Leica, Apple working to fix Monochrom DNG bug that could erase Photos app library

Posted:
in Mac Software edited May 2015
German optics firm Leica has informed buyers of its new Monochrom Typ 246 digital camera that DNG files generated from the black-and-white shooter are incompatible with Apple's Photos app for OS X, and that using Photos to import Monochrom shots could result in corruption of the Photos library.




"With the new Apple 'Photos' App, when loading Monochrom DNG files from the new Monochrom, the library will crash continuously on loading," Leica wrote in a service advisory published by Red Dot Forum. "This may cause the Apple Photos library to be destroyed. This means that pictures previously taken with any other camera will be lost."

"As such, Leica Camera does not recommend using the Apple 'Photos' App for DNG files from the new Monochrom (Typ 246) until further notice."

Leica says they are working with Apple to resolve the issue, a fix for which will likely be included in the next Photos update. Leica recommends using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC/6 to process Monochrom DNG files until that patch is released.

The $7,500 Monochrom Typ 246 is the second revision of Leica's digital black-and-white Monochrom camera. Released late last month, it has begun shipping to buyers this week, though it's unclear whether a customer or Leica themselves discovered the DNG bug.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 40
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Oh, boy...
  • Reply 2 of 40
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,945member
    High $$$ problems
  • Reply 3 of 40
    cmfcmf Posts: 65member

    Wow, an update that will actually address the problems faced by pros. Not that this will change Apple's stance towards this group of customers, but who knows, they might actually be trying.

     

    More importantly, why don't they fix the bug with large JPEG images in Preview and QuickLook? I'm still on 10.9 for this reason as the conditions under which the system hangs up or crashes are not that well understood (or publicized, for that matter). Hopefully this will come with 10.10.4. At this rate, I'd expect point updates for both OS X and iOS at WWDC.

  • Reply 4 of 40
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member
    That should NEVER happen - ever. That's why I don't like the idea of Photo Library. An error can cause the entire DB to get corrupted. It's insane.
  • Reply 5 of 40
    jfc1138jfc1138 Posts: 3,090member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by netrox View Post



    That should NEVER happen - ever. That's why I don't like the idea of Photo Library. An error can cause the entire DB to get corrupted. It's insane.



    Indeed, Leica has really gone downhill. Maybe they should have stuck to film?

  • Reply 6 of 40
    cmfcmf Posts: 65member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by netrox View Post



    That should NEVER happen - ever. That's why I don't like the idea of Photo Library. An error can cause the entire DB to get corrupted. It's insane.



    To really fix this, we need a new filesystem (ding).

  • Reply 7 of 40
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    netrox wrote: »
    That should NEVER happen - ever. That's why I don't like the idea of Photo Library. An error can cause the entire DB to get corrupted. It's insane.

    sorry, but bugs happen. not having a backup is insane.

    files get screwed up. thats why every enterprise has nightly backups. you can too, with Time Machine or similar.
  • Reply 8 of 40
    hydrhydr Posts: 146member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NolaMacGuy View Post





    sorry, but bugs happen. not having a backup is insane.



    files get screwed up. thats why every enterprise has nightly backups. you can too, with Time Machine or similar.



    But here we are talking about import of a DNG file will render your entire photos collection corrupt.

  • Reply 9 of 40
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NolaMacGuy View Post





    sorry, but bugs happen. not having a backup is insane.



    files get screwed up. thats why every enterprise has nightly backups. you can too, with Time Machine or similar.



    No third party should have he ability to corrupt a database. This is an Apple problem.

  • Reply 10 of 40
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member

    I have never liked or used iPhoto precisely because I found the whole database idea to be both stupid and a pain.  Thank goodness iTunes was never saddled with this nonsense.  I was rather hoping Photos wouldn't follow the same paradigm.

  • Reply 11 of 40
    popnfreshpopnfresh Posts: 139member
    jfc1138 wrote: »

    Indeed, Leica has really gone downhill. Maybe they should have stuck to film?

    Yeah, like you have a clue what you're talking about.
  • Reply 12 of 40
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    cnocbui wrote: »
    I have never liked or used iPhoto precisely because I found the whole database idea to be both stupid and a pain.  Thank goodness iTunes was never saddled with this nonsense.  I was rather hoping Photos wouldn't follow the same paradigm.

