iCloud Photo Library is OFF, so how are Photos syncing from all-time but have to delete from both places?

With Photo Stream you can delete the photos that were imported into Photos and they will not delete from the iOS device.

See the following from https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201317

The photos that you import from My Photo Stream to your other devices won’t be deleted.

I currently use iCloud Photo Library and find that most convenient for my needs. Before it was available I used Photo Stream and found that to be more convenient than manually syncing photos via USB. For me it was also a bit safer as it helped me have the photos in a second location sooner as I wasn't frequently importing them via USB.

Photo Stream will sync all new photos that were taken after it was turned on.

If you have the Photo Stream option turned on in Photos Preferences on your Mac, they will automatically import and be stored permanently (not for just 30 days).

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201317

Photo Stream to sync recent photos makes sense.

Photo Stream to sync recent photos AND auto-download thereby creating nightmares when trying to delete stuff does not.

Ok - so what? All that means is that rather than learn how Phots works you made assumptions and are now upset that Apple will not change their software to meet your incorrect assumption - that certainly does not make sense - Apple does rigid designs for their software adn documents it (at least somewhat) and offers it to users, you do not get to change it to meet you desires or assumptions, you get to choose to use it or not use it and if you chose to use it then it, again, makes no sense for you to complain that the software you chose does not do what you assumed it did without taking time to actually learn what it does

a few (fortunately very, very few) people come here with that attitude adn no one wins - you do not get things the way you assume they should be and you waste everyones time trying to explain to you how things actually are and often confuse other users who actually do what to learn

no one here designed anything nor can anyone here change anything - you are wasting your and our time ( and thousands of other readers time) having a totally inane and non productive discussion about what you assume should be and is not - you can tell Apple what you want and that may do some good, arguing that you are the only person in the band in step is totally non-productive - Product Feedback - Apple

LN

blt413 wrote:

...

Ultimately I wish Photo Stream ONLY kept 30 days' worth rather than permanently importing photos automatically. ...

Have you tried turning off the Photo Stream option in Photos Preferences?

With iPhoto there was a separate option for automatic importing. I haven't used Photo Stream with the Photos app but I suspect that if you turn off that option it is similar to what it was in iPhoto -- i.e., the photos will sync to the Photo Stream album in Photos but won't permanently import to Photos. Again, I haven't tried that with Photos so I'm not certain of that.

I do wish the separate option for auto-import that you said existed in iPhoto also was present with Photos app.

The way My Photo Stream is handled changed dramatically between iPhoto and Photos.

In iPhoto and Aperture we could use MyPhoto Stream selectively and even one-way only.

We could decide, if we want to upload all new photos to My Photo Stream or upload selected photo manually. And we could download selectively or automatically.

Now it is all or nothing. If we enable My Photo Stream all new photos will automatically upload and all photos from My Photo Stream will automatically download. This makes sense, because, if we enable iCloud Photo Library on a Mac, the My Photo Stream album will be hidden, so it would be impossible to upload or download manually, since we cannot see the album. There is no longer any way to manage My Photo Stream manually, if we are using iCloud Photo Library.

Ultimately I wish Photo Stream ONLY kept 30 days' worth rather than permanently importing photos automatically. From my perspective, it just causes my Photos Library file to grow and becomes a pain to manage photos from both locations when I want to delete stuff.

Are you taking videos or Live Photos on your iPhone?

In that case you should switch to iCloud Photo Library or at least refrain from using My Photo Stream. It cannot transfer any video, so video clips will not be transferred at all, and Live Photos will transfer as still frames. and if you transfer the videos separately using Image Capture, you cannot import the Live Photos animated, because the still frame already in the library will prevent the Live Import.

no one is tryin to force you to do anything - there are many ways to get your photos ot the Mac - using a USB cable and importing eliminates all cloud and web involvement - or using iTunes sync - - the cloud and web options are there is (and only i you want to use them) - if you do not do it the old fashioned way which still works just fine - you can even use image capture and eliminate the Photos application all together - Apple provided the options to do it however you want but when yo chose one way then you have to use it correctly, you can not just dream up new requirements and expect the to magically be there in the morning when you awake

LN

I have thios problem and question to thanks h