Mac OS X Image Capture
Posted by Matt Thommes on 01/3/07 in Apple, OS X, Review, Software
Over the holiday break, you are probably taking a lot of photos, all of which will eventually get imported to your computer. While picture taking is fun, importing is sometimes a laborious task, because not every picture is a “keeper.” You have to manually sift through each photo, and decide to keep it or trash it.
On Mac OS X, there are some tools that allow you to streamline this process more easily. So rather than spending New Year’s Day sifting through all of your photos, you can enjoy your holiday.
By default, images are imported into iPhoto, on Mac OS X.
This is not as convenient as Apple would like to think, and it’s rather annoying to me because I don’t necessarily use iPhoto that much. Also, iPhoto is limited when importing pictures:
- You can’t preview the pictures before you import.
- You have to import all pictures at once - you can’t import only some.
Rather than having iPhoto automatically launch every time you plug in your digital camera, we can override these settings, and instead use Image Capture.
Image Capture is a lesser-known Apple software utility that does only the simple things that some photographers are looking for.
With Image Capture, you have full control of how your photos are imported, each time you connect your digital camera to your Mac.
Skip iPhoto
First, let’s stop iPhoto from automatically launching whenever you connect your camera.
- Launch Image Capture from the Applications folder.
- Then choose Preferences from the Application menu, or simply hit Command + comma.
Notice under Camera, it says, “When a camera is connected, open: …”
By default, iPhoto is opened whenever you connect your camera
Change it to Image Capture.
Next, you’ll be brought to the main Image Capture window:
The main Image Capture window
Here you can select how you’d like to import your photos:
- Where they are downloaded to (what folder on your hard drive).
- How many you’d like to download - either some or all.
- Automatic tasks that you’d like to occur after the download (such as Build a Slide-show, resize, etc).
- Additional options (such as deleting the pictures from the camera after download, create custom icons, and more).
If you choose Download Some from the main menu, you’ll be taken to another window.
This new window should have your camera’s name in the title bar, and a thumbnail for each picture currently residing on your camera.
View the contents of your camera, before download
Here you can access your images directly from your camera (they are not downloaded yet). You can rotate images, delete images, or set up an Automatic task for each image. You can even remotely trigger your camera to take a picture. This has some curious implications , especially when considering cameras that you can connect wirelessly, either via Bluetooth or WiFi.
If the thumbnails appear too small, you can manually resize them all, just by dragging the slider in the upper right corner:
Make the thumbnails larger
Once you’re ready, highlight the ones you want to download, and click Download.
Other options
If you really dislike the software options on Mac OS X, you can always opt for the software that comes with your digital camera. Many times that turns out to be better than anything native to your operating system.
A more promising method is to stop connecting your camera to your computer, completely. Instead, use an external card reader, which acts like a disk, and can be plugged into any USB port. This seems to give the most control over your photos.
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kent | Jan 13, 2007 | Reply
Hi,
I have tried it but it can only copy JPG files but no others format. I would like to suggest if you can let me have a option to copy what kind of file, like selected by extension. I have Nikon and Pentax and their RAW file ext. are not the same so it would be nice to have it.
Thx, KEnt
Kjartan Sørbø | Jan 25, 2007 | Reply
I just can’t figure out how to use bluetooth with “Image Capture”. Does anyone have an idea?
Matt Thommes | Jan 26, 2007 | Reply
Are you using just a camera, or a camera/cellphone? What would you like to do - wirelessly import your images? Just needed some more clarification before we can help answer your question.
ROBERTS | Feb 2, 2007 | Reply
I can’t figure out how to import from Bluetooth either. On Windows, Windows connects the device and says “Nokia 73 attached” and Adobe Photoshop Album just talks to that. iPhoto doesn’t seem to do that - what do you do on Mac - view all of them like files? That’s a pain - there isn’t a way for iPhoto to suck all of the photos from Bluetooth?
gslusher | Apr 10, 2007 | Reply
I’m a bit puzzled as to why you’d want to capture photos via Bluetooth. It’s VERY, VERY slow. If you have a phone with a 1 MP camera, OK, but not much more. Bluetooth’s maximum speed is 721 Kbps, or about 72-80 KB/sec, once communication protocols are accounted for. A 6 MP JPEG image would be about 3 MB and would take about 40 seconds to transfer. By contrast, the USB 2.0 connection is (max) 480 Mbps, or 48-50 MB/sec. That’s nearly 700 times faster. That 3 MB photo would take only about 0.06 seconds to transer. BIG difference.
Bluetooth is suitable for low data-rate devices like keyboards and mice (and can show lagging with quick mouse movements) and audio (not really high-quality–it can handle 44.1 kHz, 8 bits, 2 channels, but that’s about it–it can’t handle high-quality, 16-bit stereo sound; most phone headsets use a lot lower datarate). It’s not very good for transfering files. I’ve synced my Palm TX using Bluetooth and USB 2.0. The difference is between a minute or less and 20+ minutes.
Converse | May 14, 2007 | Reply
I use data cable to import pictures from my Olympus camera. Don’t have any idea about mac. But its really easy doing it in Windows.
Jordan | May 15, 2007 | Reply
Does anyone know if there is a difference between actually “importing” pictures and simply finding the disk image for the memory card and dragging the photos I want onto the desktop. This seems to make the file transfer much faster. Is there data being lost when it is done that way? Is say Nikon Capture DX or iPhoto or PhotoShop doing something additional when it imports the photos?
Thanks
Matt Thommes | May 19, 2007 | Reply
I don’t believe any additional tasks are performed when importing via Image Capture (or iPhoto, etc). It’s just a matter of preference. Image Capture specifically allows greater control over how your photos are imported, namely the ability to apply automated scripts that control batch changes to your photos.
It sounds like it’s easier for you to copy your photos directly from the disk image, which is fine.
frustrated | May 31, 2007 | Reply
My Sony DCR VX2000 NTSC connects to my Mac mini via the firewire connector and identifies itself in the About this Mac window, but there is no sign of it in Image Capture or iphotos. I can see the current image in Idvd but only the movie image - nothing from the memory stick.
I can plug it in a PC and all is joy and light.
So I went to Sony in search of driver but they had none to offer. Can you suggest anything other than buying a PC or a card reader?