This procedure works with the Linux kernel version 2.4.8, and I tested it with a Sony P-50 Cybershot with a 4 MB and 64 MB memory stick, and a USB smart card reader for an Olympus camera. I have read that the procedure will also work on kernel versions back to 2.2.19, but there are no guarantees. I know the procedure does not work on my old kernel version of 2.2.15.
The information in this document is how I solved my problems. There are other way to do this but it may require recompiling the kernel, which I did not want to do. This document should give you the necessary information to make USB mass storage active at boot time.
Also, Linux is an evolving technology, a hands on technology, and while this document may not give you the answers to your specific question, it should give you a place to start exploring for those answers. Plus the serendipity of discovering new thing along the way.
The following excerpt from the "gphoto2 README" might give you some insight to other cameras that will work with this procedure. I don't know who to give credit for this, as I could not find a name.) Check the "gphoto" link for updated information: http://www.gphoto.org
Then, there are cameras supporting the so-called USB Mass Storage protocol. This is a protocol that has been published and lets you access any storage device, be it a camera or a disk connected via USB to your computer. As there are already drivers for this protocol out there, you don't need an additional program like gphoto2.
As of now, the following cameras seem to support the USB Mass Storage protocol:
Casio QV [2x00,3x00,8000]
Fuji FinePix S1 Pro, [1400,2400,4700]Zoom, 1300, 4500
HP PhotoSmart 315, 618, 912
Leica Digilux 4.3
Konica KD300Z
Kyocera Finecam s3
Minolta Dimage 7
Nikon Coolpix 995
Olympus C-100, C-200Z, C-700, C-860L, C-2040, C-3020Z, C-3040Z, C-4040Zoom, D-510, E-10
Pentax Optio 330
Sony DSC-F505(V), DSC P5, DSC-F707
Again, those cameras cannot be accessed through gphoto2.
Other cameras support a protocol called PTP or USB Imaging Devices that has been developed by Kodak and other. gphoto2 does not support PTP yet, but jPhoto does. Here is a short list of cameras that use this protocol:
Kodak DC-4800, DX-3215, DX-3500, DX-3600, DX-3700, DX-3900, MC3 and all the cameras that use Kodak Easy Share™ system.
Sony DSC-P5, DSC-F707 (both need user configuration of the camera)
These cameras won't be supported until gphoto2 implements PTP.