Why are my master files pixelated?

Question

Why are my master files pixelated?

I imported about 20,000 images into Aperture, but there are two imports that have extremely pixelated master files when I am viewing them offline (I am using my master files as referenced files on an external RAID system).

Most master files (online or offline) always show up in a pretty good quality, so I can use the preview in the main viewer when I am traveling or when I am offline from my referenced files otherwise.

These two imports (about 250 images in two albums) have extremely pixelated previews when the master file (or the version) loads, which only costs a few seconds while online, but is very frustrating while working offline, as the preview is of such bad quality, that it is pretty much unusable...

I already tried to regenerate the previews of all these two imports, but it didn't change anything. ANY IDEAS?? THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE!!!

I am shooting RAW images of about 25MB file size each on average. All master files are referenced.

MacBook Pro 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.5), 4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM

Posted on Sep 7, 2011 7:57 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

shuttersp33d

Level 4

1,540 points

Sep 8, 2011 10:12 AM in response to nightphotographer

Not to ask a stupid question, but you did have the drive containing the masters connected when you regenerated the previews? 🙂

What are your preview preferences set to? Although if it's only affecting two albums (do you mean projects?), not sure what that would tell us.

Change any import settings when you brought in those images?

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Answer 2

Sep 8, 2011 10:34 AM in response to shuttersp33d

thanks for your comment, no worries, I don't believe in stupid questions! ;-)

Yes, the drive with the masters were connected while I regenerated the previews.

It affected two albums, not projects. So, I assume that it should be something with the import settings, which I normally always leave the way they are....

I already checked the import settings and I can't see any settings that would result in such an odd behaviour...

The preview preferences, I haven't touched them in like two years or so: first two boxes are checked, share previews is on "never", photo preview is on "1440x1440" and photo preview quality is on "7"

(but again, all the other 19,800 previews are just fine....so strange!)

Thanks again!

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Answer 3

Sep 8, 2011 3:40 PM in response to nightphotographer

I was just thinking if it would make any sense to re-import the images from the two folders in question...?

But then I would have two masters in the system with only one version that contains the adjustments to the first master uploaded (the pixelated one...). How could I then get rid of the first master without loosing the version and the adjustments...?

I am very grateful for any suggestion that someone out there might have! Thanks!! :-)

heidger

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Answer 4

Sep 12, 2011 8:40 AM in response to nightphotographer

I don't think there is a way to connect your adjustments to a new master, even if it is the same image.

I can see doing some workarounds, exporting the files to which you've done adjustments, deleting the pixelated stuff, re-importing, stacking, etc... but what I would try first is to make a new library and import the pixelated files there to see if you get a good previews. You can import that library later if it all works. You're still losing adjustments, but again, with some exporting, re-importing, etc. You could get a workaround.

It's just odd that those are the only affected images... Must be something different about them.

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Answer 5

Sep 14, 2011 1:19 PM in response to shuttersp33d

Hey shuttersp33d,

thanks for your response. Yes, I see now that there is no way around importing the images again and re-adjusting the masters again. Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.

heidger

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