Media Pro anyone?

[tashley]

I am SO over the way C1 stores files: I just upgraded to Lion and in the process decided to rationalise my Phase One files, and after three hours in C1 (some folders have trash, some don't, but rely on the session trash: some folders are nested and some aren't: I have never understood (and yes I know it's totally obvious but I know it confuses the hell out of most people) the difference between sessions and folders - and now some folders contain files that won't open, despite still existing, and can't be moved.

Grrr. I accept full responsibility for my failings but after several years of trying to get to grips with C1's habit of littering stuff everywhere and then making it hard to find, delete or sometimes use I give up. BUT I do so value its image rendering. SO, have been thinking of buying Media Pro.

Does anyone use it? Like it? Rate it? Please share!

Thanks
Tim

 

[jagsiva]

I just started using it recently. The cataloging is totally independent of file structure which is quite helpful. It also means you can carry your catalogue with you on a laptop, sort, rate etc., and that will mirror back when you connect to your storage device.

I also very much like the C1 type interface and integration.

I used a 30% off coupon off the Capture Integration site.

Cheers...

 

[dougpeterson]

Capture Integration has been evaluating Media Pro for a good while now. The 1.0 and 1.01 versions were pretty buggy (as anyone who has ever used a 1.0 version of anything would expect). 1.1 has just been released that is said to address most of the issues we've encountered. I'm looking forward to testing it in the coming weeks.

We are hosting a Media Pro Workshop coming up in Atlanta with Peter Krogh. To be honest this is as much for us (Capture Integration) as it is for our users. Peter is the world-leading expert instructor on Media Pro (formerly iView) and while I've become a power user over the last few months I am not as fascile and comfortable with it as I am with Capture One.

My main gripe (aside from several bugs) I had with the 1.01 version was the slow speed/responsivity when using the Capture One rendering engine. This option is the holy grail of catalog/archiving for Capture One users - you can see the image WITH the adjustments from C1 (without having to process the image). However the slowdown this option caused made it very hard to stomach in real-world use. I'm looking forward to seeing how much, if any, this has improved in version 1.1.

As of two weeks ago before 1.1 was released I would have told you Media Pro was a GREAT idea which was a GREAT investment for Phase One but was not ready for most end users to jump on board. In the coming weeks our testing/evaluation of 1.1 along with expertise gained from working with Peter will tell us if it's there yet or still needs more time.

The hardest part of this question is what to tell those who currently don't have a cataloging solution they are happy with. I'm pretty confident that in the near future MP will be my prefered recommendation, even if it wasn't as of version 1.01. Catalogs are truly long-term comittments/investments; you can't make your decision based soley based on what's working best today (though that's obviously a very important factor) but must consider where your needs will be in a few years and what software/company is most likely to be provide for those needs.

Sorry if this post provides less definitive suggestions than most of my posts. If it comes across as somewhat undecided I think that's an accurate reflection of my current stance.

Having advised you honestly on where we come down (or dont' come down) on Media Pro I would be retiscent if I didn't link you to our instructions to Buy Media Pro through us at a discount from the normal price.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
__________________

Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One Partner of the Year
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[BCMielke]

I had the old Expression Media product and I liked it. It was quite quirky on some things that just didn't work in my workflow so I ended up dropping it. I still have the CD somewhere I think.

I don't know about the new Capture One product. though.

 

[Geoff]

Doug -

Much appreciate your straightforward assessment of a difficult topic. Gives one some confidence you are thinking hard about this.

Thanks,

Geoff

 

[tashley]

Ditto to Geoff - Lord, the world needs more dealers like Doug!

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

I just wish I could get it to work - hangs up once it's loaded a hundred or so images. I've reloaded and done all the usual commonsense things but no dice.

It's not ready yet - at least for me - on any of my computers.

Bill

 

[dougpeterson]

I just wish I could get it to work - hangs up once it's loaded a hundred or so images. I've reloaded and done all the usual commonsense things but no dice.

It's not ready yet - at least for me - on any of my computers.

Bill

Is that with 1.01 or 1.1?

 

[sc_john]

This may be an alternative, if you are currently using PhotoMechanic:

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-11666-12050

JOhn

 

[MGrayson]

How about Aperture? I use it for both RAW processing and DAM, but the DAM half is excellent. I used to use C1, but the file management drove me crazy. I had to write scripts to hunt down and delete unwanted files.

Best,

Matt

 

[Shelby Lewis]

I'll be honest, a simple file folder import strategy with photomechanic handling the tagging/ingesting works very well for me. It's lean, fast, comprehensive, and does a great job of allowing me to quickly browse/search my images.

PM is not quite as useable with my MF files for quickly checking focus as they have no embedded jpeg previews (I can't go through quickly and check focus on files), but as far as speed, functionality, and simplicity for importing/tagging... it is great.

As a Lightroom/Photoshop user, I ingest/tag with photomechanic (which allows me to work in LR at the same time on a separate project). I quickly edit-in artistically in PM by tagging keepers instantly by pressing "1" for keepers. I then create individual catalogs with those keepers for individual shoots in LR and then do major tonal work within LR, then jump to PS if needed for retouching and "hand work". All three work in tandem very nicely and only do what they are best at. They play nicely together and offer a level of efficiently STABLE integration I've not been able to find elsewhere. With the latest ACR/LR version, image quality is right up there with the other converters IMO.

For bread and butter portrait work... I can be from ingest to online proofs in very little time.

If your folder storage structure is illustrative enough... finding a particular shoot simply using spotlight in OS X is easy enough.

We are so spoiled.

 

[tashley]

How about Aperture? I use it for both RAW processing and DAM, but the DAM half is excellent. I used to use C1, but the file management drove me crazy. I had to write scripts to hunt down and delete unwanted files.

