NEED FAST software to sort RAW after Wedding Shoot.

[marissa_c._boucher]

Hi everyone,

 

Can anyone recommend FAST software for sorting a huge amount of RAW

files? I figured asking this question in the wedding forum with how

many RAW shooters there were out there would be wise. What are you

guys using that doesn't take 20 seconds just to highlight, preview,

and drag and drop a RAW file into it's according folder?

 

I recently downloaded the trial version of BreezeBrowserPro in hopes

that I finally found software that could sort my RAW wedding shoot

images quickly but I'm finding that it's extremely slow and

unresponsive. Sorting in Photoshop's Bridge is extremely slow as

well so I'm trying to find a solution here.

 

My typical needs from sorting software after a wedding are...

 

-being able to see my RAW thumbnails

-a reasonably sized preview window when clicking on a thumbnail to

see if the shot is good or not

-then my list of folders to drag and drop that image where it needs

to go and so on until they're all sorted accordingly based on the

wedding day folders, PreCeremony, Ceremony, Formals, Reception, etc.

 

I was so excited when I saw that BreezeBrowserPro provided the

above. The problem lies in how extremely unresponsive the program is

when trying to actually use it for sorting. I know it isn't my

machines either because my CS2 smokes; and every other program I run

is blazing fast even with multiple programs open. I have an

optimized P4, 2GB RAM, 3ghz machine with a great video card.

 

I changed my cache settings in BBpro to 50 to see if this helped but

it didn't (not sure if this matters or not). I don't have high

quality preview selected but it seems like the preview shot looks

better than I need it to be, maybe that's part of the slowness?

 

Typically there's about 600-1000 RAW images initially when I start

sorting from scratch. Let's say I click on one of the RAW

thumbnails, it immediately lags just to show the preview for about 3-

4 seconds. Then once I've decided that this photo can go in a

specific folder, I try to drag it to my folder list below within

BBpro and I get an hour glass icon for my mouse. So just to preview,

then drag one CRW into a folder takes up to 15-20 seconds or more

per image! Clearly the math shows that this is not time efficient

for my business.

 

What is wrong or what am I possibly doing wrong? Or, am I expecting

too much from the software itself? I'm only dealing with RAW files

from a 20D and 10D so they're not as big as they could be.

 

Thanks for listening everyone,

Weston

[lovcom_photo]

I have PhotoShop CS2 with Bridge, and I agree Bridge is too slow.

 

For that reason I use BreezeBrowser Pro...it's cheap and very helpful...and fast too. From within BB Pro, you can launch any RAW image directly to CS2.

 

It performs other functions too, like creating proofs, plus much more.

 

It's Fast!

[allen_d.]

You might just need more RAM for your computer. I found when I upgraded to CS2 my working through raw files started to slow somewhat even though the workflow was much better, and I had 1GB of ram. I upped it to 3GB and things are much quicker now - like no waiting. The combo of Adobe bridge and CS2 requires mucho memory.

[chris_s___hampton_roads_va]

machine muscle & memory is the key...I'm maxed on my rig (4GB), & Bridge & ACR is really fast for me... 1500 or so shots per day of shooting & it lets me sort, rename, add copyright, etc in short order. Make sure to let the cache finish building before you really do anything, because that will definitely slow things down!

[john_okafor]

I do not have an answer to your question but I just want to compliment you. I think you have the best website I have seen so far. Your pictures are great. I wish my brother can afford you. I�m looking for a wedding photographer for my brother. He lives in Raleigh NC.

[fotografz]

PSCS2 is lightening fast, if you have enough RAM ... AND ... install a Scratch Disk in your

computer ( or second best, use a stand alone firewire Hard Drive and designate it as a

Scratch Disk for PhotoShop).

 

The only place PSCS2 is slow is in starting up. It's a "Suite" of powerful programs all inter-

linked to Bridge, and used by graphics people. But once it's loaded it screams.

 

One thing that'll bottle neck working on RAW images is if you're using a slow CF card in a

reader to load from. If the CF card is slow, or you're using a slow reader (like USB-1) it's

only as fast as the bottle neck will allow.

