I want to....

[Couv]

Camera is a Cannon Powershot S3 IS

I want to use my laptop as a viewing screen prior to taking a photo. With the mini plug to RCA adapter I can use the TV, but I would prefer to use a laptop. Is there a simple way to do this? Next question. Is there an alternative to the power adapter ie something I can pick up at Radio Shack or modify at home. Third, but related: with the camera connected to the usb port, does the camera use battery power or is it using power from the usb port?

How does this relate to underwater photography? Well it's a stretch, but I'm selling some of my old dive gear and extras on ebay and I'd like to take better pictures than I've been doing.

TIA,

Couv

 

[chile7236]

my s100 runs on battery power but i think my oly tg610 charged as well when it was on usb, couv. not sure what you're getting at with the laptop viewing screen question, tho...what "old gear" are you selling?

 

[Couv]

Second question first. As you know, one of my hobbies is refurbishing regulators. I would keep them, but the closet get full causing the wife's eyebrows to raise to an unacceptable level; re-selling them helps to support my habit. Taking better pictures is a necessary part of the process.

I'm terrible at composing a shot using either the diopter or lcd. I can take millions of shots and when I finally get them downloaded to my computer and have a good look, I'm rarely satisfied with the result-so it's back to the camera for another attempt. After going back and forth this way several times, I usually just settle on the best shot I have and edit. If I could see a closer representation on a laptop before I hit the button I might come away with "more to work with." Yes, I've read plenty of articles and post on composing and "how to...." but the fact remains I don't have an artistic bone in my body and old eyes so trial and error (mostly error) is my method. My hope is that having the camera hooked up to a laptop will help me reduce the amount of trial and error saving a bit of time looking through useless photos. I have had a bit of success hooking up to the TV...the laptop would be more convenient.

 

[chile7236]

it should work via USB when you connect the camera so you can view photos you've taken (i.e. via the camera software or something like aperture/iphoto/photoshop/etc.)...pm coming your way

 

[Mark Derail]

With my Nikon D90, Windows 7 sees it as a TWAIN capture device.
I then use a software program to "Aquire Image", that takes a picture, click with mouse. Then you see a picture.

However if your camera has an HDMI plug, you can get a cheap monitor that duals as a 2nd screen to your laptop, and an HDMI viewer that replicates your tiny screen, on the big screen.
You use your camera to take a picture; the camera is tethered to an external screen.

Only two options, other than going the WiFi route with a router & a Eye-Fi SD card, then using Explorer (or Apple Finder) to browse the Eye-Fi card remotely.

My studio work is done with the D90 + USB + Laptop w/2nd screen 19", software is Adobe Lightroom.
Lightroom supports the 2nd screen to help choose pics, with different view options.

Unfortunately, the HDMI port on a laptop is not a capture device, it's output only.