Best,

Matt

Thanks for the suggestion Matt - I tried Aperture and thought it very good but settled in the end on Lightroom for all cameras apart from Phase. Probably the best option is to import all Phase files into LR for DAM and then roundtrip the ones I want to print to C1... but I am with you on the 'drove me crazy' bit. What I really dislike is the sense that it's all very logical but that one is too think to understand the process. And yet very few people seem to understand it!

:loco:

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

Is that with 1.01 or 1.1?

Doug, I have 1.0.1.

It shows all the files in "List" but won't show the thumbnails - just seems to load a few (it likes JPGS!) then hangs up. It's the same on my Mac Pro and my MacBook Pro. (10.5.8)

I see from Phase's User Forum that I'm by no means alone. I've gone back to LR for cataloguing but of course it isn't linked to P1 (my favorite!) like MP is - or should be!

I guess I'm going to have to wait for 1.2.....

Bill

 

[tashley]

Grrr again. I was trying to find out how to apply one rating to several images today: I tried selecting them all then applying a rating, which doesn't work. So I tried copying the rating from one and applying to the others and that doesn't work either. So I thought to check the Help. No dice. So I thought to download the user guide and unbelievably the Phase website doesn't have a user guide for C1 version 6. I mean.... really.

Does Media One allow space age features such as this I wonder?

 

[Godfrey]

... have been thinking of buying Media Pro.
Does anyone use it? Like it? Rate it? Please share!

I used what became Microsoft Expressions Media Pro for several years prior to Microsoft acquiring it. It was a good catalog keeper ... but then Microsoft bought it and from that point it wasn't looking as if they were going to enhance it much for Mac OS X.

Right about then, Adobe released Lightroom and I switched to it as my primary cataloging and image processing workflow tool. It's much more useful for my photo work than Media Pro is.

 

[lance_schad]

If anyone viewing this thread is in the NY area we are holding a RAW Workflow with Capture One & Media Pro event hosted by Peter Krogh as well. There is a two hour evening seminar on Wednesday November 16th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm and then on Thursday, November 17 a full day intensive hands-on workshop.

More info is available HERE

Lance

 

[dougpeterson]

Grrr again. I was trying to find out how to apply one rating to several images today: I tried selecting them all then applying a rating, which doesn't work. So I tried copying the rating from one and applying to the others and that doesn't work either. So I thought to check the Help. No dice. So I thought to download the user guide and unbelievably the Phase website doesn't have a user guide for C1 version 6. I mean.... really.

Does Media One allow space age features such as this I wonder?

There is an icon of three rectangles stacked on top of each other in the top right that you have currently set to Gray (inactive) meaning only the primary selected image will be rated/moved/deleted/copy/paste. Simply click that box and it will turn to orange. Then when you select a group of images and rate/move/delete/copy/paste it will apply to all selected images.

Trust me when I say once you get deep in C1 workflow that having that icon there to turn on/off adjust-multiple is EXTREMELY handy. But I realize it's hair-pulling when you don't know it's there!

The default is for that icon to be active. So at some point you must have clicked it off accidentally/incidentally.

Capture One 6 User Manual:
http://www.phaseone.com/en/downloads/captureone.aspx

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
__________________

Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One Partner of the Year
Leaf, Leica, Cambo, Arca Swiss, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Broncolor, Eizo & More

National: 877.217.9870 *| *Cell: 740.707.2183
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Buy Capture One 6 at 10% off

 

[dougpeterson]

Doug, I have 1.0.1.

It shows all the files in "List" but won't show the thumbnails - just seems to load a few (it likes JPGS!) then hangs up. It's the same on my Mac Pro and my MacBook Pro. (10.5.8)

I see from Phase's User Forum that I'm by no means alone. I've gone back to LR for cataloguing but of course it isn't linked to P1 (my favorite!) like MP is - or should be!

I guess I'm going to have to wait for 1.2.....

Is there a typo here? (lots of 1s and 0s so it would be easy to understand!)

You say you have 1.0.1. I was asking if you've tried 1.1?

To be clear I've only just begun testing 1.1 so I can't yet meaningfully comment on stability/bugginess of 1.1 vs. 1.0.1.

 

[tashley]

That was it - thanks Doug, I was tearing my hair out! And thanks for the link to the manual: Phase should really think about putting it at their documentation download page for C1 in the Support area of their site... and I know you have their ear! it's at

http://www.phaseone.com/en/SupportMain/Manuals/Manuals_CO.aspx

Best
Tim

There is an icon of three rectangles stacked on top of each other in the top right that you have currently set to Gray (inactive) meaning only the primary selected image will be rated/moved/deleted/copy/paste. Simply click that box and it will turn to orange. Then when you select a group of images and rate/move/delete/copy/paste it will apply to all selected images.

Trust me when I say once you get deep in C1 workflow that having that icon there to turn on/off adjust-multiple is EXTREMELY handy. But I realize it's hair-pulling when you don't know it's there!

The default is for that icon to be active. So at some point you must have clicked it off accidentally/incidentally.

Capture One 6 User Manual:
http://www.phaseone.com/en/downloads/captureone.aspx

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
__________________

Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One Partner of the Year
Leaf, Leica, Cambo, Arca Swiss, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Broncolor, Eizo & More

National: 877.217.9870 *| *Cell: 740.707.2183
Newsletter | RSS Feed
Buy Capture One 6 at 10% off

 

[dougpeterson]

I probably should have mentioned that they've switched to using an online wiki-style "manual/help".

http://help.phaseone.com/en/CO6

These are much easier to make small updates to than a 200 page PDF and just as (if not more) useful.

That switch is likely why they've neglected to place their downloadable PDF on the "documentation" page (the reason - not an excuse). I've emailed them to point it out and I assume it will be addressed in the near/mid future.