 

Marissa, if you're doing that, try dropping the contents of a CF card into a folder on your

desk-top and then open that in PSCS2 Bridge. Then see if it's as slow as you have

experienced so far.

 

I use Extreme III CFs and a firewire reader, and everything in Bridge is real time even when

I'm working from the CF card directly. I click, it's there. I load 20 images into the ARC

batch and make corrections to all, it happens in a blink.

 

One thing people don't do often enough is defrag their computer. I run Disk Warrior once

a month.

 

Another thing that'll turn a rabbit into a turtle is not purging your image Cache. I'm guilty

of that one myself. Last month I noticed I was down to like 60 gigs of a 160 gig drive. I

found 10,000 + little bits of Cache data from wedding images and commercial shoots that

I had previously processed ... some from 2 years ago ! My computer is now so fast, it

freaked me out with it's transfer speed, and I thought something was wrong (like not

being the full RAW files but just thumbnails ... but, indeed it was the full 16 meg RAW

files).

[picturesque]

I believe Rawshooter is supposed to be one of the fastest.

[lb-]

I agree, beautiful work on your site!

 

I'm using PSCS (haven't upgraded to cs2 yet) and I find the file browser to be pretty fast.

for my first edit passes I have a view setup where only the file browser is displayed (all

pallets and tools etc are gone) and the window is arranged so that which ever raw

thumbnail is chosen displays in the preview part (left side) at a fairly large size so I don't

need to open them up to check them.

 

don't know if that helps you but it really sped up my edit process alot.

 

fwiw, this seems pretty fast even on a g4 laptop (not very fast) with only 1 gig of ram.

 

cheers<div></div>

[marissa_c._boucher]

Thank you for the compliments on the site and our work, much appreciated! ;)

 

I'm not sure though that some of the users posting responses are reading my entire post, please if you have time go back and read through the whole thing to get more details.

 

I'm looking for software for sorting specifically. Not downloading, not editing, just sorting FAST with RAW files. And I mentioned that I already was trying BBpro and it was still too slow.

 

As I mentioned my computer runs CS2 very fast, it's just when you're specifically dragging and dropping RAW images in Bridge from a folder that contains 1000 RAW images it's just way too slow. I don't think it's the power of my computer. I think it's based on what the program was designed to do. For example, if I have bridge, CS2, and several other programs running my memory isn't even close to being tapped out with 2GB of RAM.

 

To clarify, I'm not trying to sort off of my CF cards, haha, that's crazy talk. These images are located on my external GIGABIT network HD.

 

I tried purging both my image caches but it didn't make much difference. I think I just need software that can handle the task, which is designed specifically for organizing only in RAW with 1000s of images. Many claim to be but they're not fast enough.

 

Before switching to shooting RAW I used to be able to use windows to sort all my images by drag and drop into specified wedding timeline folders and it was perfectly fast. I wish windows would support previewing of RAW files in their explorer windows. :(

 

I tried RawShooter and it took FOREVER to create all the thumbnails, then it took even longer to make each preview. Way slower than bridge and BBpro combined.

[discpad]

Marissa,

 

Having used Photoshop in graphics/prepress environments since 1993 with Photoshop 2.51, I found some of the advice above, uhh, "charming."

 

First off, some of the advice is Mac-only, like using Disk Warrior.

 

Also, the advice to COPY the files from your CF card to the root level of the hard drive C: (NOT on the Desktop) is correct.

 

Anyway, the FIRST thing you want to do is optimize your machine for image editing: Photoshop needs RAM, and also fast disk(s). Connecting the "scratch disk" via FireWire (1394) is A Bad Idea, as you intorduce a new bottleneck with the 1394-ATAPI bridge. Instead, make sure all your ATAPI devices are on private channels (Master only), adding in a PCI card; because unlike SCSI, ATAPI can only communicate with one drive at a time.

 

Second, Buy more RAM... It's cheaper than therapy! When image editing apps run out of RAM, they page to the disk via the scratch file(s). This has gotten worse with the so-called "modern" NT and unix cores used in NT/2k/XP and OS-X, respectively, where virtual memory is enabled full time.

