From iMac, Image Capture says 599 items, OS X Photos imports 597 from iPhone, iCloud Photos says 612 Photos and Videos, iPhone Photos says 625. How to resolve discrepancies?

Thanks for the response. Yeah, I already fiddled with that. iCloud settings:

Options:

I removed the iMac Photos library and re-created a "New" library, Getting ready to import iPhone Photos again. OS X Photos reports 622 new photos on iPhone, 3 less that iPhone Photos reports for "All Photos" and peruse thumbnails shows 3 that are videos and blank thumbnails. It is unknown if this is a source of the discrepancy. Heh, Heh reminiscent of,... " Windows: turn off, ignition, roll windows up and down several times and turn on ignition!"

Bottom line, still no way to manage large photo libraries' item counts when discrepencies exist. Set it and forget just doesn't cut the mustard, IMHO. Disparate applications written by possibly different teams have been difficult to achieve uniformity.

Thank you for your response.

Thanks for the clarification, Larry; but your logic appears to be faulty, there should be no differences. iCloud and iOS Photos have no multiple Library features that I am aware, OS X Photos can switch photo Libraries. And for some unknown reason, I can no longer view the "Camera Roll" from iOS Photos app. Seems like obfuscation to me. I was wondering if you have personal knowledge that these various apps on multiple platforms were uniformly developed by a singular team? Isn't it true that the three platforms, iCloud Photos, OS X Photos, iOS Photos, have different features? Expecting seamless functionality before public rollout may be an unrealistic one. Thanks again.

OK, Sorry to be confusing. And yes, you may be correct, it could be process and might not be documented clearly that there is only one prescribed startup procedure to according to iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support:support.apple.com/en-us/HT204264:

How do I turn on iCloud Photo Library?

If you want to turn on iCloud Photo Library on all of your devices, follow these steps:

• On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 8.3 or later, go to Settings > iCloud > Photos, then turn on iCloud Photo Library.
• On your Mac with OS X 10.10.3 or later, go to System Preferences > iCloud > Options next to Photos, then select iCloud Photo Library.
• On Apple TV (4th generation) with tvOS 9.2 or later, go to Settings > Accounts > iCloud > iCloud Photo Library.

This was a debugging procedure after I noticed that image counts were mismatched across the three platforms, iCloud, iOS Photos and OS X Photos or ImageCapture. I had built my photo library over time, from iPhotos to Aperture and then to Photos on OS X., then began using iPhone exclusively for photography. This would not be a sequence of the current masses, so I began reconstructing, first by importing my photos to the Mac.

Yes, perhaps my logic is faulty as believing this is a simple database issue; but after "zeroing" out all but Photos app on the iPhone (a starting point many folks would use) I began rebuilding and the various import regimens showed image count discrepancies. This has been reported numerous times, elsewhere in the Support blogs.

I have not been able to utilize any of the "so called" fixes with 100% certainty of apparent non image loss during transfer. It is exactly a chicken and egg proposition; and yes, others have been successful and other have not been, in terms of consistent image counts.

Finally, inconsistency of the various platforms look-and-feel has been increasing since the parting of Steve Jobs, a sad commentary on fragmented development; perhaps unavoidable with current leadership.

Thank you for your attention and patience, I have a couple approaches to try based upon your input, set up my empty OS X Photos on iCloud and proceed from there.

Best regards, R.J. Wilson

One failed sequence:

No rhyme or reason for mismatched counts nor error message detailing mismatch! At many screen views, there are no item counts when accounting is fundamental of a "computer" and reporting counts is trivial. My only conclusion to the absence of routine accounting of items is that omission was an intentional cover up.

This may be fine for those not caring if iCloud contains ALL their photographs or most. IMHO, this is just unsatisfactory, and quibbling about process and "it works fine for me" commentary is neither scientific nor acceptable. Reminiscent of the old pea and shell game.