Apple PICT Documents

eading QuickTake Files

Ken Kuenhold
Over the weekend I was archiving some old files, and discovered that I had quite a few photos taken with the old Apple QuickTake Camera. These photos cannot be read with any software that I have, including Photoshop Elements and GraphicConverter. There is a note on the Apple support site that one can read them only by booting into Mac OS 9, which must have the proper QuickTake extension loaded. Naturally, I don't have this extension, even if I did recall how to run Mac OS 9.

Well that's bad news, since I had long ago trashed the camera, its software, and, in fact, all my Mac OS 9-only software. I haven't booted up Mac OS 9 for a couple of years. I guess I just imagined that I could convert the files at a later date. Anyone have any suggestions?

Mike Silverman
The bad news is that the QuickTake 100 and 150 cameras used a special, proprietary version of the PICT format to store images. These can't be opened by anything, including GraphicConverter, unless you are running on an OS 9 or earlier system with Apple's special QuickTake image extension installed. Apple has a tech note about this Mac OS X: Unable to Open QuickTake 100, 150 Pictures, but of course the tech note is quite unhelpful about actually pointing you to the necessary software.

For that, you have to search Apple's database of obsolete software, where the QuickTake 1.0 software for PowerMacintosh can be found: QuickTakefor_Power_Mac1.0.sea.bin

You'll need to find a bona-fide MacOS 9 or earlier PowerMac to install this on (you can't run it in Classic mode on an OS X box) but once you do that you can then open the QuickTake pictures, and save them in another format.

If you don't have an old Mac running Classic system software handy, you can always try your local library, schools, or even actually buy a first generation PowerMac for $10 or less on eBay.

Christopher Morrison
Go to AppleCare Support - Older Software Downloads and look for "QuickTakefor_Power_Mac1.0.sea.bin". I actually converted some old photos to JPEG format a few days ago, and it works fine in Classic mode in OS X.

Craig Colthorp
I believe that iView Multimedia includes a QuickTake image plug-in that will read old QuickTake camera images. From there, one can convert the images to whatever format they wish.

[QuickTake isn't explicitly listed in the iView site as a supported format, though that may not be the final answer - MacInTouch]

Fred Shippey
His only option is to find someone with OS 9 AND the necessary software who will do the conversion for him. Note that there were two different QuickTake cameras (100 and 150) and they use different software.

By the way, I'm moderating a panel on digital imaging archiving issues at the I3A leadership conference next week and will use Ken's comments as one of my "problem" examples.

Robert Patterson
I searched my OS 9 machine and found that Adobe PhotoDeluxe 2 has some Apple QuickTake Plugins so it would seem that Adobe might be able to open them, then save as something else.

I also found that Toast Titanium 5.02 had Roxio Photo and in there, in PlugIns, is an extension called "QuickTake™ Image"

[Roger Kramer - The Roxio Photo folder (from Toast Titanium 5) contains iView Media 1.0 that includes a QuickTake image import plug-in. Have never had QuickTake images so I cannot vouch for its usability.]

Lori