Image Capture, iPhoto: Camera With Newly Formatted Memory Stick Not Recognized

When you connect a digital camera with a newly formatted Memory Stick to your computer, iPhoto or Image Capture may not automatically open.
Symptom

If you format (erase) a Memory Stick with your digital camera and then connect to your computer, the media will appear on the desktop, but Image Capture or iPhoto do not recognize the media and do not automatically open.

Solution

Take a picture before connecting the camera to the computer.

When a memory stick is formatted in the camera it lacks the file structure needed for the Macintosh to recognize the media as camera storage media. Once you take a picture, the file structure is created, which indicates to the Macintosh that the Memory Stick is camera media. Image Capture and iPhoto will then recognize the card and open automatically when the camera is connected to the computer.
Published Date: Feb 20, 2012