Incredibly SLOW picture import!!!

Question

Hi Everyone!
I'm running a Macbook OSX 10.4.11. I recently bought a new camera (Panasonic lumix DMC-FS20) which i bought specifically because it's know to be compatible with Macs (and iphoto). But, the import speed for both iphoto and just transferring the pictures manually from the camera to a folder on my HD is just GLACIALLY slow... a batch of 150 pictures can take more than one hour, on top of that, the computer sometimes freezes and i have to do small batches at a time, which stops the freezing but not the slowness.
I have tried decreasing the image size to 7MB (it was at 10 before) but this didn't help. I know it isn't the memory card or the camera because I tried it on two different desktops using windows and the import speed is almost instant.
I have around 4,500 pictures in my iphoto library (not sure how many it is supposed to handle) and my 80G hard drive is down to only 10G of free space (i will be upgrading the memory to 160 soon). Could the low memory available really be slowing down the transfer???
Thank you so much for any help!!!!!

Answer 1

For sure max out your RAM and hard drive space to start, and never let drives exceed 70% full. Also always use a fast card reader copying to an external hard drive to move image files from the camera; avoid transfers direct from camera.
I feel pretty strongly that card-to-Aperture or camera-to-Aperture handling of original images puts originals at unnecessary risk. I suggest this workflow, first using the Finder (not Aperture) to copy images from CF card to computer hard drive:
• Remove the memory card from the camera and insert it into a memory card reader. Faster readers and faster cards are preferable.
• Finder-copy images from memory card to a labeled folder on the intended permanent Masters location hard drive.
• Eject memory card.
• Burn backup hard drive or DVD copies of the original images (optional strongly recommended recommended backup step).
• Eject backup hard drive(s) or DVDs.
• From within Aperture, import images from the hard drive folder into Aperture selecting "Store files in their current location." This is called "referenced images." During import is the best time to also add keywords, but that is another discussion.
• Review pix for completeness (e.g. a 500-pic shoot has 500 valid images showing in Aperture).
• Reformat memory card in camera, and archive originals off site on hard drives and/or on DVDs.
Note that the "eject" steps above are important in order to avoid mistakenly working on removable media/backups.
Also note with a Referenced-Masters Library that use of the "Vault" backup routine backs up the Library only, not the Masters. Masters should be separately backed up, IMO a good thing from a workflow and data security standpoint.
Good luck!
-Allen Wicks