Q: Photos vs iPhoto - how are we feeling?

Photos is an integral part of the system now and is updated as part of the OS updates.

I find it works just as well as iPhoto for me, but I might be the target audience. I just dump my pictures into the app and use it in its default form to organize and find my pictures.

Photos is more powerful than iPhoto in editing. With the new extensions one can use any 3rd party editor of your choice in your Applications folder from inside Photos. 

It does take a bit of getting used to not having Events.  However,

Moments in Photos are the new Events, i.e. groupings of photos sorted by date taken.

 

When the iPhoto Library was first migrated to Photos there is a folder created in the sidebar titled iPhoto Events and all migrated iPhoto Events (which are now Moments) are represented by an album in that folder.

To open the sidebar if it's not already open use the Option+Command+S key combination.

 

NOTE: It's been reported by several users that if the Event albums are moved out of the iPhoto Library folder in the sidebar they may disappear.  It's not widespread but several users have reported that issue.  Therefore, if you want to assure that you keep those Event albums don't move them outside the iPhoto Events folder.

 

There's a way to simulate events in Photos.

When new photos are imported into the Photos library go to the Last Import smart album, select all the photos and use the File ➙ New Album menu option or use the key combination Command+N.  Name it as desired.  It will appear just above the iPhoto Events folder where you can drag it into the iPhoto Events folder

 

When you click on the iPhoto Events folder you'll get a simulated iPhoto Events window.

Albums and smart albums can be sorted by Title, by Date with oldest first and by Date with newest first.

There are a couple of deficiencies in Photos (in my opinion): 1 - can't change the background for viewing images to a darker color and 2 - limited location editing.

The limited location editing is bound to be improved with each new version.  If enough users complain about the background color it also may be addressed.

Photos has some new and powerful syncing capability between other Macs and mobile devices, i.e. iCloud Photo Library.  I'm not a fan of it but with additional purchased iCloud storage you can have your entire library available on all your devices using the same iCloud ID. 

Like any new paradigm it takes a little getting used to.  I have several test libraries that I use to try out the different features and experiment with. 

If you upgrade to Yosemite or El Capitan you don't need to use Photos.  You can still use iPhoto if you had some version of iPhoto 9.X on your machine at the time of upgrade. Go go the App Store and get 9.5.1 for Yosemite and 9.6 for El Capitan.  I still use both types for comparison and helping others.

I'd really appreciate some help finding iPhoto for El Capitan.  When I go to the app store I sure don't see it.

I like at lot about Photos.  What I don't like and is a huge problem for me is the requirement that you always need a connection to the internet on your iPhone or no pictures.  If you have a poor connection to the internet you wait, some time a long time, to get your thumbnail to turn into a real picture.  If you have no connection you just get to look at an enlarged thumbnail which *****.

iPhoto is not available in the App Store anymore. If you were using iPhoto before you upgraded to El Cap, and you were using a 9.x version prior to that upgrade, then you can follow the instructions in this User Tip to put iPhoto back on your Mac: Can't Update iPhoto because it is not available in the App Store

You also seem to be confusing iCloud Photo Library with the Photos app. You are not required to use iCloud Photo Library with Photos. I don't use it. I import my photos from my iPhone and my 35mm Camera the same way I did with iPhoto, and then I use the app on my Mac. I have Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing turned on, so if I want photos from my 35mm Camera on my iPhone, I simply share them via iCloud.

Here are a couple of support articles on iCloud Photo Library and how it works, but remember, the Photos app itself does not require that you use it:

iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support

iCloud Photo Library Help - Apple Support

Cheers,

GB

Thanks for he info on iPhoto.  I am aware that you do not need the cloud to use Photos.  Did you know when you turn off the cloud you no longer get folders on your iPhone?  That is a major pain.  I want to tame the mess one gets with too many albums.  My library is fine on my iMac but not so great on my iPhone.  Using folders provided organization beyond albums and now it gone when you turn off the cloud and sync images through iTunes.  My Photos library would have at least 8000 jpgs.  Having huge albums or many albums makes it hard to locate specific images.  I don't want to use the cloud because I want my jpgs residing on my iPhone and not the cloud where I may or may not be able to connect when I want to look at a picture.

Missing something  - sure - learning and using Photos - nearly all people who bother to learn and use it like it better than iPhoto

Nothing you read here will change your opinion - if you care you will bother to learn and then you can make an informed decision

LN

Your are right I'm still learning how to use Photos.  While I've spent many 10's of hours trying to figure out what Photos is doing and asking questions I still seem to get some little new piece of information.  The last revelation was if I didn't use the cloud I could sync my images through iTunes.  Never occurred to me and I didn't see much mentioned in the documentation on this feature.  So I was surprised when I tried turning off the cloud and finding I could get all my pictures downloaded to my iPhone.  I was again surprised when I discovered the folder structure was not copied.  I don't need my opinion changed and have more than bothered to learn.  I'm just looking for solutions to my problems.  When it looks like there are no solutions for my problems with Photos I'll go away.  I'm hoping that either someone has a solution to this problem or apple developers will fix what really looks like a bug to me.

I guess I'm a bit confused, because iPhoto doesn't have folders either. If I want to sync with iPhoto I have the option of Events, Faces, or Albums, or All Photos, Events, Faces, and Albums . With Photos, I have the option of Albums, or All Photos and Albums.

So, I guess I'm just not understanding the real difference in the sync options....

Cheers,

GB

Gail,

Photos has folders which allows you to place albums inside the folders.  It''s just another level of organization.  iPhotos doesn't have folders but on the mac it did allow you to create a tree, or whatever they called it, which again was not available on the iPhone.

Sounds like it doesn't make much difference what iPhoto does or does not do because it's no longer available.

Steve

???

Both iPhoto and iPhoto have folders and albums - both work exactly the same - folders hold albums or other folders - albums hold photos

LN

iTunes only syncs photos and  does not sync albums or folders or any organization - iCLoud Photo LIbrary is the only way to sync albums and folders - smart albums do not sync with ICPL

LN

Are you saying if I turn off icloud for my iPhone and sync my Photos library through iTunes I will retain my folder structure?  If this is true I'd be very happy and could then try to figure out why that doesn't work for me.

Again, it is only not available if you were using a version earlier than 9.x before you upgraded. I use Photos, iPhoto, and Aperture on my Mac running El Cap. When I hook up my phone to iTunes, I have the option of syncing my photos from either Photos or iPhoto.

Cheers,

GB

When I turned off icloud and synced my iPhone through iTunes I did retains albums.  Just out of curiosity is there some document that talks about this behavior?  It sure would save a lot of time if one could read what is and is not possible.

Larry, you seem to have a lot of points.  How does one make suggestions to the developers?  Obviously I would like my problem addressed.  I don't think it's to unreasonable to have an option where the cloud actually downloads all your library, if possible.  Are you always so well connected that whenever you want to look at a photo on your iPhone you never see thumbnails.  Perhaps I live in cell phone **** as far as a 4g connections goes but I've tried both ATT and Verizon and still have poor reception in many places I go.