Just like everyone else, I am still learning about the new iCloud feature called Photostream. Apples says “With iCloud, when you take a photo on one device, it automatically appears on all your other devices.” You may not have realized it, but it is also imported into your iPhoto library automatically. You can turn off this default in your iPhoto preferences if you like.
But my confusion came when the 61 photos on my iPhone Camera Roll auto-imported through Photostream into my iPhoto Library, and I had no idea how to then delete them from my Camera Roll.
Traditionally, after importing into iPhoto through a Sync Cable, you get an option to Delete the Photos from your phone. But with all of the automated movement of photos, would I really have to delete each photo individually on the phone? I searched the Mac OS X Hints from MacWorld.com forums and found out that this was a common issue/concern.
As it turns out, if you plug in your iPhone via USB to transfer the camera roll, it will recognize that these photos have been imported and asks if you want to delete them from the phone. Works like a charm!
One other concern I saw in the forums is that the Photos auto-imported through Photostream have been optimized for mobile devices. Once they move through the Photostream into your iPhoto Library, have they been downsized? Are they still at their full resolution?
Apple’s Photo Stream FAQ tells us,
“On your Mac or PC, your photos are downloaded and stored in full resolution. On your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV, your Photo Stream photos are delivered in a device-optimized resolution that speeds downloads and saves storage space. While actual dimensions will vary, an optimized version of a photo taken by a standard point-and-shoot camera will have a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution when pushed to your devices. “
