D5500 Invisible in Device Manager

[Andante_2]

Hello,

I just purchased Backyard Nikon in order to take astrophotos with my Nikon D5500.

(1) The camera: This is a used camera body I purchased, and then removed the IR filter myself. The camera itself appears to work fine: the screen, the shutter, etc. I reset the Reset Shutter Settings and reset the Reset Custom Settings. I then selected ISO 800, manual control, and "Bulb" shutter setting. I selected RAW images (no jpeg). I verified that "WiFi" is OFF. The camera still works fine after these changes. However, I note that when the camera is connected via USB to the computer that the shutter "freezes." It unfreezes when I disconnect the USB cable,

(2) The computer: I have an iMac Air with a dual-boot Windows 10 system running on BootCamp. There are two USB-C ports, and I use adapters to connect this up either to USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 devices. One of the USB ports is presently connected to a USB Hub using a USB-C to USB 2.0/3.0 adapter, and I can see my ZWO ASI120MM just fine in the "devices" list in Device Manager. This guide camera also works fine on the screen using either port,

(3) D5500-to-USB connection. I connected the D5500 directly (no hub) to the remaining USB-C port on the iMac. I used a 4' cable and the aforementioned USB-C to USB 2.0/3.0 adapter.  I switched the USB-C connections (the hub works just fine on either port) and ... still no appearance of the D5500 in the "devices" list. I tried wiggling the USB cable on both ends and ... nada. 

So far then:

(1) the camera appears to be working on its own,

(2) both USB-C hubs on the iMac/Windows 10 computer are working,

(3) wiggling the USB cable gently at the Nikon connector has no effect

BUT ... using Device Manager I do not see the D5500 anywhere.

... help!

Thanks,

Don

 

[admin]

This is not a BYN related issue so far... but we can still try to figure it out.

First I would suggest you confirm the camera, since it is used, that it can connect to a computer via USB without an VM.  That is connected to a Windows PC direclty, no Bootcamp.  You would need access to a straight Windows computer for this but I think you need to confirm that this first, otherwise you'll be chasing a ghost forever.

Keep us posted.

[Andante_2]

Thank you for replying. It will take me a few days to access a "straight" (i.e., non-iMac) Wintel computer w/Windows 10. Meanwhile, I was able to record images onto an SD card installed in the D5500. Also, I have a second, shorter USB-to-D5500 cable that I tried with zero success. 'Couple of additional notes: (1) this is clearly not a power-related issue since behavior is the same whether I use a charged-up battery or the plug-in battery replacement and (2) everything else on the camera seems to work fine. So I think I am down to two possibilities:

(1) as you suggest, there is something funny about the BootCamp/Windows 10 device handling. BTW, I don't believe BootCamp is a VM per se but there is an overhead layer of S/W support for Windows 10 on the iMac or ... worse ...

(2) the USB port electronics on the D5500 are damaged and not functional. Unfortunately, #2 would seem to be supported by one additional datum: that the D5500 would not show up as a device on iOS either. Remember that the Nikon is spec'd to be able to download images to iOS using a USB port.

I'll try a "pure" Windows machine but I fear #2 is the reason. I suppose that is what I get for buying "used." 'Guess at the least I have an OK "broad spectrum modified" camera for general use (sigh). We'll see.

Thx,

Don

[s3igell]

Make sure that you load the appropriate D5500 Drivers from NIKON Support onto your Windows Image - don't assume that they will be there natively.