    I don't trust my photos to a single location anymore because of past crashes. I use Picasa, Flickr and iPhoto (plus Time Machine).
  • Reply 13 of 40
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    nolamacguy wrote: »
    sorry, but bugs happen. not having a backup is insane.

    files get screwed up. thats why every enterprise has nightly backups. you can too, with Time Machine or similar.

    Sorry, I disagree. iPhoto library is supposed to solve the whole photos backup thing. Also, how the hell do I do a full library backup when the Mac is set to show optimized versions only, which downloads the full copies only on demand? Shit happens, but the trust is the majority of users are not going to have backup solutions for their cloud photos.
  • Reply 14 of 40
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    cmf wrote: »
    netrox wrote: »
    That should NEVER happen - ever. That's why I don't like the idea of Photo Library. An error can cause the entire DB to get corrupted. It's insane.

    To really fix this, we need a new filesystem (ding).

    Apple has an aim to hide the filesystem from users, which is understandable but it leads to problems like this because the application is then left to do the file management behind the scenes. iTunes is an example of doing this where if you change a song's details inside iTunes, it will rename the file and move it to an appropriate folder. When it comes to a single point of failure against a huge collection of important files, it opens up the possibility for a lot of damage to be done from minor bugs.

    I don't know why there has to be a library that manages the files at all. When you look at Spotlight, it is a database that indexes files as soon as they arrive on a drive but Spotlight itself never does anything to the files. SSDs are fast enough that you should be able to put files anywhere, even on externals and any app can know about the file but any metadata changes and edits go into the app's own space. When a bug like this arises, the app's own data could be renamed and reinitialized but the original photos left untouched and the app data can potentially be repaired to get back edits or other metadata.
  • Reply 15 of 40
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    hydr wrote: »

    But here we are talking about import of a DNG file will render your entire photos collection corrupt.

    every bug has its origin.
  • Reply 16 of 40
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    bdkennedy1 wrote: »

    No third party should have he ability to corrupt a database. This is an Apple problem.

    hahahaha. good one.

    after you've spent a decade and a half in Microsoft enterprise, come back and tell me what should never be able to corrupt data.
  • Reply 17 of 40
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    slurpy wrote: »
    Sorry, I disagree. iPhoto library is supposed to solve the whole photos backup thing. Also, how the hell do I do a full library backup when the Mac is set to show optimized versions only, which downloads the full copies only on demand? Shit happens, but the trust is the majority of users are not going to have backup solutions for their cloud photos.

    if you're using locally-optimized images, then your full-res items are backed up on the cloud.

    but if ultra paranoid, id still recommend backing up your entire mac, which includes Photos. not backing up your system is the only insane thing in this thread. yep, even mac users need a backup plan...which is why apple gave us TM -- to make it stone-stupid simple.
  • Reply 18 of 40
    kevinnealkevinneal Posts: 66member
    It may corrupt the database but surely you can "show package contents" of the library and still get to your photo's in the "masters" folder, or are they saying it corrupts every single image file (unlikely)
  • Reply 19 of 40
    mdirvinmdirvin Posts: 49member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post







    I don't know why there has to be a library that manages the files at all. When you look at Spotlight, it is a database that indexes files as soon as they arrive on a drive but Spotlight itself never does anything to the files. SSDs are fast enough that you should be able to put files anywhere, even on externals and any app can know about the file but any metadata changes and edits go into the app's own space. When a bug like this arises, the app's own data could be renamed and reinitialized but the original photos left untouched and the app data can potentially be repaired to get back edits or other metadata.

    Just taking a quick, look at the preferences in the Photos app.  I looks to me like you make a choice of either importing the image files into the library, and allowing "photos" to manage them.   Or you can chose to leave them wherever you put them and just have photos index the image files and keep a reference to them.  The decision is yours.

  • Reply 20 of 40
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member

    $7500 for a black and white camera! Holy sh......

    A good SLR and Photoshop, job done.

     

    People must be buying these for the name or as a show off.

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