Stevo987

Q: Help! My photos on the Photos app are pixelated

Using Photos app Version 1.0.1 (215.65.0) ,on my iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) 8 GB memory , 150Mb free memory with the photo I'm looking at at the moment . I have a large number of photos (33,000) but its only those prior to December 2013 that appear pixelated. I have the images on my old iMac as backup. Whats the best solution?

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on May 26, 2016 12:03 AM

Close

Q: Help! My photos on the Photos app are pixelated

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 26, 2016 12:56 AM in response to Stevo987
    Level 10 (105,518 points)
    iLife
    May 26, 2016 12:56 AM in response to Stevo987

    Are the thumbnails pixelated or the photos, when you enlarge them?

     

    AAre you using iCloud PhotoLibrary and optimize storage?

  • by Stevo987,

    Stevo987 Stevo987 May 26, 2016 11:01 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 26, 2016 11:01 PM in response to léonie

    Hi,

    The thumbnails appear to be OK even when magnified. However, when I click on the thumbnail to open the photo the result I get is pixelated and when you enlarge that image its very noticeable.

    This must be something that has happened some time after I imported them as I am sure I would have noticed this at the time I did the import.

    I am not using iCloud photo library or optimised storage. These files are in the photos library on my hard disk. They are however all backed up on another iMac.

    Any ideas?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 26, 2016 11:33 PM in response to Stevo987
    Level 10 (105,518 points)
    iLife
    May 26, 2016 11:33 PM in response to Stevo987
    This must be something that has happened some time after I imported them as I am sure I would have noticed this at the time I did the import.

    You will only notice it, if you enlarge the photos, since the browser will only show the thumbnails.

     

    What is the pixel size of the photos when you export one of the pixelated photos with "File > Export > Export original image"?  Does the exported original have the full resolution and pixel size when you open it in Preview and check it with "Tools > Show Inspector"?

     

    This will tell you, if the original photos are still the originals you imported and have not been replaced by smaller versions.

     

    Have you been using applications to reduce the storage of your Photos Library?  Some apps, that modify the library directly will replace the originals by the previews of the edited versions, for example CleanMyMac. This can decrease the quality of the originals considerably.

     

    You can also downgrade your photos by transferring photos between libraries by dragging from the browser. Then you only export the previews and not the high quality originals

     

     

    They are however all backed up on another iMac.

    What kind of backup do you have?  Have you checked that backup, if the older photos are fine?

  • by Stevo987,

    Stevo987 Stevo987 May 28, 2016 1:24 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 28, 2016 1:24 AM in response to léonie

    Hi Leonie

    Thanks for your advice.

    I tried exporting a pixelated original to my desktop but got the message 'The file couldn't be opened because there is no such file' !! There were a few images that looked OK but I got the same message on those as well.

    I then tried exporting some of the the photos post 31st December 2013 which was the cut off date when I did the iPhoto migration, the export process went OK and the the image looked fine and inspector revealed image intact.

    I have used cleanmymac which has got a new feature 'Photo junk' I am thinking this is the culprit.

    I still have the iPhoto library on my current iMac which I guess has all the pre-migration stuff (all 137.GB), I have my current iMac backed up on to Time capsule and a portable drive as well. I also have the old Imac with the original iPhoto library. So quite a few backups!

    I have checked the backups on the old iMac and they are all fine. I just started to have a look at the iPhoto library on my current iMac and it asked me if I wanted to switch libraries, it started preparing the file but I quit at that point as I wasn't sure whether that was a safe thing to do and  might cause more problems!

    Grateful for advice on next step.

    Regards

    Stevo

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 28, 2016 3:09 AM in response to Stevo987
    Level 10 (105,518 points)
    iLife
    May 28, 2016 3:09 AM in response to Stevo987
    I tried exporting a pixelated original to my desktop but got the message 'The file couldn't be opened because there is no such file' !! There were a few images that looked OK but I got the same message on those as well.

    That is exactly what CleanMyMac may be causing.  It considers the high resolution original images  to be "Photo Junk" and replaces them by the previews of the edited versions.  And if this linking goes wrong, you can no longer edit or export the photos.

     

    I would copy one of your backed up original iPhoto Libraries over and open this copy in Photos to migrate it again. Then check , if all photos are working in this restored library and delete the corrupted versions from your current library.

     

    You can simply keep switching between libraries by clicking the libraries you want to open in Photos. Or use Power Photos to merge the old, restored library with your current library.

    To merge libraries you need the full, paid version of PowerPhotos. For browsing the free trial will suffice.

    You can download PowerPhotos here:

    https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos/

  • by Stevo987,

    Stevo987 Stevo987 May 28, 2016 4:57 AM in response to Stevo987
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 28, 2016 4:57 AM in response to Stevo987

    Leonie

    Thanks I'll try that and let you know how I get on.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN May 28, 2016 7:25 AM in response to Stevo987
    Level 10 (84,105 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 28, 2016 7:25 AM in response to Stevo987

    And IMHO the most critical next step is to get rid of Clean My Mac - it has destroyed countless libraries and is un-needed at best and dangerous at worst (it has destroyed systems to the point that they can not be booted up) - it, like MacKeeper, is malwear being sold with heavy marketing to unsuspecting users  --  Do not install MacKeeper

     

    LN

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad May 28, 2016 10:51 AM in response to Stevo987
    Level 10 (140,898 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 28, 2016 10:51 AM in response to Stevo987
    150Mb free memory with the photo I'm looking at at the moment

    Just to be sure are you referring to memory usage (as reported by Activity Monitor) or free space on your hard drive? 

    OTsig.png

  • by Stevo987,

    Stevo987 Stevo987 May 29, 2016 1:07 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 29, 2016 1:07 AM in response to LarryHN

    Thanks for the advice, I had my doubts.

  • by Stevo987,

    Stevo987 Stevo987 May 29, 2016 1:08 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 29, 2016 1:08 AM in response to Old Toad

    The 150Mb referred to memory usage, (as revealed by the Clean my Mac activity monitor)

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN May 29, 2016 6:19 AM in response to Stevo987
    Level 10 (84,105 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 29, 2016 6:19 AM in response to Stevo987

    You are welcome

     

    LN

  • by Stevo987,

    Stevo987 Stevo987 May 29, 2016 12:01 PM in response to Stevo987
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 29, 2016 12:01 PM in response to Stevo987

    Hi Leonie, OT & HN

     

    Many thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out.

    Its taken all day (As I have 168GB in that file) but I have got all the photos back in good order on my new iMac. The process was relatively straightforward:

    1. I have various backups of my old iPhotos, so I grabbed the latest on my WD drive , renamed it 'Iphoto library backup' so I could tell which one it was and copied it into my pictures folder, (with two finder windows open drag an dropping from one to the other).

    2. First time I tried to open the new iPhoto file in 'Photos' I got the message that the version was 'too old'! and had to download a iPhoto Upgrader utility from the app store. So ran that on the file and then was able to migrate that old iPhoto library into photos.

    3. Checked that all image files had migrated successfully and they have.

    4. I am using Adobe Elements and Lightroom which offer superior editing functions, but with the number of photos I thought it would be a good idea to go through and tidy up the folders first using photos. I also have a lot of 'snaps' on iPhone etc which don't have the necessary resolution.

     

    Next step would be to merge the two photo libraries, but might opt for importing into Adobe Elements.

    I am going to be ditching the CleanmyMac photo junk from now on, if that was the cause of all this unnecessary hassle

     

    Thanks

    Regards

    Stevo.