iPhoto Image Duplication Removal Help Please

[danielrmitchell]

I have a collection of around (as reported by iPhoto) 15000 images on my Macbook (which is now running Lion).

The problem I have is that when I moved my photo's from a Windows 7 PC running Picasa and Windows Live Gallery to my Mac running iPhoto (current and up to date) I found that I had numerous duplicate images that had not been evident on either WLG or Picasa before. In most case I have images duplicated once, but in many others the images are duplicated up to 5 times(!).

Upon looking at the saved locations of these files I find that one will be in a folder named DSC....whatever, with duplicates in folders with different names.

I have worked my way through several hundred images within iPhoto, deleting duplicates as I find them, however it is my understanding that iPhoto does not delete them from their saved location, just from the iPhoto library?

My question is simple... is there software available that can reliably analyse my Pictures folder (where all images are stored), find duplicates and remove them 'automagically'?

Doing this manually would take more time than I have available to me, but I am craving a nice tidy iPhoto library!

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

(And before anyone mentions it, YES I have searched the Forum AND Google but have not found a definitive answer)

 

[danielrmitchell]

Don't all rush to help!

I have found a solution, one which worked extremely well for me.
dupeGURU PE (Picture Edition) has analysed my Pictures folders and removed several thousand duplicates, then analysed my iPhoto library and has done the same there too.

It seems a little slow in operation, but is very simple to run and well worth the hour or so of scanning. My iPhoto library now stands at a little over 5000 images and I have not come across a single duplicate yet.

Once dupeGURU PE had done it's thing, I retrieved all of my images from the trash and dumped them in a folder on my desktop where they shall remain until I am 100% sure that nothing is missing from iPhoto... just to be sure.

Hope my find helps others?

 

[MonkeySee....]

Thanks for posting that. I've not had the issue but its good to know that there is something out there should i need it.

 

[wx4olf]

I've used a program call Duplicate Annihilator before. Worked pretty good after I assured myself it would not delete photos that were not duplicates.

 

[danielrmitchell]

I've used a program call Duplicate Annihilator before.

I have also tried Duplicate Annihilator before too but found it limited. It marks duplicate images with a keyword and offer's no way of comparing results (original to duplicate) and seems to work only on the basis of filename.

What I like most about dupeGURU PE is that it compares ALL images within a given location, analysing the ACTUAL IMAGE as opposed to file name. So if I were to have two identical images in two locations that have different filenames and one with additional (EXIF) information stripped, it will STILL compare the two, offer a percentage for the match (in this situation around 99% match) and give you the chance to see them both side by side so that you can compare them visually yourself.