Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

photographers: best way to import photos from digital camera on MBP?

A

AppleMango

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 2, 2019
212
112
Hello everyone,

I just ordered myself a digital camera from Fuji and I would like to get ahead and ask for your appreciated opinions of what the best way to import photos would be?

I have the SD card slot on the MBP, the camera has the FUJI app and a USB-C-connection.
I'm still very new to the macOS (since last year) and digital photography.

I struggle to understand where the photos are stored and if and how they would appear in the photos app?
How do I import them into Lightroom and save them so I have the best use of the programmes and apps?

I've also heard the "Image Capture" app on the MBP would be a good way to go, but maybe someone with more experience has a clear view and idea to guide me.

Many thanks!
 
I'd say just pull out the SD card and plug it into your Mac. You could plug the camera in, but IMO you're just running its battery down when it's not necessary. Also it's possible Fuji will have some weird software it wants you to run. I tend to bypass junk like that if I can. I have a hunch you can just plug that in and launch Lightroom and tell it to import the contents of the card into its database.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Macdctr and AppleMango
On my desktop, I keep a designated folder for importing (Capture One, in my case; Lightroom would be the same.)

1. Remove my SD card(s) from their camera(s), insert into my Mac
2. Copy the day's files to the designated folder (I call mine "DNG"; I also import jpgs sometimes from other sources)
3. (My extra step) Open the DNG folder in HoudahGeo; open the day's GPX track in HoudahGeo, geotag the pictures
4. Import into a Capture One "Session" from the DNG folder
5. Empty the DNG folder, file the GPX track

I need the files to be local first so that I can geotag them, but starting from the DNG folder also makes it simple to import, since I'm always importing from the same folder.

When the SD cards get full-ish I reformat them (to empty them) in camera (not with the Mac.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Macdctr and AppleMango
i use a dedicated SD or CFE reader for my Zf/Z8/9. Sure apple has a sd card reader but hut holy moly its slow

only benefit i can think is put a cheap 1TB ssd in lol to the SD slot perma to xtend storage for a cheap 😂 as archiving purpose but will need to check prices
 
  • Like
Reactions: AppleMango
Many thanks for your replies! I've ordered a nice SD card and looking forward to try my luck and find my workflow.

@TechRunner: I've got an x100vi to be picked up soon. Really looking forward to it!
 
  • Like
Reactions: TechRunner
I shoot RAW and have (for now) plenty of space on the internal to reference, instead of importing into the CaptureOne library. I kind of got stung cleaning up the mess after Aperture's departure and remnants all over in iPhoto with many a duplicates. I'd still prefer to do this if time comes to use an external drive. I pop out the SD card out of the camera and into the MBP, then import into created folders of year/month/day, that are then referenced in CP1. After this the edited jpeg is exported into Photos.
 
I have a NAS, so I copy the files from camera to the NAS, and then I use darktable to add the images from the NAS mounted drive, which means I can edit them directly on the NAS and not filling up my MacBook drive. I can however sync the files locally to darktable on my Mac, meaning I can edit them whilst out and about, and then when I get home I can sync the sidecar files (with the edits) back to the NAS via darktable, which then removes the local copies.
 
AppleMango said:
Many thanks for your replies! I've ordered a nice SD card and looking forward to try my luck and find my workflow.

@TechRunner: I've got an x100vi to be picked up soon. Really looking forward to it!
Click to expand...
You have a couple of types of files you can create - Fuji's raw files (max resolution and ability to edit) and then jpeg/jpg. The latter for most is good enough and most photo editors do well enough. However, Fuji raw files do better with some photo apps than others. As someone mentioned - Capture One is an ideal choice for Fuji raw files. I would suggest you take a look at a few Youtube videos about your camera and how to get the best mileage out of it. It is likely they will cover software as well.

As I will be also returning to the Fuji fold in a couple of months, consider my suggestion something not only would I say but I will do as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TechRunner
UnifiedMelody said:
i use a dedicated SD or CFE reader for my Zf/Z8/9. Sure apple has a sd card reader but hut holy moly its slow
Click to expand...

The SD card reader on MBPs used to be UHS-I speeds, but all of the more recent models have the faster UHS-II readers. I haven't felt the need to use an external SD card reader ever since my M1 Pro MBP.

Of course, UHS-II will always be slow in comparison to CFE, but that's not because of the built in SD Card reader.
 
  • Like
Reactions: G5isAlive
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back