Picasa App Alternatives - I miss Picasa!

[whyrichard]

Hello all,

I am a designer and have to shift through so many photos and pdf's for my work. Years ago Picasa was terrific, it was quick, light, I could organize thumbnails quickly and star and export and rename effieciently.

But it is discontinued! And I have not found a good alternative!!! I sometimes try to use Adobe Bridge but it is soooooo slow and heavy. Any other suggestions? I have the entire adobe cr suite through work but it is all super heavy and clunky.

I miss Picasa!!!!

Any suggestions would be great... thanks,
r.

 

[Slartibart]

Graphicconverter can do what you mention (and more 😁). It has a graphical files and pictures browser and is nicely integrate with macOS. You can comfortably test it - there is no functional restriction.

 

[Fishrrman]

I, too, regret that Picasa was never updated to run in 64 bits.

So... some years back, I decided on my "plan for the immediate future":
I bought one of the last Macs that could still run 32 bit software (a 2018 Mini), with the "last OS" that would continue to run 32 bits into the future (Mojave).

I still use my 2018 Mini running Mojave today (typing this on it now).
And... I still use Picasa.

I have "moved into the future" with my 2021 m2pro MacBook Pro.
And I must say that it runs fine.
But I still enjoy the old Mini, as well, and will keep using it another year or two before I have to let go of 32 bit apps for good...

 

[AlumaMac]

I've been really pleased with Eagle for my digital asset management. They also have a great browser plug-in if you need to capture/import images off the web.

 

[whyrichard]

Eagle seems closer to what I need, but is there a way to use my existing folder structure, instead of building a new eagle library and importing photos into it?

r.

 

[AlumaMac]

No, but if you drag and drop your top most folder into the Eagle Sidebar it will replicate the sub-folder structure and import all assets.

 

[whyrichard]

No, but if you drag and drop your top most folder into the Eagle Sidebar it will replicate the sub-folder structure and import all assets.

This may not work for me, as some of the folders and projects I need are shared on google drive or dropbox with collaborative projects...

 

[whyrichard]

Maybe Adobe Lightroom Classic? It preserves my folder structure, and seems to actually let me see my images without reading a manual... how is lightroom?

 

[Fishrrman]

I prefer to keep photos in a "library" of my own creation (standard Mac folder/file hierarchy).

I DO NOT want any photo editing app that creates its own "impenetrable" library file (such as Photos does).

This is one reason I like Picasa -- it will read YOUR personally-created folder/file library without problems.

I've found a few other photo apps that can do this:
- DXO Photolab
- Luminar
(both older versions)

 

[whyrichard]

Hello all,

I am so grateful for your help, maybe I am becoming a luddite.

-Graphicconverter was so difficult to use that I gave up...
-I am trying again with adobe bridge, but it crashes when generating thumbnails trying to view a big folder and subfolders
-Lightroom allowed me to view my folders quickly, but it doesn't preserve my local folder layout?

I need to quickly efficiently see all the image files, and maybe PDF's, in my local hard drive, preserving their folder layout.

I would love to be able to see the folder tree easily, instead of all images compressed in one window (like in lightroom)

I need the software to be efficient, it seems i have so many images many of these get bogged down on my macbook pro from 2019.

PICASA!!!! YOU WERE PERFECT!!!!

weeps....

any more suggestions??
Thanks,
Richard

 

[Slartibart]

RAW Power - it has an option to work with an existing folder structure; you can try it.

 

[Fishrrman]

You could also try XnViewMP.
It's free.

Though it's pretty much just an image "viewer".
It can do some basic editing, but be aware that if you edit and then "save", it will permanently over-write the original image (with the edited version).

So... I use it from time-to-time just to "view". But NOT "to edit"...

 

[TheIntruder]

Another free option is darktable.

Like other cross-platform ports, the UI might not be as nice or intuitive as a native Mac app (think GIMP), but the price is right.

Picasa was "nice thing." Not just the app, but the service as well, but alas…

 

[TheIntruder]

You could also try XnViewMP.
It's free.

Though it's pretty much just an image "viewer".
It can do some basic editing, but be aware that if you edit and then "save", it will permanently over-write the original image (with the edited version).

So... I use it from time-to-time just to "view". But NOT "to edit"...

I mainly use QuickLook as a viewer, which can be frustrating when it acts buggy, so I've been on the lookout for a good app, albeit not too hard.

I've tried darktable, and now XNViewMP, and found the latter is much more comfortable, and better for my needs, so thanks for the tip.

Ironically, I use XnConvert, but wasn't aware they also made a viewer app.

 

[DrTed]

I still have Picassa running on my MBA (2012). It works , except I cannot forward the photos via my email... but that is an easy fix... Loved it then... love it now.