What settings should I use to take pictures?
 

I just bought a 256MB SD memory card, and I'm ready to take some photographs! I was wondering what are the best settings to use to take pictures at? I suppose the highest resolution and the "fine" quality would be the best, right?

Also, to take the stills from the GL2 to the PC .. all I have to do is install the CD that came with the camcorder, and use the canon USB cable, right? Thanks.

Always the highest setting for quality. Since this is a low 1.7 megapixel device with no macro or bracketing, you have to remember the most important thing: It's not a still camera. Your results will likely show it. But for the odd vacation pic or similar, it sure beats carrying around 2 devices. As for usb to xp, once connected and you are on card or play mode at the cam, xp will likely auto-detect the device and allow you to browse the contents of the folder in the card just like any other windows directory.
Please place your traytables in their upright position and be sure to also permanently disable the digital zoom on all your imaging devices.

Well, I took few sample pictures and connect the GL2 to the PC via USB. But now, the camcorder reads "04A9 305F USB Device" instead of "Canon DVC" ... I can still look at the pictures as a drive, but their divided into 3 folders: DCIM, MISC, TITLE .. and inside the DCIM has a 100CANON folder, inside of that are the pictures. Does this sound right? Is 04A9 305F USB Device same thing as Canon DVC? Because, I can't seem to get rid of it and try to reinstall a new driver.

As long as you can get into the directories that are set up in the cam, it is of no consequence the moniker that windows decides to afix to the device.

You can transfer your pix to your computer under these cryptic circumstances oui?

If not, you can pick up an inexpensive multi card reader that connects via usb to your computer. This will avoid the task of connecting the camcorder each and every time.

Alright... I took some more pictures, but for some reason, when I set the white balance in the camera mode, it doesn't go over when you take the stills. Like what I'm saying is, I set the white balance and manually tweak some settings so the picture is very clear and bright. After looking at what I took brought onto the computer, the picture is dull and yellowish as if it was before the white balance or I never set it at all.... Hmm... maybe I am doing something wrong or maybe it's just the limitations of the GL2?

What I mean is that when I tweak the settings manually including the white balance, and I take a still, but when I view it again on the computer, it's as though I never changed the settings at all.