Anyone use Apple’s Photo app supplied with a MacBook?

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As title. Any problems editing raw files and adding things like keywords using the software supplied? Just trying to figure out if it’s possibly just the latest 2021 devices/software that have a problem with my camera photos or if any MacBook would (I’m not a Mac user).

My camera is listed as compatible and so is using the raw files, so maybe there are some device specific problems with latest laptops?

Problems in trial tests were for example adding or editing keywords to a photo, or even basic post processing editing of a photo, where the results were inconsistent in completing tasks correctly. Frequently it resulted in being hit or miss as to which photo had the correct keywords added or edited. I ended up with added keywords being attached to different photos, or editing a photo keyword would edit a different photo’s keyword instead.

I’ve googled and not come up with anything online about any errors in the Photos app in the latest devices, and have been in touch with Apple without success as to where the problems lie. Apple, of course, are known for being silent on admitting any problems. User error was ruled out though and the problems remained unexplained.
Still to decide it I should continue with a windows pc rather than thinking about moving over to a Mac.

 Mike-W-99 16 May 2022
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

Sounds odd, it has issues for sure but never seen anything like what you described. 2012 MacBook Pro hacked to run Big Sur so not exactly a supported configuration either.

 Strachan 16 May 2022
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

I have a circa 2018 MacBook Air that I recently updated from either sierra or mojave (I can’t recall which) to Monterey. Ever since I installed Monterey I have had endless problems with the photo app, and specifically with editing photos. I tend to do only very basic editing (cropping, rotating) but often the edited version will then not load in full res from iCloud (or in some cases won’t upload to iCloud). The fix I have found - which is not massively convenient but seems to work - is to right click on the edited photo (or photos) and select ‘revert to original’. Then use command+z to undo this (in effect reinstating the edits). Things generally save and are accessible as normal after this.

In reply to Mike-W-99:

Does seem very odd. One of the Apple staff I spoke to, who had 11years experience at Apple, had never seen the errors before that he witnessed happening. Time will tell if it’s some problem with all newer Macs I suppose.

In reply to Strachan:

Interesting, thanks. The machine I was using had Monterey installed.

During my trialling of a Mac, I noticed a iCloud full res error as well. The work around I found was to enter the edit section again, make a very very minor tweak anywhere, come out of edit and then the full resolution was restored and the “download” worked. Couldn’t understand though why it was ever to do with downloading from iCloud which is what it said the error was as it couldn’t download a full resolution version …. since it hadn’t uploaded and the full resolution photo was on the device all along.

Maybe various errors are connected to Monterey and not the device.

 Chris_Mellor 16 May 2022
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

My 2022 Macbook Air with MacOS Monterey edits photos okay and I just added a keyword to a photo. So long story short - it works for me.

 Strachan 16 May 2022
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

Yes definitely started with Monterey. I’m not very techy so not sure if this is helpful, but when I spoke to Apple I was also told they hadn’t seen this before (seems questionable). However, the one piece of info that was potentially useful was that the edits are saved in a separate file, and just applied to the unmodified original image file whenever you open it. So it maybe for some reason however it cross references the edits to their image files is messed up meaning it is unable to find the high res file to which the edits can then be applied. Not sure why this is resolved by a quick edit, or a brief revert to original. 

In reply to Strachan:

Interesting about a separate file, thanks; I wondered if the software did that for photos editing purposes. In my layperson’s thinking it would explain how for example a keyword could be added to a photo I hadn’t edited if the software couldn’t correctly or timeously associate the correct edit file.

Connected to this, I had also noticed that the file name displayed in the info box could be wrong for the photo being viewed/edited - eg when minimising a photo to the thumbnail version in library it sometimes briefly “blipped” to a different file name.

When discussing with Apple I mentioned the wrong file name being displayed at times and it was hinted that there could be some lag in processing. If a separate file of edits has to be associated with a photo to view/re-edit or whatever and it got it wrong, that would explain the somewhat random errors to keywords, etc.

Hopefully, Apple will get to the bottom of the problems and issue a fix for all those that have Macs as it can’t just be two machines affected!

I’ll wait a bit longer yet before I decide whether to move over to a Mac, or just buy another windows pc. I don’t really want to commit to a Mac though if it has random errors caused by the software!

 SouthernSteve 16 May 2022
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

How big are your raw files? Pixels and file size? 

In reply to SouthernSteve:

Out of camera, they are 5184x3888, and usually around 17/18 mb. Some photos used in test were that size, some smaller as they were jpegs, and they also had also problems in the Mac, with 3888 x3888, usually around 7-9mb. The photos are fine to view/edit in the iphone/iPad mobile version of the Photos app. I did note that the two versions are not fully compatible in that for example keywords are not transferable either way between the different versions.

Apple didn’t think sizes were an issue; since the handling was inconsistent, it can’t be the photos themselves that was the problem. I was told though that Mac Photos couldn’t handle really large files if I had any.

 Mike-W-99 16 May 2022
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

> iphone/iPad mobile version of the Photos app. I did note that the two versions are not fully compatible in that for example keywords are not transferable either way between the different versions.

Are you sure? My keywords are usable between devices.

 SouthernSteve 17 May 2022
In reply to Climbing Pieman:

I am wondering whether this an iOS version / Mac OS version difference

However, I would consider looking at Lightroom. It is Mac and PC compatible, has a good IOS version and uses Cloud storage. This is a paid product, but does work. Photos seems a bit of a 'neglected' product without much development and definitely not a highlight of the Mac environment where RAW conversion is part of the operating system for most camera files.

I would not choose to change to a Mac on the basis of using Photos!

https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshop-lightroom.html?promoid=3F8XBLKT...

In reply to Mike-W-99:

All I can say now (it was 2/3 weeks ago this all happened) I never saw any transfer.  I wasn’t bothered with that so didn’t try it out except noting in the passing - Apple told me they are different versions with mobile and Mac so I didn’t expect full compatibility. Also, separately, I did have iCloud issues in April (long story but I had to switch off for a week and allow Apple specialists to work on iCloud behind the scenes) so wouldn’t say for definite if something worked or not when iCloud was involved. 

IIRC Mac, though, has entry for Title, caption, keyword (ignoring face and location which I never tried), whilst mobile version has only caption. Not sure what would transfer.

I noted the software automatically used the caption box on Mac to display camera used if it was a jpeg added (never with raw), and that wasn’t transferred to mobile version under caption either.

Edit: I’ve just check iPad and I can’t find any entry under caption; seems all the previous entries have gone. Whether this was the Mac connection or an iCloud problem that’s deleted them I’ll never know. Fortunately, I didn’t rely on cation entries in the past so it’s no a big loss. Photos in the Photos app are only a small part of my photo collection which is mainly in Lightroom backups.

Post edited at 09:33
In reply to SouthernSteve:

> I would not choose to change to a Mac on the basis of using Photos!

Yup, hadn’t planned or expected to do so. As I’m sitting with a essentially dead windows pc I decided this maybe the ideal opportunity consider a Mac to start again rather than another windows machine.

Yes, appreciate comment about LR. I’ve been a long term LR user, but thought if I went Mac then it would be useful to use Photos for stuff easy transfer/sharing/etc since I have an iPad anyway. I always thought I would get 3rd party software for my main photo collection. I maybe could just say copy or duplicate to Photos for easy of swapping devices, uploading, etc.

Interestingly, a manager at Apple told me that since they stopped Aperture, their software wasn’t meant for any larger scale photo cataloguing/processing, but more the casual “snapper” wanting to shot and upload.

In reply to Climbing Pieman:

Thanks everyone; appreciate all the comments. Apple have details if they want to investigate and release fixes.


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