To test the quality/resolution of photos uploaded to iCloud Photos, using the latest iPhoto on a Mac I created an album with 150 photos. After the photos were uploaded I exported them to my desktop (Using the "Original" setting). Comparing the files from the iPhoto Libraries to the ones exported from iCloud, I notice that the latter have a smaller file size.
Does iCloud lower the quality/resolution of photos uploaded?
It's not clear whether you are referring to photos kept in the cloud for photo stream or iCloud photo library, but in both cases they are stored at their original resolution.
photos uploaded to iCloud Photos, using the latest iPhoto on a Mac
iPhoto can upload to "My Photo Stream" and "Shared Photo Streams", but not to iCloud Photo Library (Beta).
My Photo Stream is storing photos at the full resolution, Shared Photo Streams will transfer at a device optimized resolution.
Comparing the files from the iPhoto Libraries to the ones exported from iCloud
How did you export from iCloud?
Winston and leonie:
Thanks for replying. To help clarify things:
- I am talking about "Shared Photo Stream" ("SPS") (I do not use "My Photo Stream").
- I understand iPhoto can upload to SPS but so far it is a manual process. I wish there is an automatic process. The photos work flow I use places photos in Smart Albums as I "curate" them. I wish the new added photos to smart albums could be uploaded automatically.
- The way I upload photos to a SPS is to click on an Album, Ctr+A to select all the photos and click share to a photo stream (as leonie once told me!!).
- Once all the photos are uploaded to a SPS, I Ctr+A to select them and select Export. In the Export settings I select "Original".
- When comparing the file size of the exported photos to the corresponding one in the iPhoto Library, I noticed that the file size of the exporting photos is smaller than the one in the iPhoto Library. I did this a couple of times and got the same result.
- I understand that photos in a SPS will be transferred to IOS devices at optimal resolutions.
- My interest in knowing if photos in SPS are kept in original resolution is to know if when displaying them in a high quality monitor (or TV), using an Apple TV, they will look the best!
- An lastly, and just for speculation, do you know if the new iPhoto app for Mac will address some of these issues?
Hope the above clarifies it.
See this support document:
iCloud Photo Sharing FAQ - Apple Support
All photos uploaded to Shared Photo Streams will be scaled down, if they are larger than the limits:
When shared, photos taken with standard point-and-shoot cameras, SLR cameras, or iOS devices will have up to 2048 pixels on the long edge. Panoramic photos can be up to 5400 pixels wide.
iCloud Photo Sharing supports both MP4 and QuickTime video file types, and H.264 and MPEG-4 Video file formats. Videos can be up to 5 minutes in length and are delivered at up to 720p resolution.
My Photo Stream can deliver at the original size, but does not support videos and will only store the last 1000 photos.
The Apple TV has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080, the photos in a shared stream should be good enough to be displayed at their best assuming the originals were.
We aren't allowed to discuss speculation anyway, but I don't know anything about the new photo app if we were.
Photos quality/resolution iCloud photo sharing
