Why is preview for photos running slow in Mavericks?

Add me to the list. Since updating my Macbook Pro to Maverick, Preview displays the NEF files from my Nikon D600 so slowly that it's unworkable. (I can however see them in Adobe Bridge CS6, indicating that the problem is with Maverick.) I hope that Apple fixes this bug, and it is a bug, soon.

Same problem for me, with RAW pictures from a Canon 5DmkII (approximately 25Mo each). No issue with the disk space (over 500Go free) but the previews are really super slow, it's almost impossible to make a selection via Mavericks' systems ... switched to Bridge for now, I hope Apple is gonna correct that bug pretty fast 'cos I'd really like to be able to use the finder, specially to start using tags ...

Same issue here. Canon RAW and Sony ARW are painfully slow to load. Fingers crossed for a fix to this.

Same here, hitting the space bar in Finder on a Nikon D800E NEF file results in a 3-5 second delay, followed by the opening of an error message: "An error occured with the preview of this document."

Even though it's a Mac Pro 8-core from 2008, it shouldn't be this slow... and wasn't before:

Processor 2 x 2,8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon

Memory 16 GB 800 MHz DDR2 FB-DIMM

Graphics ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB

Software OS X 10.9 (13A603)

the same problem here, macbook pro retina 2013 😟

This has been driving me crazy. I've had to back up 180 GB of pictures from my Maverick run Macbook pro jus so that I could figure out if space was the issue and try things out. Surprisngly the preview works jus fine on iMac which still has mountain Lion. Now I know the reason why. I've literally stopped using by Laptop. Infuriating!

Same problem here. Macbook Retina 8gb ram, 3ghz intel cor i7, 512gb SSD (420gb free). The problem started right after upgrading to Maverick!!! How can I go back to Mt Lion?

Dear D600N,

Given that the same problem seems to be occurring (1) on a range of Apple computers, (2) with both RAW (Canon) and NEF (Nikon) files, (3) with different programs running simultaneously on each user's system, and (4) the only common element being the recent installation of Maverick, and (5) these problems did not occur before Maverick (e.g., Mt. Lion) was installed, I think it's pretty safe to conclude that the problem is Maverick and Maverick only.

Also, does anybody else find it strange that Apple has said absolutely nothing about this problem?

@ejcpr

it's really not hard to go back to 10.8. If you have time machine back ups, it's very easy. Just boot up using the option button and then restore with time machine. The only problem might be is it's been too long and the backups have been over written. Be sure to back up your data so you can have your most recent instead of the old files.

The other option is to boot from your Mountain Lion install USB drive that you made for backup. Then after it finishes in a half hour just reinstall all apps.

Remember - always backup your data, passwords, etc.

same problem here. mid 2012 macbook pro. 16gb ram. 256 SSD. i downgraded back to Lion. will wait for apple to fix this before upgrading to maverick again. battery life is so much better on maverick though.

same here with my macbook pro..jpg, even 500px 72 dpi is feels like 2 century

I've got the same problem as everyone else described under this thread.

I invested in a brand new iMac 27" (3,5 GHz Intel Core i7, 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3) earlier this autumn. I've been a PC user up until then, and I switched to Mac because I was told that when working with different kinds of graphical puposes, Mac is the best alternative.

Before I upgraded to Mavericks, I was satisfied with most parts of my iMac, although I was a little bit disappointed that Canon ImageBrowser EX did not function as well as the version of this software that is available for PC.

After upgrading to Mavericks, Preview.app and Finder is very slow when it comes to viewing .cr2-files from my Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Very frustrating indeed. And for those of you having an older Mac with much lower capacitys when it comes to processor power, it must be like a nightmare. But even with my top version of iMac, it is not at all amusing when wanting to preview and delete hundreds of pictures after a photo shoot.

From the beginning, after the problems was revealed, I've been in contact with the Apple support department in Sweden. With their advises I have reinstalled Mavericks not only one time, but several. With no improvement what so ever. After my last discussion with a senior advisor at AppleCare, I got the answer that the engineering department in Ireland was aware of the problem and that they were doing investigations in the matter. An eventual fix would be provided in an upcoming update of Mavericks. But I got no promise that the issue would be taken care of in the imidiate future.

I have informed Apple that I will give them a month or two to fix the problem. If it's not solved after that, I will contact Apple again and try to return all of my equipment.

In this stage, I must say I regreat that I didn't buy a new PC instead...

I can't figure out what is taking so long to get this fixed. I understand your frustration. It doesn't seem to matter the age of the computer. I have a 2010 iMac and Macbook Pro that seem to be the same speed as a brand new one. They all ran Preview faster than now.

Luckily I upgraded my SSD on my MBA before the upgrade and I put the 128 in the external USB case. When I go through my pictures I boot to 10.8.5. I'm the lucky one I guess.

This is ridiculous though. I submitted the bug report 1.5 months ago. This should have been fixed. I downgraded 4 of my macs back to 10.8.5 because of this specific issue.

Same problem. I bought a 15 inch MacBook Pro with retina display with 2,3 GHz and the preview of RAW-files is slower than on my late 2011 15 inch MacBook Pro. And it isn't just slower, the MacBook is going crazy and freezing down when going up and down in preview.

I hope Apple will fix it soon.

I have GOT to believe Apple is being a complete F'n ******* when it comes to responding to the public about this issue. I'm actually now quite upset that apple has not officially recognized this major flaw. *** APPLE!!? Are you trying to make me go back to Pc??????