Canon digital video cameras are designed for use with most major computer operating systems such as Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Mac OS 10.1 and up. Aquiring video via the camcorders IEEE-1394 (Firewire) terminal does not require any specific drivers be provided due to the support for this function is built into most recent computer operating systems.

To download still images from the video camera via USB please visit the Canon Download Library and select your model. From your models page select the Drivers/Software link to open a new window which will detail the available drivers for downloading still images as well as the software applications for your product using the operating systems supported by Canon.
^*Note: Still images cannot be downloaded via the DV/HDV terminal.

Many of the less common operating systems such as the various distributions of Linux as well as operating systems like UNIX, FreeBSD, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP 64, and BeOS directly support communication via the PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol). Many Canon digital video cameras support PTP for still image files via USB and will allow direct communication using applications built into the operating system. For older and/or non PTP compatible operating systems such as earlier Macintosh operating systems (System 7, OS8 or OS9), Windows 95, Windows 98 version 1998 or Amiga you may be able to copy the image files onto your computer by removing the memory card from the camera and inserting the card into a memory card reader that is compatible with your operating system and then opening those images in your choice of image editing/viewing applications.

To check for compatibility of your operating system with various card readers or PTP support we suggest checking with the vendor or the support pages/forums available on the internet for your particular operating system.

The following Canon digital video camera models are not PTP compatible and will require a 3rd party card reader.

Elura 2mc	Elura 20mc	Elura 40mc	Optura 100mc	Optura 200mc
GL2	ZR25mc	ZR30mc	ZR45mc	ZR50mc
XH A1	XH G1	XL H1	XL H1A	XL H1S