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iPhone isn't transferring photos taken with built-in filters

When taking photos with my iPhone5, regular or square, any photo filter I choose (Noir, for example) will show in my phone's photo album. However, when transferring pics to iPhoto, the filter is removed and it is a regular non-filtered photograph. I have tried this with several filters, as well as with HDR on and off, saving normal picture on and off, you name it. Every photo taken with one of the built-in photo filters loses the effect when transferring to iPhoto.

iPhone 5, iOS 7

Posted on Sep 25, 2013 11:51 AM

Reply
86 replies

Feb 27, 2016 2:12 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

1. Because this only works for the Apple camera, not other photo apps.


2. because it is insecure (as previously stated)


3. Because it is unreliable (as previously stated)


4. Because it takes up disk space on ALL your devices (as previously stated)


5. Because it consumes enormous bandwidth (as previously stated)


I'm just reiterating this for you. I and others have made these points previously. It isn't working properly the way you suggest. Not sure how to make that clear.


Emailing or Airdropping to oneself involves selecting images individually as there is no select all feature. Also, Airdropped files are not filtered. It's the same issue. This is mind numbingly time consuming and tedious when selecting a lot of photos. The feature is only useful as an ad hoc service for a small number or single images, not as part of any regular workflow. We've come to expect technology, especially Apple technology to improve our lives and create ease. The above issues are due to a seemingly built in retrograde step of disallowing simple tethered transfer any more - for no good reason. However, we are asking this as practical question, not as a philosophical one on this post. I have provided the reasons why as a courtesy to you. Some are practical, some are privacy based. It is, I agree an interesting and complex issue. I also appreciate that method works for you, but it does not copy all of my photos when I do it that way (notwithstanding the security and privacy as well as bandwidth and disk space usage issues) - hence the need for 100% reliability of a cable. I personally don't want or need images on a cloud either (again irrespective of the concerns above and I personally find the whole forced loop utterly counter productive and 'aggressive' and ungenerous by Apple in it's implementation). Ever.


The original question still stands, unfortunately so.


The current result is a complete mess of photo organisation and transfer. Some are in the photo stream, some are not. Some are in the camera roll, some are not. I also have a couple of stragglers shared to the iCloud drive for export. Some are in the last or recent imports in iPhoto (and now Photos in an attempt to try that method, which also does not boring over filtered images), so I have photos in five places. All these sources need to be checked so as not to accidentally delete an image that is not in the other library/location. This all occurs because one cannot transfer simply and easily via a cable any more.

Feb 27, 2016 2:11 PM in response to Nathan Jones2

1, 2 and 3 work 100% of the time for me. Perfectly every time. I use iCloud Photos on a daily basis. Ones I don't want on my phone I export to another app and delete them. There is no security issue with iCloud, unless you create a stupid password. iCloud is encrypted using your identity, and can only be accessed by Apple under court order. Of course, if you routinely take photos that might get you in trouble with the law this isn't a solution. But most of us don't have that problem.

Apr 26, 2016 8:05 PM in response to AychAychAych

I came across this problem yesterday after taking heaps of photos with the camera's filters and then found when I tried to upload them using iPhoto all the filters were missing and the photos were all in colour.


I found a simple way around it for non-techie types like myself - I created an album on Facebook that was set so only I could see it, and I uploaded all the photos into that album. All the filter affects are retained and I can then easily download the photos from that album.


The only problem I've found is the size it uploads them, which ends up being under quite small, so if I want to print any of the photos at a larger size, I will need to email those ones to myself first so I can choose a larger size.

Apr 27, 2016 2:36 AM in response to Writeability

Yes, Facebook will reprocess any images. It does not upload and display the original. You'll likely see them as slightly less sharp and often reduced file size.


I think all of these Heath Robinsonesque methods illustrate the issue clearly, and that a method of tethered import - with filter data needs to be made. I'm perplexed as to why this does not exist as it seems the most obvious and simple method to get photos from A to B.


