The Woes of iPhoto - DPChallenge Forums

10/11/2008 12:44:13 AM · #1

So being the good little amateur-trying-to-get-better photographer that I am, I decided to shoot somewhat in RAW tonight for some homecoming events. All's well and good and I'm happy about my images.

Until I try to move photos from the camera to the computer...(intel mac 10.5.5) Turns out that iPhoto has stopped talking to .cr2 files. Which is weird, because I've shot in RAW before and it imported fine, but this time iPhoto just froze up and the whole laptop started having a conniption....

So why? Nothing's changed (same camera, same card, etc), except I've moved my iPhoto library to an external hard drive, and I can import .JPG pictures just fine. The .cr2 files aren't even showing previews on the import screen...I need more than 2GB for this weekend, I already shot like 600-ish MB tonight with mostly JPG, and I only shot for three or four hours. Tomorrow I'm shooting 6-7 hours...help!!!

10/11/2008 12:51:04 AM · #2

Check .mac for updates for iPhoto. (Apple at the top left, use the dropdown for "Software Update".
A reboot may be a temp fix for the problem. I had problems moving AVI video files around for a while until I did the update.
Also, try uploading them from the card into a top rank file. Make a new file on the left in "Finder" and put them there. Maybe it will take them from there.

10/11/2008 12:53:02 AM · #3

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

'm all updated, even checked Apple's website...haven't tried a reboot yet, I should though. (ETA: Reboot didn't work. Tried to import only .JPG images, also didn't work. I really don't want to try deleting all the .cr2 images, I need some of them and a reshoot is not possible.)

What does that mean? The camera doesn't show up as an external device...should it?

Message edited by author 2008-10-11 01:02:54.

10/11/2008 01:03:10 AM · #4

My Fuji has options in the settings menus to change it from showing up as a camera to showing up as a USB external drive. I usually use a card reader unless I am traveling.
I always move the image files to a monthly file in Finder, view that using preview, eliminate the duds, view the rest in preview/slideshow, where I can select the ones that I want to do more with in iPhoto. You can select them during the slide show, and it will move them to iPhoto when you close the slide show. It's important to move the files out of the card to the file in Finder and eject the card before the slide show, and do the whole operation with iPhoto not open. It will open iPhoto at the end of the slide show, and put the selected ones in the "last import" event file.
I don't work with RAW very much, as the Fuji RAW files are 34.5 meg each. A 4 gig card is only about 85 shots in RAW.

ETA, If iPhoto opens when you plug in the camera, you can change that option. Open iPhoto, click iPhoto at the top left, choose Preferences in the drop down, then "connecting camera opens" choose "no application" .
One other thing, if you pull the card out without ejecting it, you will get a popup about doing that. I have to close Preview first, then eject the card using the eject button by the card's icon in Finder. If you accidently unplug the camera or card reader, just plug it back in and it will find it and be all ok when you properly eject it again. I lost a card full of images that way one time when the camera batteries went dead and I didn't know about that trick.

Message edited by author 2008-10-11 01:12:47.

Katmystiry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

10/11/2008 01:16:19 AM · #5

I have no problems with my RAW files and iPhoto (I have a 30D, 20D and 300D) ... the only questions I can think to ask is how much RAM do you have and how much hard drive free space do you have? I'd have to also say move the library back to your Mac and export your RAW files to your external after you import from your camera.

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

10/11/2008 03:04:50 AM · #6

Originally posted by JesiLynR:

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
Check .mac for updates for iPhoto. (Apple at the top left, use the dropdown for "Software Update".
A reboot may be a temp fix for the problem. I had problems moving AVI video files around for a while until I did the update.
Also, try uploading them from the card into a top rank file. Make a new file on the left in "Finder" and put them there. Maybe it will take them from there.

'm all updated, even checked Apple's website...haven't tried a reboot yet, I should though. (ETA: Reboot didn't work. Tried to import only .JPG images, also didn't work. I really don't want to try deleting all the .cr2 images, I need some of them and a reshoot is not possible.)

What does that mean? The camera doesn't show up as an external device...should it?

Have you tried using a card reader? Much faster than using the camera, anyway.

10/11/2008 09:52:10 AM · #7

Aaaagh now even the JPG's that I took this morning aren't showing up in iPhoto!!! But I don't think it's corrupted, everything else seems fine...I mean, the card doesn't have any problems in-camera..

I created a new iPhoto library on my mac...didn't help. Gonna try the maclab in the resident tech center and then the windows lab in the science building. I don't have a card reader or access to one, or time to buy one...lol I'm just full of problems.

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

I don't think my rebel has that option...and my camera's only 8mp, lol, so a 2gb card is around 215 RAW shots (and 500+ JPG).

Sony SAL-50F14 Normal 50mm f/1.4 Autofocus Lens for the Sony

10/11/2008 10:06:33 AM · #8

If your Mac came with Graphic Converter app, you may be able to upload the images into G C and later move them to iPhoto. I am curious about what it causing the problem. Check on line with Canon. Maybe their support site has something about it. Uploading directly from the camera to iPhoto may take longer than you expect, but I don't understand why there is suddenly a problem.
Can you borrow a card reader from someone nearby?

