Pictures are taking forever to upload into iPhoto

[Merkava_4]

I'm starting this thread because a Google search turned up nothing. Five pictures will take an hour to upload. I used to be able to upload pictures in a matter of seconds. I have a Nikon Coolpix P2 and running OS 10.6.8. I have no idea what's going on.

E D I T

Just to see if it was my MBP at fault or the camera, I hooked up the camera to my old PowerBook with OS 10.3.9. The pictures uploaded in seconds. That tells me right there that it's definitely not my camera at fault. It's more than likely something wrong with iPhoto on my MBP. I'd certainly appreciate somebody's help on this matter.

 

[mroddjob]

Is your hard disk space running low? How large is your photo database? You could try rebuilding your database file which may speed things up, hold apple and option key when launching iphoto and follow the dialogue to rebuild the database. (make sure to back up the database first )

 

[snberk103]

Also try formatting the card in the camera, if you haven't already.

Are you connecting the camera to computer via cable? Or are you reading the memory card via a card reader? If you are connecting via cable, can you try to read the card via a reader? That would isolate the problem as being SW or HW....

 

[Merkava_4]

Is your hard disk space running low? How large is your photo database? You could try rebuilding your database file which may speed things up, hold apple and option key when launching iphoto and follow the dialogue to rebuild the database. (make sure to back up the database first )

Hi, thank you for helping.

These are the stats for the hard drive:

Capacity: 119.69 GB
Available: 54.16 GB
Used: 65.53 GB
Number of Files: 526,304

And I don't think I have a photo database since I keep iPhoto empty. :shrugs:

Which boxes do I check?

Also try formatting the card in the camera, if you haven't already.

Are you connecting the camera to computer via cable? Or are you reading the memory card via a card reader? If you are connecting via cable, can you try to read the card via a reader? That would isolate the problem as being SW or HW....

Hi, thank you for helping.

I'm connecting via USB cable. I'm not exactly sure what a memory card reader is, but I don't think I'm using one. The camera plugs directly into the USB port at the computer. Perhaps I should also mention that my iPhoto library is completely empty and that the memory card in the camera is completely empty too. I always delete the pictures from the camera's memory card after I've uploaded them to the computer. I'm assuming I don't need to format the card in the camera if it's empty, but I could be wrong. And by the way, I don't know what SW and HW is; that's apparently over my head.

 

[snberk103]

...
I'm connecting via USB cable. I'm not exactly sure what a memory card reader is, but I don't think I'm using one. The camera plugs directly into the USB port at the computer. Perhaps I should also mention that my iPhoto library is completely empty and that the memory card in the camera is completely empty too. I always delete the pictures from the camera's memory card after I've uploaded them to the computer. I'm assuming I don't need to format the card in the camera if it's empty, but I could be wrong. And by the way, I don't know what SW and HW is; that's apparently over my head.

In the camera there is usually (almost always) a memory card. It is possible to buy a little gizmo (that's the tech term )that plugs into your computer, and that has a slot for your memory card. When you want to transfer the images from your camera, instead of plugging the camera into the computer you will instead take the memory card out of the camera and insert it into gizmo. That is a Card Reader. You will see it then appear in the Finder sidebar, just like an external harddrive (HDD, or HD is the common abbreviation). Often it's the transfer rate is faster with a card reader, rather than the direct camera - computer connection... I don't know why.

In your case, try plugging the camera into a different USB port on the computer. Probably not going to change anything, but it will eliminate that USB as being a "bad" one. Also, did you change memory cards recently? Cards can be rated for how fast they can move images onto or off the card. Perhaps you bought a bigger card, that also happens to slower recently?

If you are using the camera to delete the images on the camera, then I am confident that the card is being formatted as well. But just in case, look up "formatting" in the manual. Printed or online. If the file structure on the card is damaged, and is not being formatted then that could cause a slow down.

HW = Hardware
SW = Software

Are you using iPhoto at all? If you are not, then you can set the system to not kick iPhoto up front when you plug the camera in. I'll need to look up where you set this. If you are using iPhoto, how are you not using the library?

 

[Merkava_4]

In the camera there is usually (almost always) a memory card. It is possible to buy a little gizmo (that's the tech term )that plugs into your computer, and that has a slot for your memory card. When you want to transfer the images from your camera, instead of plugging the camera into the computer you will instead take the memory card out of the camera and insert it into gizmo. That is a Card Reader. You will see it then appear in the Finder sidebar, just like an external harddrive (HDD, or HD is the common abbreviation). Often it's the transfer rate is faster with a card reader, rather than the direct camera - computer connection... I don't know why.

In your case, try plugging the camera into a different USB port on the computer. Probably not going to change anything, but it will eliminate that USB as being a "bad" one. Also, did you change memory cards recently? Cards can be rated for how fast they can move images onto or off the card. Perhaps you bought a bigger card, that also happens to slower recently?

If you are using the camera to delete the images on the camera, then I am confident that the card is being formatted as well. But just in case, look up "formatting" in the manual. Printed or online. If the file structure on the card is damaged, and is not being formatted then that could cause a slow down.

