Fast 1:1 viewer

[shannon_scholtes]

<p>I am looking for a software that loads 1:1 previews extremely fast. I am a wedding photographer that is currently using Lightroom 4 which takes a very long time to load 1:1 previews. I want to find a software where I can import all of my images from camera, look through all photographs quickly marking the ones that need to be deleted due to focus/ exposure issues, delete selected photos, then import the "keepers" into Lightroom for further editing.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>What file formats are you working with? Are you sifting through RAW files, and need to see full resolution? If so, which maker's RAW files are you talking about?</p>

[igord]

<p>Irfan View for PC (it can also "process" RAW into jpegs very fast) and Phoenix Slides for Mac.</p>

[don_cooper]

<p>When you say 1 to 1 do you mean fill the screen with the entire image or show the image 1 photo pixel on 1 screen pixel? Two very different views.</p>

[digitaldog]

<p>Plus 1:1 previews from each app is going to be difference from raw, as that app has to render that data in the first place. A 1:1 preview built my LR can’t be used outside of LR/ACR and the same would be true the other way, so if you intend to use LR, you’re going to have to build the previews at some point. But in terms of quick access to previews, at least in LR, you absolutely do not have to build 1:1 from the beginning of the process. In fact, the only time 1:1 are necessary in LR is when working in the Develop module. If you want to view the images quickly, lower the preview quality on import. Only build 1:1 as needed when using Develop, after deleting the images you know you don’t want, or images you know you will not edit in that module. </p>

[shannon_scholtes]

<p>Maybe the use of 1:1 preview was not how I should have stated it. Basically, I am looking for a program that I can view RAW photos (Canon) to zoom into actual pixel size to instantly see if my images are sharp or not. <br>

Right now I generate 1:1 previews in Lightroom when importing my photos. Then I go through every photo and delete the one's that are not sharp, bad exposure, bad photo etc. This is the point of my workflow that really slows me down since I have to wait several seconds for every photo to load which is a huge amount of time when dealing with 2000 photos. I want to try to find another program where I can quickly view photos at actual pixel size, mark the ones I want to delete, delete them, then import the remaining photos (RAWs) into Lightroom for further adjustment.<br>

I hope this helps to clarify what I am looking for. Also, thank you all so much for taking the time to respond, I really appreciate your help.</p>

[bgelfand]

<p>Adobe Bridge; it comes with Photoshop, if you have Photoshop.</p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>You didn't specify the computer platform you are using, but for Macs (and Windows) Photo Mechanic is highly regarded as a very fast image browser for sorting through thousands of files. Xee for Mac is a free alternative.<br>

The key is to choose a tool that aligns with your excellent requirement of doing quick in-and-out sorting.</p>

<p>ME</p>

[shannon_scholtes]

<p>Thanks Michael! I am Windows. Photo Mechanic was one program that I was looking at and it is good to know that it does move very fast.</p>

[paddler4]

<p>Zoom Browser does this also</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Thanks for the reminder about Photo Mechanic, Michael. I'd been meaning to try it again. Just now downloaded the demo - it does indeed render raw views much quicker than Irfanview, although Irfanview can be tweaked to speed up viewing raw files if you choose less than 1:1 views or use the embedded preview. But for the purpose Shannon described - quickly sorting through raw files to determine which are sharpest - Irfanview wouldn't be much quicker than Lightroom.</p>

[jenkins]

<p>Photo Mechanic is lightning fast.</p>

[martin-s]

<blockquote>

<p>"This is the point of my workflow that really slows me down since I have to wait several seconds for every photo to load which is a huge amount of time when dealing with 2000 photos."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I don't quite understand this. You say you let LR render 1:1 previews. In that case they should display <strong>instantly</strong>. If they don't, then I can only speculate, that for instance you might have made some global adjustments to the images, which would require the 1:1 previews to be rendered again from scratch.</p>

<p>LR will always create its own previews. What you want is an application that can be set to display the RAW images <strong>embedded</strong> JPEG preview instead of rendering its own. Photo Mechanic seems to do that.</p>

<p>Although like I said, once LR has finished doing its 1:1 previews they should display without any delay.</p>

[tom_mann1]

<p>I've been using Photo Mechanic (PM) for years, and yes, it's very fast. I find it much better suited to the initial ingest task than LR. </p>

<p>After earnestly trying to use LR (incl v.4) for as many tasks as possible, my current workflow is to first use Photo Mech to review a set of images, immediately deleting / star-rating them, add keywords and captions, and then moving them from my memory card to folders on my main photo computer. Once v5 of PM is fully released (in a few weeks), I'll probably also do LR/ACR compatible non-destructive cropping at this stage, as well. </p>

<p>My next step is to pull those images from the set rated 3-star and above into LR for ACR-level edits and cataloging, reserving PS manipulations for those that really need it.</p>

<p>PM has been promising its own image database for quite some time now. I hope that it doesn't slow down the ingest phase even slightly, because that's what has kept many people faithfully using PhotoMech for years now.</p>

<p>Tom M</p>

[sebastianmoran]

<blockquote>

<p>I don't quite understand this. You say you let LR render 1:1 previews. In that case they should display <strong>instantly</strong>. If they don't, then I can only speculate...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Well, they don't. I have the same gripe. Trying to quickly review photos to check for critical sharpness. I shoot birds, I'll shoot a burst, hoping for one out of three to be really sharp. In Lightroom, switching from one image to another takes a few seconds, as the OP has stated.</p>

