diff --git a/sloth/annotations/container.py b/sloth/annotations/container.py
index 62ccde8..85c93d3 100644
--- a/sloth/annotations/container.py
+++ b/sloth/annotations/container.py
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 import os
+import sys
 import fnmatch
 import time
+import numpy as np
 from sloth.core.exceptions import \
     ImproperlyConfigured, NotImplementedException, InvalidArgumentException
 from sloth.core.utils import import_callable
+import logging
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 try:
     import cPickle as pickle
 except:
@@ -16,9 +21,15 @@ try:
     import yaml
 except:
     pass
-import okapy
-import logging
-LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+try:
+    import okapy
+    _use_pil = False
+except:
+    try:
+        from PIL import Image
+        _use_pil = True
+    except:
+        LOG.warn("Could neither find PIL nor okapy.  Sloth needs one of them for loading images.")
 
 
 class AnnotationContainerFactory:
@@ -138,7 +149,15 @@ class AnnotationContainer:
         relative to the label file's directory.
         """
         fullpath = self._fullpath(filename)
-        return okapy.loadImage(fullpath)
+        if not os.path.exists(fullpath):
+            LOG.warn("Image file %s does not exists." % fullpath)
+            return None
+
+        if _use_pil:
+            im = Image.open(fullpath)
+            return np.asarray(im)
+        else:
+            return okapy.loadImage(fullpath)
 
     def loadFrame(self, filename, frame_number):
         """
@@ -147,6 +166,10 @@ class AnnotationContainer:
         the video from a path relative to the label files directory.
         """
         fullpath = self._fullpath(filename)
+        if not os.path.exists(fullpath):
+            LOG.warn("Video file %s does not exists." % fullpath)
+            return None
+
         #TODO load video
 
 
diff --git a/sloth/core/labeltool.py b/sloth/core/labeltool.py
index 3809da6..114ee6b 100755
--- a/sloth/core/labeltool.py
+++ b/sloth/core/labeltool.py
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ from sloth.gui import MainWindow
 import logging
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-import okapy.videoio as okv
+try:
+    import okapy.videoio as okv
+except:
+    pass
 
 class LabelTool(QObject):
     """
diff --git a/sloth/gui/annotationscene.py b/sloth/gui/annotationscene.py
index b1faf72..c7ae31b 100644
--- a/sloth/gui/annotationscene.py
+++ b/sloth/gui/annotationscene.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from PyQt4.QtCore import *
 from sloth.items import *
 from sloth.core.exceptions import InvalidArgumentException
 from sloth.annotations.model import AnnotationModelItem
-import okapy
+from sloth.utils import toQImage
 import logging
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class AnnotationScene(QGraphicsScene):
             self.image_item_ = current_image
             assert self.image_item_.model() == self.model_
             self.image_      = self.labeltool_.getImage(self.image_item_)
-            self.pixmap_     = QPixmap(okapy.guiqt.toQImage(self.image_))
+            self.pixmap_     = QPixmap(toQImage(self.image_))
             item             = QGraphicsPixmapItem(self.pixmap_)
             item.setZValue(-1)
             self.setSceneRect(0, 0, self.pixmap_.width(), self.pixmap_.height())
diff --git a/sloth/gui/frameviewer.py b/sloth/gui/frameviewer.py
index 14d5097..c8676f5 100644
--- a/sloth/gui/frameviewer.py
+++ b/sloth/gui/frameviewer.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os, math
-import okapy
-import okapy.videoio
-import okapy.guiqt.utilities as ogu
+from sloth.utils import toQImage
 from PyQt4.QtCore import *
 from PyQt4.QtGui  import *
+try:
+    import okapy.videoio
+except:
+    pass
 
 videos = []
 scenes = []
@@ -197,7 +199,7 @@ def get_dummy_scene():
     video.getFrame(1000)
     video.getNextFrame()
     img = video.getImage()
-    qimg = ogu.toQImage(img, True)
+    qimg = toQImage(img, True)
     scene.addPixmap(QPixmap(qimg))
     return (scene, video)
 
@@ -206,7 +208,7 @@ def next_frame():
         v.getNextFrame()
     for v, s in zip(videos, scenes):
         img = v.getImage()
-        qimg = ogu.toQImage(img, True)
+        qimg = toQImage(img, True)
         s.clear()
         s.addPixmap(QPixmap(qimg))
 
diff --git a/sloth/utils/__init__.py b/sloth/utils/__init__.py
index e69de29..69eb24c 100644
--- a/sloth/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/sloth/utils/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+from sloth.core.exceptions import NotImplementedException
+from PyQt4.QtGui import QImage, qRgb
+import numpy as np
+
+gray_color_table = [qRgb(i, i, i) for i in range(256)]
+def toQImage(im, copy=False):
+    if im is None:
+        return QImage()
+
+    if im.dtype == np.uint8:
+        if len(im.shape) == 2:
+            qim = QImage(im.data, im.shape[1], im.shape[0], im.strides[0], QImage.Format_Indexed8)
+            qim.setColorTable(gray_color_table)
+            return qim.copy() if copy else qim
+
+        elif len(im.shape) == 3:
+            if im.shape[2] == 3:
+                qim = QImage(im.data, im.shape[1], im.shape[0], im.strides[0], QImage.Format_RGB888);
+                return qim.copy() if copy else qim
+            elif im.shape[2] == 4:
+                qim = QImage(im.data, im.shape[1], im.shape[0], im.strides[0], QImage.Format_ARGB32);
+                return qim.copy() if copy else qim
+
+    raise NotImplementedException
+