I have still not found a resolution to the problem. Emailing photos to oneself - especially as Photos does not provide a Select All (and selecting too many will fail to send anyway) - is utterly tedious. Also, you lose the image name and it becomes called FullSizeRender - which sounds like the name of a low rate **** star.



Come on Apple! Let us import photos properly!

Apr 27, 2016 4:26 PM in response to Nathan Jones2

I have found another way of keeping the formatting and also the original photo size, and that is to load them to Dropbox. Unfortunately it loads EVERY single photo stored on my iPhone so I'm going to have to go in and delete them so I don't run out of space as I only have the free version of Dropbox.


The first photo I loaded as a test (into a separate folder, before realising it was then loading EVERY photo into a Camera Uploads folder) was 1.5MB and it had kept the black and white filter I had used in the camera to take the photo.


It is still VERY annoying that Apple doesn't have some way of allowing us to retain the formatting and upload the photos to iPhoto or similar.

Apr 27, 2016 4:40 PM in response to Writeability

Ah, just discovered it's not really working, the Dropbox idea! If I go into Dropbox on my phone and load each photo I want separately, it keeps the formatting, but if it does an automatic upload, it doesn't.


I don't know if there is a way to stop the automatic upload of every photo as I only want to upload selected photos. Maybe I will have to choose the ones to upload and then turn the feature off so the rest don't upload as well.


Sort your stuff out, Apple!

May 2, 2016 10:23 AM in response to adiosamigo

Yes, Apple doesn't seem to understand that there exists a world besides iCloud. I have many cameras and devices, family members have other brands of phones, etc. The concept of a Camera Roll is so simple that I am astounded that Apple found a way to screw it up. Fine if Apple wants to use AAE sidecar files for the edits, but at LEAST put a function in the Photos app on iOS, whereby I can "commit" the edits permanently (which would result in rewriting the JPEG and discarding the AAE sidecar file for that image.) There are in fact a few Apps in the App Store that will do this, but they are tedious. I like to make quick edits on the fly right from the camera roll, I rarely need to UNDO the edits later, or re-edit them. Maybe even offer a Setting in iOS where I can choose if I want destructive edits or not. Or maybe, when I make edits, duplicate the photo! (like was done in the "old days") Apple can't even give me a "Duplicate" function in the Camera Roll, for crying out loud.

iCloud is not for everyone. I don't want my photos synced all over the place and don't need them in the cloud. I don't want to pay Apple for storage that I don't really need. Apple should not have reinvented the wheel as far as the camera functions, just because of iCloud.

May 2, 2016 3:45 PM in response to bprice

Exactly! I could understand Apple not keeping the formatting from outside apps, but to do this for the onboard camera filters is bizarre. If you can upload the edited photos to Facebook, why not allow them to be kept when loading using iPhoto?


I use an app called SuperPhoto and when I apply that to photos stored in the camera, I am given the option of saving the photo - and it saves it in addition to the original. Why can't Apple offer this feature?


I am a photographer and wanted to have a play and do a series of shots just using my iPhone and the onboard camera filters. I'm rethinking that decision now!

Jul 7, 2016 11:56 PM in response to AychAychAych

Ok. Now I am from India and majority of people here dont have iPhones or Macs..


I faced this problem yesterday and it was kind a bummer because I took loads of photos in a family event and then promised everyone that I will send them those photos (with filters). But when I connected my phone with my Windows laptop, the photos were showing without filter.


Spent some time thinking how to get filter-attached photos. Finally, found a really handy and easy workaround.


I opened Xender and transferred all the pics to my wife's Galaxy S4. Once they were in S4, I connected S4 with my laptop and copy pasted all filter-attached photos from it. BOOM.


Really wish Apple will do something about it in next iOS itself, so I don't have to rely on other apps to do this simple things.

iPhone isn't transferring photos taken with built-in filters

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