How to export video without modification

Question

How to export video without modification

So it appears that the new iPhoto 9.5 modifies video files when exporting, even when you choose "original." I like to backup my original files without any modification. Images don't seem to be modified, but videos are; the timestamp changes and the size is smaller. Has anyone figured out an easy way to export/backup without modifying the original video files?

I've tried going into the iPhoto library and just backing up manually from there, but Apple has once again modified the file structure of the library so it's hard to figure out if you're getting all the files, or even what date you're getting. It seems to separate it by month and date of import, but not the date the actual image/video was taken.

I liked the old version where you just select a range of images/videos in iPhoto and export the originals to a backup drive without any modification.

Here's a screenshot of how it organizes the files in the library. Kind of a mess.

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9), mid-2011 12GB RAM

Posted on Dec 30, 2013 12:28 PM

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Answer 1

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Dec 30, 2013 12:38 PM in response to Randy Farnsworth

If youy export the original then that is what you get - and that is the only way to export video

Direct access to the content of the iPhoto library is not (*and never has been) supported

Not at all sure what you mean by the timestamp being modified - videos do not have embeded time data so far as I know - if yu are talking about the file data of course that is modified since you are creating a new file and the file metadata reflects the new file

LN

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Answer 2

Dec 30, 2013 12:46 PM in response to LarryHN

With past versions, when you exported as "original," it wasn't actually exporting a new file; it was copying the original file to a new location. So you were getting a bit-for-bit copy of the original. It appears to still do that with images—the copied file has the same datestamp and size as the original. By "datestamp" I mean the date you see on the file in Finder, not the embedded Exif info.

But with videos, the new version is modifying the original, making it a smaller file size, and changing the file's datestamp. If I choose "original," I should be getting a direct copy of the original, but I'm not. Instead I'm getting a modified version of it. And given the filesize change, I'm assuming it's a compressed version.

I know direct access to the library isn't supported. It's the Apple way to keep stuff like that hidden. But in the past, if I wanted to, I could view package contents and get to files I needed much more easily than the new version allows.

I'm just trying to find an easy way to back up the original video file, not a modified version of it.

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Answer 3

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Dec 30, 2013 12:49 PM in response to Randy Farnsworth

I'm just trying to find an easy way to back up the original video file, not a modified version of it.

use image capture to download the videos to your own folder structure before or rather than importing into iPhoto

LN

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Answer 4

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,242 points

Dec 30, 2013 2:21 PM in response to Randy Farnsworth

Randy

Have you tried playing any of the exported versions? What's the difference in filesize?

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Answer 5

Dec 30, 2013 2:26 PM in response to Yer_Man

My old eyes couldn't tell the difference, especially since these are just family videos taken with our digital camera. When I exported one today as a test, the filesize was almost the same. When I did the same thing last week, there seemed to be a much bigger difference. So maybe it's just re-saving the file without actually re-compressing or modifying it.

I'll keep experimenting to see if there's any noticable difference. For our family videos it probably doesn't matter. But occasionally I have need to export in much higher quality. For that, maybe I'll just search for the original file on the HD and copy it manually.

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