Can't connect your Canon EOS camera to your computer? All USB cables are NOT created equal....

For a long time I have been unable to connect my Canon EOS 60D camera to my computer, well to ANY computer actually. It's one of those dastardly "it-used-to work-and-now-its-doesn't-and-I-can't figure-out-why" mysteries. You know the sort that will drive you insane. Either there is no response at all or I get that message that says the USB device is not recognised. Launch EOS utility and nothing happens.

After having struggled for what seems an eternity to  figure out WTH is wrong with my Canon EOS 60D, I finally have a solution of sorts. I have uninstalled and installed the EOS Utility several times; tried it on all the different computers that live at my house. This meant it was also tried with different OSes: Windows XP (yes, you heard me) Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and a Mac mini running 10.6.8 (Yes we are a mixed OS household). All to no avail. Forums told me it was Windows or it was the firmware update or it was the EOS utility. Tinkering with all of these yielded no results so I resorted to simply taking the SD card out of the camera and transferring it to the computer to import images in a quaint and old fashioned manner. Now where's the fun in that?


The answer to my quest? The USB cable. I had seen occasional posts talking about different USB cables being used but I had continued to labour under the patently ridiculous assumption that if you've seen one USB cable is a USB you've seen them all. Foolish me. Today while trying to clear my shambolic desk I stumbled across a rogue micro USB cable and upon close inspection, I spied the Canon logo on the micro head and I began to get very excited.

Look closely - it says "Canon"

I plugged in my camera and hey presto the EOS Utility started its autorun magic. Order is restored.

I recommend you hunt through all of your existing micro USB cables - if you are anything like me there will be dozens - and check the end. Look for the Canon brand embossed on the plug (I don't know the proper name but look at my photo above). If you can't find the cable, beg borrow or steal one or I'm sure you can get a replacement on t'internet.