest this matter here, and I again thank all the posters in this thread (including you) for providing there valuable (and not so valuable) feedbacks here. As I promised in #8, we have decided to leave the Picture Import section out of main GIMP tutorial and touch it as an optional feature which can be accessed through File> Open > (Location) menu. Picture Import will be a separate subsection as in *our humble opinion*, mainstream Linux distros offer very good Device Recognition capabilities, better that windows may be.


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## Hughv (Jul 22, 2006)

There's clearly not enough confusion and angst in this thread, so a little clarification:
This statement:
"How the images get there is irrelevant and as far as I know GIMP doesn't have a method directly of importing images from a camera to your computer"
Suggests the point may have been missed.
You can open images directly from the camera using the method I described earlier.
The method is relevant inasmuch as opening many images will take a loooonnnng time and may well overwhelm the computer's memory. Incidentally, anyone who wished to use this method could elect to open an many or as few of the images as they wish, but it's still not as efficient a method as importing directly to the HD.
The original poster's intent was quite clear, and I congratulate him for his patience and excellent command of written English.
Happy New Year to all.


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## buck52 (Mar 9, 2001)

src2206 said:


> Thanks Derek....that's exactly what I was trying to point out. I/ We used GIMP for various reasons but never to import pictures from any external source. And hence I/we was/were interested to know whether it is at all possible or not.
> 
> To be exact, my queries were almost *answered* by *post #7* and you could see that I have also *expressed my satisfaction* with the answers and inputs provided by the other members in *Post #8*. Now after what I have written in Post #8, was that post #9 really makes any sense or serves any real purpose? That is why I reported that post and I still consider that post to be rude and useless. Not surprisingly, the second post (#13) by the same poster was again based on misunderstanding and wrong evaluation about me (please refer to the second line). In light of the first post, I would say that #13 was also unnecessary and personal judgment in that way is again rude.
> 
> Anyways, let us all rest this mater here, and I again thank all the posters in this thread (including you) for providing there valuable (and not so valuable) feedbacks here. As I promised in #8, we have decided to leave the Picture Import section out of main GIMP tutorial and touch it as an optional feature which can be accessed through File> Open > (Location) menu. Picture Import will be a separate subsection as in *our humble opinion*, mainstream Linux distros offer very good Device Recognition capabilities, better that windows may be.


are you alright... perhaps just alittle high on yourself... 

I wish you well in your endevor


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## src2206 (Nov 19, 2006)

Hughv said:


> There's clearly not enough confusion and angst in this thread, so a little clarification:
> This statement:
> "How the images get there is irrelevant and as far as I know GIMP doesn't have a method directly of importing images from a camera to your computer"
> Suggests the point may have been missed.
> ...


Thank you very much *Hughv*, for your encouragement and support. Your earlier post played a very crucial part in our final decision to frame the output (for which you may please refer to my last post). 

*Have a very wonderful 2008*.

Thank you buck52 for your wishes


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