Import video into IPhoto

[iMacRW]

I just got a new 27" imac and I'm trying to build my iPhoto database from my windows hard drive backup. I was able to import photos fine and group them into events, but when a short movie taken with the camera or iPad was in the group of photos iPhoto would not import it.

I would like my videos to be stored in the event group in iPhoto, how do I do this? Or, will I have to manually file video files into folders outside of iPhoto... This would be a pain and make them less accessible to watch on a whim.

Help! Or any clever ideas....

[iMacRW]

When I import the files from the drive it imports the photos but tells me that the movies are an invalid format (.mov and .avi files)...

[AppleCore77]

I'm not positive as I haven't had my iMac for very long. But all my movies have been imported into iMovie rather than iPhoto. I'm pretty sure they just imported into there as I didn't actually open iMovie to do it. They were just there the first time I opened it. I could be way off too though

[Big Stevie]

I copy all my camcorder footage straight from my sdhc card into iPhoto. In my opinion iMovie isn't really for storing video clips, but for importing clips for editing.
I don't know why your videos aren't transferring, but I have created an Event in iPhoto called Videos, and copy all my camcorder clips into that event.

[AppleCore77]

Originally Posted by Big Stevie

I copy all my camcorder footage straight from my sdhc card into iPhoto. In my opinion iMovie isn't really for storing video clips, but for importing clips for editing.
I don't know why your videos aren't transferring, but I have created an Event in iPhoto called Videos, and copy all my camcorder clips into that event.

That's good to know. Like I said, I'm fairly new to my iMac so I'll have to try this out.

[iMacRW]

Originally Posted by Big Stevie

I copy all my camcorder footage straight from my sdhc card into iPhoto. In my opinion iMovie isn't really for storing video clips, but for importing clips for editing.
I don't know why your videos aren't transferring, but I have created an Event in iPhoto called Videos, and copy all my camcorder clips into that event.

Maybe it has something to do with the drive that I'm importing from is not formatted for Mac... I can only import from it and not write to the disc the way it is formatted. Tonight I will try dragging the video files onto the Mac hard drive, then try importing them. Hopefully that will work.

[Big Stevie]

Worth a try. Do you know what format the video clips are - avi, mp4 etc?

[iMacRW]

Originally Posted by Big Stevie

Worth a try. Do you know what format the video clips are - avi, mp4 etc?

I had videos in all formats you listed, and it worked! I just had to transfer the pictures from the drive to the Mac first then import them.

So if you have a drive formatted for windows that you are going to import videos from make sure you transfer them to the Mac first then import them... Then you can delete the files off the desktop that you originally transferred.

Happy photo editing... Thanks all for your help!