Canon main support number ; 800 828 4040

When I had the glitch with AVI camera vid files, I found that I could upload them by selecting only all the AVI files for one upload, then all the JPG files for a second upload. It would not upload if I tried to upload all of them in one operation. If you can get your card to appear as a removable disc, then you may be able to do the same by separating the RAW from the JPG files to upload them, and put them in separate files in the computer.

Message edited by author 2008-10-11 10:33:39.

ladyhawk22

Sony DSLR-A700

10/11/2008 10:28:21 AM · #9

I don't know if this is helpful or not....

But your camera uses SD memory, right? If it comes down to it in a pinch, it may be cheaper to go buy another card to use for this weekend and figure out the problem when you have more time. I just bought a 4gig SDHC card the other night for $20 at Circuit City.

A much cheaper option than a card reader anyways :-) And would give you more flexibility to deal with the software issue.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/11/2008 11:11:26 AM · #10

Crisis has been averted -- the problem is with my computer, not my card or my camera. Images imported just fine on the iMac in the tech center. I love being in college!!

I still want to know why, though. The iMac was 10.5.4 and my laptop's 10.5.5...maybe that last update did something funky.

I don't think I have the graphic converter app...I tried uploading JPG separately, it didn't work.

I think that if I had given my computer more time, it might've done it, but it started smellin a bit smokey and I didn't want to let it overheat so I was like "ABORT!"

ladyhawk -- It actually takes CF, and my college is in the middle of nowhere..the nearest big town is 20 minutes away, and I don't have a car :(

Message edited by author 2008-10-11 11:12:30.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

10/11/2008 12:18:52 PM · #11

Apple's latest Camera RAW update 2.2 caused some issues, and I suspect that's the source of your problems. See if you can open a RAW file in Preview. If not, it's probably the update causing a system-wide problem.

Message edited by author 2008-10-11 12:26:51.

10/11/2008 12:24:29 PM · #12

Try shutting down the laptop, then take out the battery for a minute. That will reset anything that may happen to be running in the background which may be in "hold" when you shut it down from the keyboard. I have solved a few problems with my Powermac G5 by removing the power when noting else worked. Once in a while I can get it hung in a loop inside a program, and that seems to break the cycle.
Glad to see that you found a temporary solution. If you have the images on disc now, be sure to format the card before the next shoot, and that may prevent the problem from coming up again at the next upload.

Have a good time at the homecoming activities.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/11/2008 03:22:00 PM · #13

Originally posted by scalvert:

Hey, good point -- when I opened the files on the iMac in the lab, the .jpg ones would open in Preview but the .cr2 had to open in the adobe thing....hmm.

I certainly should format the card. I'm importing again (filled my card all up) and will format after the import's done.

Homecoming is going great!! I got to shoot a 65-year reunion which was pretty incredible to see how people still remember each other and details of each other's lives. I also tried to shoot a football game with a 50mm....lol, it was kind of a failure, but luckily my second shooter showed up and she has a 70-300mm, so yay!

goinskiing

Canon EOS-6D

10/11/2008 03:31:42 PM · #14

I'm running a 2008 2.4 GHz MBP with all the latest updates, 10.5.5, all the RAW updates. I also shoot RAW consistently on my Rebel 350D. I am able to open .cr2 files in preview. So I know all the updates should work fine for the 350D's RAW files on your Intel Mac.

As I can't afford a fancy RAW workflow like Aperature or Lightroom, I generally use the Digital Photo Professional to do all my RAW conversions. It's pretty easy and it gets the job done. Any other edits I need to do I do in Photoshop CS3. I had nothing but troubles using iPhoto for all my RAW edits, it just was not very useful. I do all the edits with DPP, CS3, and then the final jpgs I get I import into iPhoto to showcase, but definitely not for editing.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more questions about it and I can test my Mac side-by-side yours.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

10/11/2008 03:45:33 PM · #15

Originally posted by goinskiing:

I have a 2007 2.1GHz Macbook with all updates. Not sure about Canon's latest RAW updates. Does your iPhoto open your RAW files?

The iMac that I'm on, 10.5.4 and 2.66GHz, has no problem with .cr2 in iPhoto.

ETA: aHA! The latest Camera RAW update from Apple is not installed on this computer. Hopefully they don't install it!!

Message edited by author 2008-10-11 15:52:21.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

10/11/2008 04:30:05 PM · #16

I am aware that iPhoto (as well as iTunes) often has problems with the library being moved someplace other than the default folder.

Here are a couple of things that may help:
Apple support: How to move the iPhoto library

Macrumors forums: Moving Iphoto library to an external drive

lynnesite

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

10/11/2008 08:24:44 PM · #17

Instead of using iPhoto to move the images from camera or card to the computer, you can always use Image Capture (in the apps folder) instead, it's faster and they don't disappear into the maw of the iPhoto structure.

And you can set the prefs to default to Image Capture rather than to iPhoto for ingesting.

(Personally, I use iView)