Can't transfer video off of camera (in Off-topic)

I've got a PowerShot SD630 camera, and I have about a 500 MB video I need to get off of it. However, my computer won't allow me (or maybe my camera won't allow me?) Other video files and pictures I've been able to get off of the camera perfectly fine. For some reason, there's a size limit somewhere.

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting it off my SD card?

Have you tried plugging the camera (or just card, if you have a reader) into your computer, and accessing the card directly, as an external drive (instead of through special software)? You should be able to view the files that way. If not, try showing hidden files in your system options.

I assume you made sure that you have space available on your computer for the file?

Have you tried other computers?

If nothing else works, and you need the space, have you tried deleting the video directly off the camera?

put the SD card directly into a slot on your computer? if you don't have flash media slots on your computer then maybe someone you know does and you can burn it to a cd-r? if not, you could purchase a reader for about $20 or less.

Have you tried plugging the camera (or just card, if you have a reader) into your computer, and accessing the card directly, as an external drive (instead of through special software)? You should be able to view the files that way. If not, try showing hidden files in your system options.

I don't have a reader for an SD card alone, though I can view the video on the preview of the camera. I need it off the card and onto my computer; not just to view.

I assume you made sure that you have space available on your computer for the file?

Yes, I have enough space.

Have you tried other computers?

Yes, both my laptop and desktop cannot copy it.

If nothing else works, and you need the space, have you tried deleting the video directly off the camera?

I don't need the space on the SD card, I need the video.

But you should have able to plug the camera into the computer using a USB cable. Then access the camera as an external drive.

Maybe that's obvious, but I believe many people use software that comes with the camera, and doesn't involve directly viewing files on the camera.

I always read it like that, never with horrible software. ;)

It won't let me copy it that way, either.

hmm, that is odd. a card reader might fix your issue.

if you have windows movie maker on the computer you can also try importing it into there and then saving the job, it might get around whatever is keeping you from doing it.

I don't have Windows Movie Maker; so I think the only valid suggestion that I haven't tried yet is to try out a SD reader card? Do these allow you to read what's on the card and transfer that data over to the HD?

If there's enough space on the card, you could also try editing the movie into pieces and copying them over. Try making a small piece first to see if it works, then make pieces that are as large as the free space left, transfer it, and then delete it and repeat. It's probably not the most efficient way, but it could work.

How do you edit pieces of the movie without being able to copy/move the entire movie?

User's Manual Page 75 (77 of the PDF): Editing Movies

It allows you to cut/delete portions of a movie and save the edited movie to a new file or to overwrite the old one. I'm not sure about trying to overwrite using the camera, but if there's another 500mb left on the SD card, try removing one frame or something and saving to a new file.

Download one of these free video editing programs and find the option to "Import". If that doesn't work then the SD card reader is your only hope. I'd have to imagine you can get a decent one for $10, as I got my Compact Flash II card reader for $15 and it works like a charm.

I think the real question you should be asking is, "Why, oh why, am I shooting video that writes to a dinky little SD card?!"

Let some scandisk like programs run over the card, and see if that helps.

I would also say that a card reader may be worth a try. Or, if you got a device like a MP3-player with SD card support that you can plug on your computer, that may work too.

I finally realized that I have a SD card reader in my laptop. Yes, it's been about a year or two since I've had it. (They hide those things so freakin' well!)

I was able to successfully get the video off the SD card. Thanks, guys! 500 MB free, but more importantly, I got the video. :)