Photosync settings

[etaleb]

Guys - on iPhone 13 Pro Max and first time using Photosync on transferring my whole 17k photo/video library to my computer. I wanted to see what other folks are changing from default options. This is what I'm thinking of so far

• Create sub-directories using Recording date year+month (assuming this will create directories for each of the 25 months I've had this phone for)
• File name - Recording time + name (assuming each file will have the file name but also exact time picture was taken)
• Photo quality - enable Full, Live Photos

Should I transfer RAW+JPEG which is the default, would that double the HDD requirement and is the only benefit to edit photos in the future possibly? I thought iPhone only stored HEIF

Any other options you suggest setting?

 

[gilby101]

PhotoSync used to be simple - the choices are now somewhat bewildering! The "right" answers depend on a) the apps you have used to take photos and b) your workflow once the photos are on your computer.

• Create sub-directories using Recording date year+month (assuming this will create directories for each of the 25 months I've had this phone for)
• File name - Recording time + name (assuming each file will have the file name but also exact time picture was taken)

That seems eminently reasonable if your workflow is to keep the photos in that folder and file structure.

For my photos, I just import into a fixed folder with unchanging file names. But my workflow is to then import into Lightroom which I have configured to store in date folders and to insert date at start of all file names - the result being much as you suggest (mine is more detailed by folder, but less by file name).

• Photo quality - enable Full, Live Photos

Should I transfer RAW+JPEG which is the default, would that double the HDD requirement and is the only benefit to edit photos in the future possibly? I thought iPhone only stored HEIF

"enable Full, Live Photos" is what I use. I sometimes wonder about having Live Photos enabled as I have never made use of the .MOV files created by Live Photos.

I suspect RAW+JPEG only matters if your camera app is taking RAW+JPEG. Certainly makes no difference to HEIC, DNG or JPEGs. I have it disabled, but I think that is historical rather than an active choice.

 

[etaleb]

PhotoSync used to be simple - the choices are now somewhat bewildering! The "right" answers depend on a) the apps you have used to take photos and b) your workflow once the photos are on your computer.

That seems eminently reasonable if your workflow is to keep the photos in that folder and file structure.

For my photos, I just import into a fixed folder with unchanging file names. But my workflow is to then import into Lightroom which I have configured to store in date folders and to insert date at start of all file names - the result being much as you suggest (mine is more detailed by folder, but less by file name).


"enable Full, Live Photos" is what I use. I sometimes wonder about having Live Photos enabled as I have never made use of the .MOV files created by Live Photos.

I suspect RAW+JPEG only matters if your camera app is taking RAW+JPEG. Certainly makes no difference to HEIC, DNG or JPEGs. I have it disabled, but I think that is historical rather than an active choice.

Thanks! Are you using Lightroom for editing or simply keeping photos organized? I tried Apple photos - it scares me because of potential of database corruption potential, I had an incident with just a 2gb library and my final library could be 20TB so just think keeping files sorted by year-month is easier even though I would lose tagging etc. I also don’t use any cloud storage - just multiple copies of HDD storage

 

[gilby101]

Are you using Lightroom for editing or simply keeping photos organized?

Both. But with photos taken with the default iPhone Camera app, I mostly don't edit. I also have Canon RAWs and scanned TIFFs, for which LR is a more natural fit.

I keep on thinking about giving up on LR, but it is so easy, capable and reliable.

I agree re Photos app, except that with 20 TB you would split it into multiple libraries. I backup to local HDD (using Carbon Copy Cloner) and to Google Drive and One Drive with Arq Backup.

 

[etaleb]

I am choosing 'keep after transfer' in expert options as I want to retain these photos on my phone till I migrate off it in a year. Is there an option I'm missing that won't attempt to backup the same pictures that have already been backed up? Currently it's doing that

 

[gilby101]

Is there an option I'm missing that won't attempt to backup the same pictures that have already been backed up?

Select the Album. Select round red curly thing at top right. In Send you should see New, Selected, and All. New! Then on to selecting computer, etc.

 

[HDFan]

My master storage is managed by Lightroom. I import files into folders named and dated for the event, e.g. Yosemite 2024.05.13. Append this to the photo name as I import also Yosemite 2024.05.13.image.001. Makes it easy to find things. You can do the same thing in Photos by importing Photos by reference rather than into a catalogue.

 

[etaleb]

I'm on pro (not premium). Any way to automate the transfer of photos using Siri actions when connected to home wifi or something? In settings in photo sync, I see Transfer last photo/video and Transfer new photos & videos is a Premium feature. What does last photo/video mean?

 

[gilby101]

I'm on pro (not premium)

I am somewhat confused about Pro and Premium. Luckily I bought Pro well before the developer invented Premium and was kindly upgraded to new Premium features - most of which I don't use.

 

[etaleb]

Did you possibly consider Immich

 

[gilby101]

Did you possibly consider Immich

More recent than my decision for PhotoSync. As well as being a work in progress, Immich would be more complex to install - needs Docker or Linux. Given that PhotoSync exists and works well, I wouldn't consider Immich.