Syncing Capture One DB files?

[gsking]

I figure this is the best place to ask this.

Is there a simple way to sync/transfer Capture One DB images? I take them on my laptop, but obviously prefer to edit them on my desktop.

I was able to manually copy the entire capture folder from one computer to the other, but was wondering if there was a better way.

I use 3.7.8 if it matters.

I guess ideally both folders would sync automatically (wirelessly) and keep the Capture folder up-to-date on both computers. Once I'm satisfied with the Capture One basic processing, I'll output the TIFF and delete the "raw" DB file.

Or is there a better way/reason to keep the native files? As a DB user, I only use Capture One to create the "base" file, much as a scanner creates the base TIFF out of a negative. But I realize I might be throwing away some dynamic range available in the native file if I cared to reprocess it.

Thoughts?
Greg

 

[Jack]

Greg:

I'm going to let Doug answer this one, then probably move this thread to the image processing forum in a day or two -- just wanted to give you a head's up.

What I do is import my images off the card via C1 to an external drive when in the field, then copy over the entire file structure to my working image drive on my desktop when I am back at the office. When I open C1 on the desktop, I then do an "open session" and migrate to the cos file for the set of images I already worked up on the laptop. This has worked fine for me, however I am not sure this is the best way and am sure Doug will let us know what is the best method!

 

[Dale Allyn]

snip...
Once I'm satisfied with the Capture One basic processing, I'll output the TIFF and delete the "raw" DB file...

Thoughts?
Greg

I'm off the point of your topic, but IMO that's a bold move, i.e. deleting your RAW file. Storage is cheap, and RAW processors, as well as one's skills using them, evolve. But that's just me. Of course it could depend on how an image file is used and what the final destination is, etc. Perhaps one would never want to revisit an original for certain types of work. (?)

 

[Jack]

Oh man, I TOTALLY missed that! NEVER, I repeat NEVER, NEVER, NEVER delete a raw file EVER!!! Doing so is akin to destroying a perfectly good original film negative after you've made a decent copy -- just doesn't make sense.

Hard drive space is CHEAP -- 1TB drives are under $100. So call that 10 cents per Gigabyte, which is 1 cent per 100 MB. You can store two P45+ raw files for a penny, so we are talking a half-cent per raw tops, and double that if you make a back-up copy... Frankly, it costs you more in time to delete it than it does to store it...

 

[gsking]

Thanks guys. I figured that'd be the response.

Jack, sounds like we do the same thing. I'll keep doing it. I decided processing the images on my laptop is going to give me a substandard TIFF.

I was actually going to type that...deleting the original file is like throwing away the negative...which I do for some of my mediocre shots. So I'll probably use the same methodology. I just need to familiarize myself with the file structure on C1, and decide how I want to organize those raw files for later retrieval.

I store the output tiff's in my monthly "film" folder, so it makes sense to treat them analogously.

So, the dumb question is..."There is a lot more image data/DR in the native file than in the processed 16-bit TIFF, right?"

As a segway, I processed a shot last night that had way too much DR, and I had to pull two exposures about 2-3 stops apart to get the right image. Tried "Combine to HDR" between LR and PS, and got crappy results. Ended up doing it manually with decent results.

Any organic capability within C1 to tone map a shot like that and squish the DR into a single image?

Guess I'll see you in the other forum. ;-)

Greg

 

[Dale Allyn]

Heehee, I was trying to be subtle or gentle, but I prefer Jack's emphasis.

I copy all my files from the CF card, before any treatment to them, to an archive drive. It keeps me very comfortable as I process and sort, and if I goof due to distraction I always have the copy of the original files (actually two more, plus DVD). Then my TIFFs go elsewhere (an output folder), etc.

I've not seen a problem with an image which fits into the original RAW version in the viewer, but won't fit into the 16-bit TIFF. I either find them out of range in both, or within range in both, but my not having experienced is of little meaning. I'm not under the impression that one loses data (dynamic range) in the way that you described. Are you working with the clipping warnings active? What does the histogram indicate.

I'll back off and let Jack and Doug, et al. answer with useful info.

 

[Jack]

.

So, the dumb question is..."There is a lot more image data/DR in the native file than in the processed 16-bit TIFF, right?"

Generally yes. Moreover, you maintain the ability to re-process the raw file for different output, or as a variant version of the original file. Once you convert out to tiff and destroy the original, you lose a significant portion of that ability. Not saying you can't get there, but IMHO having ALL of the original data at the starting point is better than not having it.

Any organic capability within C1 to tone map a shot like that and squish the DR into a single image?

Not built-in. However for a large tonal range original capture on my P back, I generally find that if I used ISO 100 or 50 and did not clip important highlights in the exposure, I can usually pump the shadows more than enough in a single file to get the entire tonal range into the output file. IOW, shadow pump noise is not generally an issue in the final output.

My .02,

 

[gsking]

My camera is tethered, so the files get put directly into the captures folder. Maybe I'm leery, since I once pulled the file directly out and viewed it with another program, and got a 987x660 or something thumbnail. So I'm possibly confused on how and where that data is stored. I don't see any *.RAW files in the file folder, but if I drag the ENTIRE folder over, the other install of C1 is able to "see" the original data. Is something hidden in there that is not visible to other programs? They don't seem to be treated like "normally packaged" RAW files, but maybe I didn't look hard enough. Seemed like some proprietary file structure or something.

