Exporting more than a few photos results in slow export, huge file sizes

Question

Level 1

9 points

Exporting more than a few photos results in slow export, huge file sizes

Just noticed today that selecting more than about 12 photos in a Photos for Mac smart album (or from Moments) and exporting them as full size modified JPEGs results in a very slow export (1 image every 5-6 seconds) and these files are huge (26 MB vs 10 MB). Selecting 12 or less photos seems to result in a normal export time and normal file sizes. Looking back at some of my recent exports I believe this started after updating to Mac OS 10.14 Mojave.

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, 4 TBT3), iOS 12.0.1

Posted on Oct 14, 2018 1:23 PM

Reply

Answer 1

pmccombe Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 14, 2018 3:29 PM in response to Yer_Man

I just tried creating a new Photos Library and importing 91 normal size images. Exporting all 91 of these at once seems to proceed at normal speed although it creates files slightly larger than the originals (e.g. 5.3 vs 5.0 MB) but not huge 26 MB files and not slow like my actual Photos Library. That suggest to me that the problem isn't in the application but in my Photos database. I'm thinking now I will use the repair procedure on my library and see if that helps.

Reply

Answer 2

pmccombe Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 15, 2018 12:28 PM in response to Old Toad

Maximum JPEG quality and Full Size. I have always used these settings before. I completed repairing my database and the problem persists. I'm concluding that it is a probably a software issue in the version of Photos that was installed with Mojave. The work around is to export no more than 12 files at a time. Hopefully it will be fixed with a subsequent software update.

Reply

Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

215,436 points

Oct 14, 2018 3:18 PM in response to pmccombe

For some reason the Maximum setting produces jpegs that are larger than the original file. I got the following increase with 6 exported files:

3.6 MB ➙ 7.8 MB

3.1 MB ➙ 9.0 MB

4.6 MB ➙ 11.1 MB

3.5 MB ➙ 8.7 MB

3.6 MB ➙ 9.6 MB

2.8 MB ➙ 8.7 MB

The High setting produces a file sized that closest to the original file size. Again, I don't know why it's larger. The original JPEG must be compressed and the export uncompressed it quite a bit.

Reply

Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

215,436 points

Oct 14, 2018 1:48 PM in response to pmccombe

Can you post a screenshot of the export settings window?

Also what version of Photos are you using?

Reply

Answer 5

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,918 points

Oct 14, 2018 3:19 PM in response to Old Toad

the Maximum setting produces jpegs that are larger than the original file

Like iPhoto that happens because the app uses less compression than the camera.

Reply

Answer 6

Old Toad

Level 10

215,436 points

Oct 15, 2018 11:33 AM in response to pmccombe

What setting are you using: maximum or high? I don't think running first aid on the library will change anything. This is how Photos and iPhoto have exported since the beginning.

Reply

Answer 7

pmccombe Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 14, 2018 3:09 PM in response to Old Toad

Photos version 4.0 (3401.5.160).

Reply

Exporting more than a few photos results in slow export, huge file sizes

Similar questions