# Can you import photos from Nikon d3100 that haven't been taken with a memory card?



## AmeliaParker (Nov 26, 2012)

I recently had some photos of me(using my camera) and stupidly forgot to put in my memory card. I wondered if there was a way to get them off the camera? I have a USB and have done some research but, i have no idea if i can then where i can import them. Thanks so much


----------



## Light Guru (Nov 26, 2012)

most cameras dont have internal memory to store photos so the image is not actually saved.  

if the camera does save to internal memory when a card is not installed then you will have to connect the camera to the comptuer


----------



## sm4him (Nov 26, 2012)

:scratch: Huh??  How did you manage to take a picture without a card in the camera? My D5100 would give me an error message if I even turned it on with no card in it, I certainly wouldn't be able to take a picture. 
I can't imagine the D3100 has that ability.

If somehow you managed that feat, then yeah, I suppose you could connect the camera directly to the computer with the cable that should have come with your camera and transfer the file that way. 
Heck, if you managed to take a picture with no memory card, you could probably just move the durn file with the power of your mind...


----------



## SCraig (Nov 26, 2012)

sm4him said:


> :scratch: Huh??  How did you manage to take a picture without a card in the camera? My D5100 would give me an error message if I even turned it on with no card in it, I certainly wouldn't be able to take a picture.
> I can't imagine the D3100 has that ability.
> 
> If somehow you managed that feat, then yeah, I suppose you could connect the camera directly to the computer with the cable that should have come with your camera and transfer the file that way.
> Heck, if you managed to take a picture with no memory card, you could probably just move the durn file with the power of your mind...



I'm sure it has an option to not fire is there is no memory card, my old D60 does, but it can still be disabled.  I don't know why anyone would want to disable it, but it can be done.


----------



## cwcaesar (Nov 26, 2012)

At the camera store I was at last week they had them set up like this for display.  So that you can handle the camera and snap shots, but they won't have to worry about the memory cards.  Other than this, I wouldn't know when you would use this feature.


----------



## SCraig (Nov 26, 2012)

cwcaesar said:


> At the camera store I was at last week they had them set up like this for display.  So that you can handle the camera and snap shots, but they won't have to worry about the memory cards.  Other than this, I wouldn't know when you would use this feature.


Good point.  And about the reason I can think of that makes sense.  I still don't understand why an individual who had purchased the camera would do that though.

Regardless, I'm pretty sure the shots are gone.  According to the D7000 manual:

_Selecting Enable release allows the shutter to be released when no memory card is inserted, *although no pictures will be recorded* (they will however be displayed in the monitor in demo mode). If Release locked is selected, the shutter-release button is only enabled when a memory card is inserted in the camera.
_


----------



## MLeeK (Nov 26, 2012)

There is no internal  memory on your camera. THe photographs don't exist.


----------



## bratkinson (Nov 27, 2012)

When I first saw the 'enable shutter release without memory card' "feature", I knew immediately I had to disable it ASAP...or I'd go merrily firing away, recording nothing.  And for whatever reason, Canon decided to default to 'enabled' on that option on their new cameras.  I wonder how many pictures have been lost due to that one?

But then, many years ago, I shot what was probably 45-50 pictures on a 36 exposure roll of 35mm film before I figured out the film had torn out of the sprockets...


----------



## Mully (Nov 27, 2012)

The reason that a camera ha a memory card is to store images ...no card no images, only wishful thinking.


----------



## Solarflare (Nov 27, 2012)

MLeeK said:


> There is no internal  memory on your camera. THe photographs don't exist.


Um ... there is of course internal memory in every digital camera.

Where else would the camera store images the moment they are taken, before writing them to the memory card ? How else could any camera provide features like continous shooting, which has higher framerate than the memory card can manage ?

But this memory is usually not persistent, i.e. when you turn the camera off, that internal memory is gone too.

And its usually not meant to contain anything that can be stored later, either. You are supposed to use a memory card with them.


----------



## KmH (Nov 27, 2012)

You are referring to a data buffer. 

Even if the camera is not turned off, the user has no access to the buffer that could be used to download it's contents.



> Data buffer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Typically, the data is stored in a buffer as it is retrieved from an input device (such as a mouse or A/D) or just before it is sent to an output device (such as speakersDor Sd card in a camera). However, a buffer may be used when moving data between processes within a computer.


----------