Yeah, I shot this particular shot without flash, so the background highlights in sun blow out when I pull up the subject to the proper exposure. Typical mistake.

I'll investigate pumping shadows some more in C1. Any chance that the DB version is stripped on its features to do this sort of thing? Or we talking just a drag to the left side of the curve? (You can see I've gotten really lazy with all the sliders in LR) ;-)

 

[Jack]

Your raw is a TIF and embeds a small viewing tiff -- so if you for example try to pull your raw Phase TIF into Autopano/Pro/Giga, you will get the little tiff thumbnail, not the full raw file. For third-party programs that can't see raws, you'll want to convert out first to avoid confusing the software to thinking it's a tiny tiff.

 

[Digitalcameraman]

Greg:

That is very simple. In Capture One 3.7.8 or 3.7.9 you can create a session. It will create a session folder that has 3 folders inside. Captures, Processed, Trash. As you capture files on your laptop, the RAW files will go into the Captures folder. These RAW files will show a Tiff badge so the OSX can make a preview of the file. If you tweak exposures and color balance on site it will travel to the desktop if you move the session the way I am describing.

After you shoot the session , copy the session folder, which contains those 3 folders called Capture, Process, and Trash to you desktop. Launch Capture One and under the file organizer tool menu you will Sessions and a a menu that you can pull down that states New Session, Add Session, Remove Session. You want to add session that you have already shot. WHen the finder comes up you are looking for your session folder. Inside the session folder is a session file. Example is the session is called Nasa, it would be named nasa.session, click on that file and Capture One will load your session and it will have the same setting as it had when you shot it including any adjustments you have made.

This is the easiest method to set up and shoot tethered and then move that session to your desktop to do production. Once you have completed the job it is your decision to archive the Captures (Raw files) or delete them. I like this method because when you shoot tethered, Capture One generates a nice thumbnail for Capture One to use. If you only move the Capture (Raw Files) folder, then Capture One must generate a new thumbnail images for each raw file. This can take some time depending on the volume.

Now if you have an intel based Mac and the latest Lepoard, you may want to look at using 4.8.3 because it has been improved vastly with speed, quality, enhanced features, and even has a back up system built into the C1 interface.


Good Luck


Chris Snipes
Image Production, Inc
Phase One Reseller
Phase One Test Studio
[email protected]
www.imageproduction.com

I figure this is the best place to ask this.

Is there a simple way to sync/transfer Capture One DB images? I take them on my laptop, but obviously prefer to edit them on my desktop.

I was able to manually copy the entire capture folder from one computer to the other, but was wondering if there was a better way.

I use 3.7.8 if it matters.

I guess ideally both folders would sync automatically (wirelessly) and keep the Capture folder up-to-date on both computers. Once I'm satisfied with the Capture One basic processing, I'll output the TIFF and delete the "raw" DB file.

Or is there a better way/reason to keep the native files? As a DB user, I only use Capture One to create the "base" file, much as a scanner creates the base TIFF out of a negative. But I realize I might be throwing away some dynamic range available in the native file if I cared to reprocess it.

Thoughts?
Greg

 

[Don Libby]

Just wanted to add my 2¢ here

My normal routine in the field is to copy the files directly from the card to two external drives; once I'm satisfied with the copy process I'll reuse the card after formatting in the back. One of the drives is labeled "Archival" the other "RAW". I leave the archival drive alone and any reviewing/field processing is done with the raw drive. I'm luck to have 2-hard drives in my laptop and I use the second drive as my scratch disk as well as a "keepers" folder for any field processing. Once back home I copy the archival drive onto 2 drives (Drobo and working disk) again leaving one as an archival drive while the working folder is well for working. Any image I've worked up in the field and liked enough to save also goes into the working folder.

I have a combination of DVD and hard drives that contain archival images that have never been touched. Every once in a while I'll go back and pull up and copy an older image in order to try a new processing procedure.

Like Jack and other's have said NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER delete a Raw file. This goes for ANY CAMERA ( I have all the RAW files from both the G9 and G10). That's your digital negative that like a film negative can never be replaced. Storage is just too cheap not to keep your RAW files.

I'd rather spend the time making certain I have good backups prior to even looking at the first image than run the risk of loosing just one image.

Again just my 2¢ here

Don

 

[gsking]

THANKS EVERYONE! Great info. Glad to have this forum...not only is it chock full of rare MFDB info, but it's free of all the ignorance/attitude/trolling/repitition/etc on those "other" websites.

 

[dougpeterson]

Keeping those raw files are essential for any image that is - or might possibly be - important to you now or at any point in the future.

I spoke with the development team of Capture One last week and they were very excited by the advances they've made in their noise reduction algorithms in the soon-to-be-released Capture One 5. Seeings as how I'm retouching a batch of files shot at ISO 6400 on the 5D Mark 2 I'm very excited to see those advances!! If I threw out my raw files then these advances would be lost on me.