Problems with Skype, photo booth - mirror image.

Hi ya back, Poppet (Poppetbed)

Perhaps the response you saw was in this topic from last year.

We are so accustomed to seeing ourselves in mirror-image that all of us find it difficult to believe that iMovie does NOT reverse the image.

Call the dustman! Try this "rubbish" remover:

(1) Find something that has printed words at least 2 cm high. (CD/Book?)

(2) Hold it near your face so iSight sees both you and the words at the same time.

(3) When you have iSight ready to record in iMovie, you will find that
   the print looks right even though YOU look reversed! 

(4) If you like, make and save a short iMovie recording (share) it so you can PROVE it works.

There are also tips in that link for how to flip your images to reverse the effect when desired.

As explained in the linked topic, the preview of some apps show mirror-image. Some do not. Try the ones you use to verify they are working as designed. However, if your iMovie really does capture your image with the print backwards, there is something wrong with your MacBook. Contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider for service.

Please let us know how it goes.

Cheers,
EZ Jim

PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2)  External iSight

Hello again, Poppetbed

From your latest posts, you seem to understand that the software determines whether the images are reversed. Photo Booth (PB) is one that does. iMovie is one that does not.

If I understand your two latest posts here, all your comments seem to me to be covered in the link I sent. However, I will restate here, tailoring the response to be as specific as I can to your two latest comments.

The mirror look that is used in iChat (and Skype and PB) is by design as per Apple kBase Article iChat's picture-in-picture and Snapshot is "mirrored". This decision is for your comfort only. Apparently the Skype developers agreed with Apple, because you say they, too, have chosen the mirror view for their preview.

You can add iGlasses if you decide to turn the preview image around even though there is no need to do so for these apps. (I agree with you that you do NOT "need this for photobooth and or skype".)

You can change future PB snapshots with the Photo Booth > Edit > Auto Flip New Photos menu choice.

You can change individual snapshots already made (with PB, iChat, Mac OS X screen grabs, etc.) by opening the file with Preview and using the Preview > Tools > Flip Horizontal menu command.

PB is a very simple, "fun" app that does not offer a way to flip videos. If you do not like what PB does, choose a different app. For instance, as explained in this thread, you can use iMovie HD or QuickTime Pro to flip your saved video files. Alternatively, you can record your video clips with iMovie HD or QT Pro and flip them before saving.

If you are determined to change your iSight's image in the apps that show mirror-image views, you can add iGlasses software.

EZ Jim

PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2)  External iSight

I have the same problem with Photo Booth. It wasn't until a book entered the view that I realized the 'defect'.