<p>Yes, Lightroom is applying all of it's adjustments to show the 1:1 display. No, that's not what I want; I want a very fast display to judge relative sharpness and delete the two of three to keep the one that's best.</p>

[digitaldog]

<blockquote>

<p>Well, they don't.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You should only see a slight delay if indeed they are 1:1 previews. You’ll usually see a loading icon/indicator as the previews are loaded (not built). You might check the ACR cache settings too. When you go into Develop at least, that is what is used for the high quality previews and this is a rolling cache meaning as the older cache files are deleted due to preference size, they have to be regenerated. This isn’t the case in Library which doesn’t use the ACR cache files. Also the new DNG spec with the optional Fast Load Edit option greatly speeds up this process, again in Develop. </p>

[martin-s]

<p>I can't confirm this. When I render a number of 1:1 previews the switch is instant, no wait not even a delay. It's always worked that way here on several Macs.</p>

<p>Note that if you've made even the slightest change in Develop <strong>after</strong> rendering your previews, they will need to be re-rendered and that will take a few seconds. In my experience this is the most common cause for this complaint from users: they don't realise that the 1:1 previews "expire" the moment you make any adjustments.</p>

[sebastianmoran]

<p>Andrew and Martin, thanks for the replies. So, when you import images and have Lightroom build 1:1 previews, you can switch from image to image without a delay?</p>

<p>That would be valuable to know.</p>

<p>My workflow:<br>

- Image the whole shoot into Lightroom<br>

- Apply my usual preset for the camera I used<br>

- Go through the images to weed out the rejects, checking at 1:1 if I'm looking for the sharpest out of a burst (4-5 seconds for each image switch at 1:1).</p>

<p>I will try <br>

- Import<br>

- Then immediately go through for rejects, before applying <em>any</em> image changes, presets, whatever.</p>

[sebastianmoran]

<blockquote>

<p>Note that if you've made even the slightest change in Develop <strong>after</strong> rendering your previews, they will need to be re-rendered and that will take a few seconds</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I often go through a set of six to eight images. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. I see a delay of several seconds at each transition. Including the 4-3-2-1 where I'm examining images that have recently been re-rendered.</p>

<p>I would really like to solve this so I can quickly review images for critical sharpness at 1:1 in Lightroom.</p>

[sebastianmoran]

<p>OK, I just did an experiment:<br>

- Create a new folder with a dozen images (RAW+jpg), from Nikon D300<br>

- Import into Lightroom, new catalog, no presets applied, the most basic import, but I have Lightroom render 1:1 previews. Let it run a while to do the previews.<br>

- In the Library module, choose 1:1 view, then go from one image to another. Snappy, no perceptible delay.<br>

- In the Develop module, still at 1:1, go from one image to another. New image comes up immediately, but it's blurry, "Loading" is displayed for four seconds, then the image snaps to whatever sharpness is there. 1-2-3-4-5, all take four seconds per transition. Then 5-4-3 take one second each.</p>

<p>My conclusion: Review photos in Library module at 1:1 for sharpness, delete the rejects, then move to the Develop module. I still don't know whether applying my D300 presets at import time would slow down the review process in Library.</p>

<p>(I'm on Lightroom 3.6, MacBook Pro, 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 with lots of memory.)</p>

 

[martin-s]

<p>I don't render 1:1 previews at import because it takes much longer. I do my first sort with standard-sized previews fit-to-screen in the Library by rejecting - 'x' key - and then deleting the obvious misses.</p>

<p>Then I might select few images at a time where sharpness could be an issue and generate 1:1 previews. Once that's done, I can quickly flick trough them at 100% and mark the ones to keep.</p>

[sebastianmoran]

<p>Just one more and then I'll stop.</p>

<p>Same experimental folder from my post above. Apply my standard D300 preset to all the images. Now: <br>

- In Library, at 1:1, each image transition takes four seconds the first time, and one second to go back to a very recent image. There's obviously a cache, and it seems to be sized somewhere in the range of 5-10 images.<br>

- In Develop, about the same.</p>

<p>My conclusion: (When I want to review images for sharpness) Import images and do something else while Lightroom renders 1:1 previews. Without making <em>any</em> changes, review these for sharpness at 1:1 in Library. Discard the rejects. Do further review. Later, once I've done most of my discards, apply my present, start cropping and adjusting, etc.</p>

[martin-s]

<p>Sebastian,<br>

just to be sure, I did exactly what you described, applied a develop preset at import and rendered 1:1 previews. However here the switch to the next image in Library 100% view is still instant, no delay.</p>

<p>This is what I would expect since a develop preset applied at the import stage should be taken into account when rendering 1:1 previews.</p>

<p>I'm on LR4.1, but I remember it to work that way in previous versions.</p>

 

[digitaldog]

<blockquote>

<p>My conclusion: (When I want to review images for sharpness) Import images and do something else while Lightroom renders 1:1 previews,Without making <em>any</em> changes, review these for sharpness at 1:1 in Library.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes as the previews in the two modules are treated differently. For the most accurate color and tone, you want to view 1:1 in Develop. But for editing (delete for blur), Library is just fine. The differences in color/tone shouldn’t be too large either but there usually is a difference. </p>

[sebastianmoran]

<p>Martin and Andrew, thank you. With develop preset at import, the scanning in Library is still instant.</p>

<p>My revised conclusion: (When I want to review images for critical sharpness) Import images with the usual preset. Do something else while Lightroom renders 1:1 previews (10sec ea.). Without making changes, review these for sharpness at 1:1 in Library.</p>

<p>In Develop, you get a more accurate rendering, but it takes a few seconds to switch images.</p>