You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Intersting thumbnail bug

So: Macos catalina - just updated.


I have created a new photos library on an external USB 3 drive (Formatted Macos extended journaled). I am in the process of importing nearly 20 years of photographs. Currently up to about 13K images.


My issue is that when I edit *any* image in this library, the thumnail turns black. Normal tips for getting it back (rotation, repair library) don't work.


All images tested so far have been Panasonic Raw - RW2. I'll try a jpg later.


The only way to get it back is to revert to original. Sometimes after this it stays black, until after I edit the photo a second time, then I get the thumbnail back. But..


After I have done this, I am then able to edit the image and not lose the thumbnail.


It is still going to be a pain in the ***, though to have to edit and then revert every image before I can start editing it.


Anyone any idea what might be causing it? How to fix it?


Thanks

Tony.

Posted on Sep 10, 2020 2:22 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 24, 2020 12:58 AM

So in case anyone is seeing the same, after further investigation, I think it is a bug in photos. I've found the problem goes away if I revert an edited image to original - after which it generates the thumbnail correctly.


So the workaround for me is to first edit the image (simplest possible edit, even auto enhance from the thumbnail view works) then revert to original, and after that editing that image seems to generate a thumbnail instead of a grey rectangle.


What I do after importing raw files is select them all, hit CMD-E to auto enhance them all, then revert them all back to orignal, and then they seem to work OK.

Similar questions

7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 24, 2020 12:58 AM in response to TonyCollinet

So in case anyone is seeing the same, after further investigation, I think it is a bug in photos. I've found the problem goes away if I revert an edited image to original - after which it generates the thumbnail correctly.


So the workaround for me is to first edit the image (simplest possible edit, even auto enhance from the thumbnail view works) then revert to original, and after that editing that image seems to generate a thumbnail instead of a grey rectangle.


What I do after importing raw files is select them all, hit CMD-E to auto enhance them all, then revert them all back to orignal, and then they seem to work OK.

Sep 10, 2020 2:51 PM in response to TonyCollinet

I don't use a Panasonic camera but my Nikon RAW files have an issue where the thumbnail looks correct but opening the photo shows the wrong orientation. So I suspect that Photos support for RAW images may need some tweaking.


You might consider giving it some time. I know after making edits I sometimes don't see the adjusted thumbnail for a little bit. Perhaps in your case for the format you shoot in, it takes longer for Photos the generate that thumbnail after you make an edit.

Sep 10, 2020 3:42 PM in response to TonyCollinet

40 minutes on and the thumbnails are still not generated. I'm guessing they won't be there by the morning either (11:40 pm here at the moment).


I've also found that the problem does not occur with jpg files, or RAW files from my other panasonic GX800 (Also RW2 extension) - only with the G80 raw files.


So it seems to be a specific bug associated with the raw files from one camera.

Sep 10, 2020 3:44 PM in response to TonyCollinet

Are you using iCloud Photos? And are you duplicating the photos with "Image > Duplicate" before editing them? I have found some RAW&JPEG pairs from my Panasonic DMC FZ300, where the duplicated versions are losing the connection to the original. It only happens when I duplicate a photo to keep different versions. Then the edited version will turn black.


Sep 10, 2020 4:15 PM in response to léonie

Thanks for the reply - No, these are freshly imported raw files, and they are to a secondary library (not my system library) so are not connected to Icloud.


Import - edit - thumbnail goes black until revert to original and second edit - then all is fine. No duplication before edit.


Only a problem with the G80 raw files, not the GX800 or jpg files.

Intersting thumbnail bug

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.