 

Third, you want to set your XP paging file (VM reserved area) to the same minimum and maximum size: Set this to 4096 megabytes and save w/out rebooting (yet);

 

Fourth, you'll want an industrial strength disk defragger: Both Executive Software's Diskeeper and Raxco's PerfectDisk have been out for a decade or more; and both are derivatives of their OpenVMS mainframe products with long heritages. You can download 30 day trials at:

http://www.Diskeeper.com

and:

http://www.Raxco.com

...I have a slight preference for the way PerfectDisk defrags the NTFS Master File Table (MFT) reserved zone; but both products allow OFFLINE defragmenting, which is needed to defrag the MFT and consolidate PAGEFILE.SYS (NT paging file).

 

Also, make DAMN sure you have plenty of disk space on EACH partition: When you approach 90% full on an NTFS volume, it slows to a crawl.

 

---------------

 

Now, on to your RAW file handling: Check out Google's **free** Picasa, which handles RAW files quite nicely for previews, including batch processing and JPEG export:

http://picasa.google.com

 

Hope this helps: Write back if you need additional guidance!

[discpad]

Marissa wrote: "For example, if I have bridge, CS2, and several other programs running my memory isn't even close to being tapped out with 2GB of RAM."

 

>>> Are you verifying this in Task Manager? What are your Total, Limit and Peak Commit Charge values? You can also use Performance Monitor to find other bottlenecks: Start -> Run -> PerfMon

 

"To clarify, I'm not trying to sort off of my CF cards, haha, that's crazy talk. These images are located on my external GIGABIT network HD."

 

And is the NAS disk well defragged, if at all?

 

Also, are you getting disk thrashing either on the NAS or on your local HDD's? The days of listening to the Micropolis 9 gig 5-1/4" full height noisy, hot bricks are long gone. :(

 

Also, go through Add/Remove Programs and get rid of the sh*t running in your system tray and toolbars: Not only do they soak up RAM, they challenge the NT kernel's thread manager to service them all.

[picturesque]

OK, I may end up making a fool of myself, because I didn't even know what a GIGABIT network HD was (I looked it up), but it wouldn't be the first time. I would think that since no one else has such slowness problems sorting RAW files in the various programs they use, it must either be a problem with throughput from the GIGABIT HD, or in the sorting/editing program's ability to obtain data from the GIGABIT HD, not the program itself. I have a computer similar in specs to yours, and using Rawshooter, 500 RAW files (already on my computer's HD) drop into view in about 5 seconds. Have you talked to some of the programs' tech people? or the GIGABIT tech people?

[wedding-photography-denver]

If 'selecting' as I go, I use PSCS2.

 

If batching I like to use RSP. (Windows only)

[arnell_umali]

Have you tried Iview Mediapro or Photo Mechanic? You can try them first before deciding to purchase. Both are not cheap tho. Michael Reichmann have reviews of them on luminous landscape.

[khaisy]

I agree with Marc 100% with everything he stated and I found this to be very true (PSCS2 is lightening fast, if you have enough RAM ... AND ... install a Scratch Disk in your computer ( or second best, use a stand alone firewire Hard Drive and designate it as a Scratch Disk for PhotoShop)

[david cheok]

The advice given by DAN is pretty should and should pretty much be a template in

building up your workhorse machine. Just to add an easier method in case you do not wish

to go that route. Partition your HDD into 4 partitions of:

 

1) SWAP - 15 GB (1st and foremost partition)

2) OS - Your windows OS only

3) Applications only

4) Data only

 

Change your windows SWAP file to use ONLY the SWAP partition and set a permanent

8096MB mininum and maximum and disable all other VM on the other drives. Then set ur

PSCS2 scratch disk to use the same SWAP partition.

 

After that, you can consider C1PRO. Its about as fast as you can get in terms of software

optimised for workflows. It costs a bomb but it solves the issue. I can develop hundreds of

images in less than an hour (before actual processing). It works by using small RAW

thumbnails for you to adjust everything from color temperature, exposures, sharpening

etc and allows you to simultaneously output several types and sizes of files into respective

folders (e.g. web, native jpegs, tiffs etc) and put a watermark in if necessary (e.g web). Its

not cheap or free but if you are handling thousands of images, you should be able to

invest in this.

