User profile for user: EsoEso
EsoEso Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

Apple Photos doesn't sort properly

Hey All,


This problem bugs me since Apple released Photos for Mac and it still prevents me to move my Aperture library to Photos.


I have tried everything, but Photos just won't sort my pics according to the "Date Taken". Not in created "Albums" and not in the "Photos" tab which is supposed to show all pics "oldest first". ("All Photos" sorts them by import date/time, that is also not helping me.)


So what does "oldest first" mean to Apple? To me it looks like Photos jumbles my pics randomly. If I check the "Info" window it clearly shows that Photos sorts some of the pics that have a newer date later in the sequence (and vice versa). The pics just don't show in the correct order they were taken. Independent from the location by the way.


I hope anyone can help on this (because I might be too stupid to figure it out) - or Apple reads this and provides a fix for this bug.


Thanks and regards,

Michael

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Oct 17, 2016 2:19 PM

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11 replies
User profile for user: LarryHN
LarryHN
User level: Level 10
106,142 points

Oct 17, 2016 2:31 PM in response to EsoEso

Photos sorts correctly (with the exception of an issue with photos taken in one time zone and imported in a different time zone) - you simply do not understand that All PHotos is not sorted by Photo date and can not be (as shown in the view menu ==> sort options) - All Photos is only sorted by the date added to Photos with the newest photos at the bottom (photos migrated do not have an aded date so the initial migration is somewhat random


It works properly and as intended - migration is optional


You can tell Apple what you want - http://www.apple.com/feedback/

But since finding photos by date added is critical to many work flows and yu have Photos and user albums to look at photos sorted by capture date I seriously doubt any change here


LN

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User profile for user: EsoEso
EsoEso Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

Oct 17, 2016 2:54 PM in response to LarryHN

Thanks for your immediate reply.


I am aware how "All Photos" are sorted (by date imported to the Photos software) - clear.


But there is a difference between the "All Photos" album and the "Photos" tab.


The pics under tab "Photos" are supposed to be sorted by capture date ("oldest first", which is the only available option in the view menu) - which works for most, but not for all.


I will try to be more clear with a few screenshots.


Picture 1 with capture date:

User uploaded file

Pic 2:

User uploaded file

Pic 3:

User uploaded file

All pics taken with the same camera, same location and same time zone.


The order should be 1, 3, 2 (from left to right) according to the capture date/time (see "Info" on screenshots). But instead it's 1, 2, 3.


It's the same problem when I add these pics to an album - it just won't sort by capture date/time.

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User profile for user: beschepeter depp
beschepeter depp
User level: Level 1
19 points

Oct 30, 2016 3:08 PM in response to EsoEso

Exact same problem. I was AMAZED to find Photos lacking such a basic capability.


I NEVER care which order the files were copied off the card/iOS device into the computer. I ALWAYS care about the chronological sequence in which they were shot, yet Photos 1.5 on MacOS 10.11.6 won't let me sort on capture date & time.


This fail on basic functionality completely disqualifies Photos.


Now I admit that it may be possible, by creating a special album or whatever, to achieve the desired sort order. I came here to get enlightened, but alas.


It. Shouldn't. Be. That. Hard.


I normally use more professional tools for my photo management and am reminded why every time I try to use Photos.

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User profile for user: EsoEso
EsoEso Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

Nov 1, 2016 12:26 PM in response to beschepeter depp

Thanks for your answer, beschepeter depp. It's good to know that someone has the same problem. I agree with everything you say. It's unbelievable that "Apple Photos" is not capable of sorting the pics by "capture date/time". Btw it is not possible to achieve this by creating a special album. I have tried everything.


As you say:

"It. Shouldn't. Be. That. Hard."

It shouldn't be that hard for Apple to fix such a simple thing...


I would also want to use some more professional software (like Aperture was once upon a time), but I just can't believe the fact that Apple doesn't offer a "sort by capture date/time" functionality.


I have filed a bug report (28913312) on Apple's website. Maybe everyone who is annoyed by the Apple's ignorance should do that...

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
200,723 points

Nov 1, 2016 1:32 PM in response to EsoEso

Did you edit one of the photos in your screenshot in an external editor and then reimport it, perhaps while you were in a different timezone?

That may shift the time, we are not able to see it unless we open the "Adjust Date & Time " panel. If you adjust the time, Photos will not always sort the moment immediately to account for the adjusted time. Yo will see the photos rearranged after you restart photos.



I'm not sure, which version of Photos you are using (the signature below your post is still saying Mac OS X (10.6.7)), but Photos on Sierra seems to have a bug, that the selection of photos is not working properly. The Info panel does not always update, when we select a new photos. And batch changing is changing more photos than selected in the albums, and one photo more in Photos.

The buggy behavior you are reporting may be a variant of this selection problem.

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Apple Photos doesn't sort properly

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