Immich pt1 - A Closer Look - See How It Compares with Google Photos Before You Switch

Summary

The video compares Google Photos to its open source alternative Image, evaluating similarities and differences in interface, functionality and privacy. It examines photo storage, sharing and editing abilities, facial recognition capabilities, album creation, location tagging and more. Overall it aims to help viewers decide if self-hosting Image could replace Google Photos, unlocking privacy benefits but requiring solid backup strategies.

Takeaways

• 😀 Image is an open source alternative to Google Photos that provides similar functionality for self-hosted photo management
• 📷 Image recognizes faces, objects, and locations in photos for automatic organization similar to Google Photos
• 💾 Image allows secure and customizable photo storage without relying on the cloud services
• 🔐 Image enables granular privacy controls over photo sharing compared to Google Photos
• 🌎 Image lacks some Google Photos features like facial recognition grouping in Europe due to stricter privacy regulations
• 🤳 Image has iOS and Android mobile apps for uploading and accessing your photos on the go
• 🖼️ Image enables custom albums with cover images, sharing links, user permissions controls and download restrictions
• ⏳ Image sharing links can have expiration dates and passwords for enhanced security
• 🗺️ Image maps can tag and display geotagged photos like Google Photos
• 🌗 Image offers a built-in dark mode for enhanced visual comfort

Q & A

What is Image and how does it compare to Google Photos?

Image is photo management software that is very similar to Google Photos. It offers many of the same features like facial recognition, sharing albums, memories, etc. The main difference is that Image is open source and self-hosted, while Google Photos is a cloud service.

Does Image use machine learning and AI like Google Photos?

Yes, Image utilizes machine learning for facial recognition, object recognition, and creating memories. The machine learning models are customizable in the settings.

Can Image automatically group photos by people, objects, or locations?

Yes, Image has a 'Smart Search' feature that can automatically group photos by detected people, objects, or locations. This is similar to Google Photos' 'Explore' feature.

How does Image handle backups compared to Google Photos?

As a self-hosted system, the user is responsible for Image backups. The video recommends having local backups as well as offsite/cloud backups for disaster recovery. Google Photos handles backups automatically.

What privacy and security benefits does Image offer over Google Photos?

As open source software hosted on your own server, Image provides full control and privacy over your photos. With Google Photos, Google has access to your photos and utilizes them for improving their algorithms.

Can Image integrate with smartphones like Google Photos?

Yes, Image has Android and iOS mobile apps that allow you to easily upload photos from your phone, similar to Google Photos.

How customizable is Image compared to Google Photos?

Image provides much more customization around things like machine learning models, facial recognition tuning, theming, etc. Google Photos offers minimal customization options.

What photo editing or enhancement features does Image have?

Currently Image does not offer native photo editing tools beyond basic functions like cropping or rotating. Google Photos has more advanced editing built-in.

Can Image share photos publicly or does it require user accounts?

Image can create public share links for albums that don't require an account, but it also allows sharing with user accounts directly for more control.

What are the limitations or downsides to using Image over Google Photos?

The main limitations are 1) Requires self-hosting on your own server 2) Backups are your own responsibility 3) Fewer native editing tools. But for many, the privacy tradeoffs make these limitations worthwhile.