 

Download the trial version and see for yourself. It takes a while to get to know how it

works but once you do.. you'll never use anything else for processing.

[fotografz]

Okay Marissa: since Bridge is the fastest program I've used to date for sorting RAW files

(like instantaneous), I guess I just don't understand your work flow ... OR there is a basic

misunderstanding of how the Bridge browser works ... I assumed you did understand the

use of Bridge Browser.

 

HOWEVER, from your post, I don't think you are using Bridge properly because you do NOT

click/open a RAW file in ARC to preview it during the sorting process ... that is for actually

batch processing the RAW files AFTER making your selections and sorting:

 

If you have a wedding with 600 images you can drop them all into one folder on your

"whatever" (... with a Mac it's right on the desktop).

 

Open this folder in Bridge browser and select "Thumbnail View" on the bottom right menu

(the little boxes icon). The entire folder contents appears instantly in the Bridge Browser

window as high res thumbnails.

 

Then at the top right click on the "Folder Icon" and create a "Keepers" folder that also

appears in the browser window with the images. You can create as many sub-folders as

you wish, and label them as you wish ( Pre-ceremony, Ceremony, Formals, Reception, etc.)

 

Basic Culling/Review is done by selecting an image in the browser window and using the

SLIDER at bottom right to enlarge the thumbnail for review ... which you can delete, leave

as is, or tag with a color label ("Label" in top Bridge menu) to designate a keeper. There are

different color labels to sort with, so you can assign different colors to different categories

like "Green for "Ceremony", and so on. Learning the Key commands for this makes it

extremely fast (info shown in Bridge Preferences).

 

This SLIDER review process is real time, high res, and has no delay. You do NOT open the

image in ARC for review unless you want to really see it full screen or larger ... which is

rarely needed.

 

When finished reviewing and Labeling the selects, it's time to sort them into the folders.

This is done by going to "View" > "Sort" > By Label and all the "Green Labeled Ceremony"

files will all fly together in one continuous group. Same for all the others. Now you can

select all the Green Ceremony files and drag and drop them to the Ceremony folder you

already created with-in the Bridge Browser window.

 

If you have dumped images from different cameras with different numbering, it still works.

As long as you tagged all the Ceremony shots with a Green label, they'll fly together in one

group.

 

Now, Click/Open any sub-folder, and ONLY those images appear in the window where you

can drag and drop them in any order you wish. So, images from different cameras can be

organized in sequence of the event, rather than by it's file number.

 

When in order, these can be batch re-named in the new sequence by going to "Tools" in

the Bridge Menu and selecting "Batch Rename" (like Ceremony 001. CR2, etc,).

 

All of this is done using high res thumbnails, not the full RAW image. So, once loaded in

the Bridge Browser window, all files are equally fast ( sorting my huge Imacon 645 digital

files are just as fast as sorting my 8 meg P&S files).

 

Unless there is something malfunctioning with your machine, 2 gigs of RAM in a 3ghz

machine should be enough to make all of the above pretty quick. More RAM and a Scratch

Disk will make it virtually instantaneous.

 

BTW, the "Charming" suggestions weren't meant to say you should use something like

"Disk Warrior" for your machine, just that regular defragging can help (obviously, everyone

has to use the right program for their operating system). Same for a Scratch Disk.

[michaelmowery]

I use CS2 as well, BUT..... when i do my edit i use iveiw media Pro 3 which is faster than CS2. I

have a G5 Dual Processor with 4 gigs of Ram. Plain and Simple iview is the fastest.

 

Marc i have disk warrior and i have not used it how do i defrag my disk with this program. I

only see rebuild directory.

 

Michael

[fotografz]

I'll have to look at that program since it can be run on a Mac.

 

Since everything is virtually instantaneous with the Bridge Browser for me, something else

would have to be faster by virtue of less steps or something. Same set-up, a G5 DP, 4 gigs of

RAM.

 

Doesn't rebuilding your directory put all the fragmented pieces of data back into order?

Before/After can be viewed as a tonal graph.

[fotografz]

Duh, just discovered that you can drag and drop any image in the Bridge thumb-nail window

to any folder on the desk top... real time.