Argh! Why is iPhoto so slow?

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
iPhoto seems way too damn slow. I'm using an iMac (see my sig) and my iPhoto library is about 2700 photos and 2.3 Gb. When I rename a photo (or add a description) I have to wait for the beachball to spin for 3-4 seconds before it moves on to the next photo. This seems to be growing worse. While waiting on one photo is no big deal, I really dread coming back from vacation with 100-200 photos to name/describe.



Will defragging make a difference?



Or is my library just too darn large for the iMac to easily handle things?



Most of my photos are 2 or 4 megapixels.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    apparently, Apple recommends backing up then removing your library if it's over 700MB. Another solution is to create different iPhoto libraries that are under 700MBs. I think iPhoto is up for an update soon.
  • Reply 2 of 10
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by gobble gobble

    iPhoto seems way too damn slow. I'm using an iMac (see my sig) and my iPhoto library is about 2700 photos and 2.3 Gb. When I rename a photo (or add a description) I have to wait for the beachball to spin for 3-4 seconds before it moves on to the next photo. This seems to be growing worse. While waiting on one photo is no big deal, I really dread coming back from vacation with 100-200 photos to name/describe.



    Will defragging make a difference?



    Or is my library just too darn large for the iMac to easily handle things?



    Most of my photos are 2 or 4 megapixels.




    Only thing I can suggest is to make sure the little triangles are all closed on the rolls of film (choose View->By Film Roll, and then Option-Click one of the triangles to close them all, then open the one(s) you want to work with).



    Another example of how Apple needs to work on the guts of the Cocoa frameworks, or re-code the app to not call a bazillion instantiations of a complex object just because it is faster to develop that way.
  • Reply 3 of 10
    jbljbl Posts: 555member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by boba fett

    apparently, Apple recommends backing up then removing your library if it's over 700MB. Another solution is to create different iPhoto libraries that are under 700MBs. I think iPhoto is up for an update soon.



    Where does it say this? Not that I don't believe you but that would be really irritating. As far as I can see the point of iPhoto is to have all of your pictures in one place. I don't want to split my library into 10 smaller ones (he says in his most pathetic 3 yr old voice).
  • Reply 4 of 10
    haraldharald Posts: 2,152member
    Dude, I feel your pain. I have thousands of large photos. I swore by iPhoto until ... until ... it was just too damn hard to justify. It will not work for a pro or a semi pro, or someone who just takes a lot of photos.



    I now use iView Media Pro, which is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast as hell.



    Funny, the iApps are supposed to be the file browsers for specific digital hubby media, but iPhoto is just not up to the job. No way, no how. I wonder if there's a pro version in the works that works for large amounts of images or if they're leaving it up to pro software developers.



    Anyway, go iView, and you'll thank me, even if it doesn't look as nice.
  • Reply 5 of 10
    jbljbl Posts: 555member
    Is there a good way to migrate from iPhoto to iView (and potentially back if iPhoto 3 is faster)? I have thought about checking out iView but all my photos are in this stupid directory structure. Instead I find myself just hoping that iPhoto 3 (or 2.1) will be faster.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    Quote:

    Originally posted by JBL

    Where does it say this? Not that I don't believe you but that would be really irritating. As far as I can see the point of iPhoto is to have all of your pictures in one place. I don't want to split my library into 10 smaller ones (he says in his most pathetic 3 yr old voice).



    here's a good link to check out:

    http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/ma...howcontent=off



    Bob
  • Reply 7 of 10
    Quote:

    Originally posted by boba fett

    here's a good link to check out:

    http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/ma...howcontent=off



    Bob




    Personally I think those suggestions overcomplicate matters. I'm not going to create multiple libraries. The directory structure is already confusing enough. And 650 Mb is not that large a library, with consumer point-and-click cameras now in the 4-megapixel range (the excellent Canon Elph S400 for example). I'm not a techie, but I can say that the iPhoto user experience is starting to suck as it slows down. Apple needs to work on this.
  • Reply 8 of 10
    jbljbl Posts: 555member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by gobble gobble

    Personally I think those suggestions overcomplicate matters. I'm not going to create multiple libraries. The directory structure is already confusing enough. And 650 Mb is not that large a library, with consumer point-and-click cameras now in the 4-megapixel range (the excellent Canon Elph S400 for example). I'm not a techie, but I can say that the iPhoto user experience is starting to suck as it slows down. Apple needs to work on this.



    I agree.
  • Reply 9 of 10
    haraldharald Posts: 2,152member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by JBL

    Is there a good way to migrate from iPhoto to iView (and potentially back if iPhoto 3 is faster)? I have thought about checking out iView but all my photos are in this stupid directory structure. Instead I find myself just hoping that iPhoto 3 (or 2.1) will be faster.



    It uses a different way of managing images; d/l the demo and have a look. It's worth getting beyond the "that's very different" stage.
  • Reply 10 of 10
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    maybe apple didn't assume people would be loading several thousand of pictures into their library...of their FREE program
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