PTP, or Picture Transfer Protocol, is a standardized protocol used for transferring images from digital cameras to other devices such as computers, printers, and storage devices. Developed by the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A), PTP is widely supported by many camera manufacturers and is designed to facilitate the seamless transfer of images and related metadata. (See the Wikipedia Page.)

Key features of PTP include:

    1.    Device Communication: PTP allows digital cameras to communicate with computers and other devices without requiring special drivers or software.
    2.    Image Transfer: It supports the transfer of images in various formats, including JPEG, TIFF, and RAW, along with associated metadata such as date, time, and camera settings.
    3.    Control Functions: PTP enables remote control of camera functions, allowing users to capture images, adjust settings, and manage files directly from their computer or other connected devices.
    4.    Interoperability: As a standardized protocol, PTP ensures compatibility between different brands and models of digital cameras and various operating systems.

PTP has been extended and incorporated into other protocols such as Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), which provides additional functionality for managing multimedia files beyond just images.

As of Version 1.0.35960, Visere Captura can utilize libgphoto2 to access a variety of cameras, via PTP, on Mac systems. Currently, there is no official port of libgphoto2 for Windows, but we are actively working on finding a solution. If you are interested in PTP support for Windows, please email us at support@pictomic.com to express your interest, and we will add you to the list of potential beta testers.

If Mac's Preview program is running, then Visere Captura's PTP drivers cannot access the camera.