HW = Hardware
SW = Software

Are you using iPhoto at all? If you are not, then you can set the system to not kick iPhoto up front when you plug the camera in. I'll need to look up where you set this. If you are using iPhoto, how are you not using the library?

Hi, I now know what a memory card reader is plus what HW and SW is; thank you.

To answer your questions:

I tried the other USB port; same scenario.

I'm still using the original memory card that came with the camera and it's never been out of the camera.

I'm using iPhoto every time I connect the camera to the computer. I might also mention that I'm using iPhoto to delete the pictures in the camera since it's way faster than using the delete button on the camera itself.

I guess I'm just using the library long enough to upload the pictures to the computer and to do any kind of editing I need. After that, I select whichever pictures I want and move them to the desktop. All the rest of the pictures I don't want go into the iPhoto trash and get deleted. The pictures that I keep get uploaded to Photobucket. The iPhoto library stays empty.

I measured the time it takes to upload a picture. I takes approximately 35 seconds for each picture. Two pictures take approximately 65 seconds. The same camera hooked up to the old PowerBook takes a fraction of that time. This is definitely starting to look like a software issue with this MBP.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[snberk103]

OK, we may be getting somewhere.

Yes - I think you are right. I would bet SW related. Have you updated the camera's firmware? Check the camera maker's website, and look for "firmware". The directions should all be there.

If it's not that, then....

Look up "formatting" for your camera - and use the camera to "format" the memory card. I have two makes of cameras. For one camera, if I "delete" the photos on the card using the computer, everything is fine. For the other camera, if I "delete" the images using the computer - this space on the card is not useable by the camera until I "format" the card using the camera. I know this isn't exactly the same symptoms - but it does show how important formatting the card in the camera is.

Next: Trashing the images in iPhoto does actually "delete" the images from the HDD. iPhoto hangs onto them until you tell it that you actually, really, want to delete them. In the meantime they are being kept, though out of sight, incase you should change your mind. It's possible that you're filling up your HDD with what you think are deleted photos. That could possibly slow things down a bit. Find the activity monitor in the Utilities Folder (in Applications) and check the disk usage. At a minimum you should have 5% to 10% of the HDD unused. Full HDDs can generally be slow for file operations. (HDD = Hard Drive (Technically Hard Disk Drive)).

Keep in mind that when you plug the camera into the computer the Mac's OS (Operating System) has to talk to the camera's OS. That's why you want to update the firmware on the camera - it may not know how to talk to the new Macs. If you can't/don't-want-to update the firmware, then getting a card reader should help. In this way you take the camera's OS out of the equation. When the card is plugged in, the Mac OS simply sees it as an external HDD.

 

[Merkava_4]

Hi snberk103,

I think I have finally found the problem. I found this out while I was trying to do the firmware update. What happened is I had the interface connection setting on the camera wrong. They give you two selections: USB, and Video Mode. Then under USB mode, you have a choice of a "PTP" setting, or a "Mass storage" setting. I've always had it set to the USB mode, but when I kept getting the 35 second upload time per picture, it was while the camera was set to the "PTP" setting under USB mode. While going through the firmware update instructions, they wanted me to set the USB interface to "Mass storage." After I did that, I could upload several pictures instantly. The only thing different was that with the setting set to "Mass storage," iPhoto would open and put a disk player icon on the desktop. And according to a pop up window, before shutting off the camera, I'm suppose to eject the disk icon first.

The only problem I'm having now is with the firmware update instructions. I'm having trouble understanding Step 3 in the instructions:

3. Download and extract the new firmware

Click the link on the download site and download the p02v11jm.sit file. Extract this file to create "P2 Update" folder containing the following files and folders:

firmware: Folder containing camera firmware
firmware.bin: Camera firmware (in "firmware" folder)

I have no idea what they're wanting me to do there.

Coolpix Firmware Update

 

[snberk103]

That Drive Icon on the Desktop behaviour is perfectly normal. It will appear anytime you plug in an external HDD. And you should 'Eject' all external HDDs before unplugging them.

Do you really need the firmware update? It looks to me that you only need it if you want to connect the camera wirelessly. Also, you may already have the updated firmware. That page you linked (The Coolpix site) tells you how to check the firmware level on your camera, and it's seems pretty simple.

If you want to do the firmware update.... I would suggest finding a Mac Guru (friend) who is local. Trying to do this long-distance is a lot more work than just pointing things out. It's actually quite simple, the update thing, if you've seen how it works before. Good Luck.

Really glad that the Mass Storage setting solved your problem....

 

[Merkava_4]

snberk103,

Thank you very much for all your help. You are fantastic.

 

[snberk103]

(Blush).... you're welcome....

This photography forum is full of good folks... don't be afraid to check back.

Spend some time learning how to search the thread (start by searching on "Mroogle") .... many questions have already been answered, and you can save time by reading an old thread rather than waiting for answers to a new question.

That said.... the question you posted was very likely unique. One day, however, someone may have a similar problem ... and the answer be here waiting for them.