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Phase One Media Pro is Released

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Copenhagen, May 10, 2011 -- Phase One, the world’s leading pro photography equipment provider, today released Media Pro. Originally created by iView Multimedia, this professional digital asset management software has recently been known as Microsoft Expression Media. In its first release since Phase One’s acquisition of the product from Microsoft last year, it has been re-christened Media Pro.

Media Pro is a professional photo manager built for photographic, video and multimedia collection management. Media Pro offers a flexible and intuitive way to catalog, organize, and utilize digital media assets.

Its strength is in organizing photo files, no matter where they are stored -- on shared folders, CDs, hard drives, DVDs or other media. It’s an application comprising visual catalogs which can be easily and quickly browsed, searched, and annotated.

Images within these very large catalogs (Media Pro now supports more than 128,000 files per catalog) may be non-destructively edited with Capture One and other image editing applications. They may also be converted into other file formats. And all catalogs may be archived, backed up, published via slide shows, web galleries, and distributed via email, contact sheets, prints, and other custom options.

What’s new?

Seamless workflow with Capture One -- Phase One’s Capture One raw image rendering engine is built into the new Media Pro. Photographers can instantly magnify and evaluate raw images with correct colors, in detail, including adjustments. Images and adjustments made in Capture One are updated in Media Pro and the two applications offer integrated exchange of the metadata that describe images, and convey ownership and licensing information. This increased compatibility is a major improvement in the workflow between the two applications.

Openness
Media Pro offers exchange of metadata information by way of XMP, the extensible metadata platform. Media Pro also provides options to permit Windows-based systems to use Windows Imaging Components and Mac-based systems to use Core Image processing as their image rendering engines. This means that Media Pro maintains its independence as a best-of-breed digital asset management solution supporting other popular image editing software.

More camera support
Raw files from more than 100 new camera models are supported, including raw image and video support for Canon, Nikon and other popular pro and semi-pro digital cameras.

Larger Catalogs
The limitation of 128.000 files per catalog and the maximum size of 2GB per catalog has been removed to allow for larger photo collections. Users can still create an unlimited number of visual catalogs.

Updated User Interface
Media Pro comes with a redesigned user interface to match the sleek look of Capture One.
While this version continues to provide support for audio, DTP, font, text and HTML files, Media Pro is primarily a photo manager for photo and video files.
For more information about Media Pro, please see: www.phaseone.com/media-pro

“Working with Phase One to develop the new Media Pro tutorials has been very exciting, “said Peter Krogh, leading DAM expert and professional photographer. “I’ve long considered Media Pro to be one of my favorite DAM resources, and it’s clear that its future is bright.”

“Phase One is committed to investing in professional photo management and image editing software,” said Carsten H. Olsen, Phase One Software Product Manager. “This Media Pro release is designed to deliver a combined photography software toolset that will satisfy the world’s most demanding professional photographers.”

Capture One
Capture One is an image editing software that delivers the world’s highest image quality with excellent color and detail. The software comprises all the tools required to capture, organize, edit, share and print images for a highly efficient workflow.

Availability and Pricing
Media Pro is available now via download for USD 199 and EUR 139 through Phase One’s Online Store and through leading professional photography dealers worldwide.

Current Expression Media 2 customers can upgrade to Media Pro for USD 59 and EUR 39.
Current iView MediaPro/Expression Media 1 customers can upgrade to Media Pro for USD 69 and EUR 49.

About Phase One
Phase One is the world’s leader in open-platform based medium format camera systems and solutions. Phase One medium format cameras, digital backs and lenses are designed to deliver superior quality image capture and investment value. Phase One’s Capture One software helps streamline capture and post-production processes. Phase One products are known for their quality, flexibility and speed enabling pro photographers shooting in a wide range of formats to achieve their creative visions without compromise. For more information, please visit Phase One at http://www.phaseone.com. Follow Phase One on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/PhaseOneWW

Phase One is an employee-owned company based in Copenhagen with offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Cologne, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Phase One and Capture One are registered trademarks of Phase One A/S. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
 

Terry

New member
I need to understand what you buy both pieces of software separately? Also, need to understand if you then give up working with sessions. Something Doug helped make me embrace and love.
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
I need to understand what you buy both pieces of software separately? Also, need to understand if you then give up working with sessions. Something Doug helped make me embrace and love.
Super short answer:
- C1 manages raw files within one session at a time
- Media Pro manages your catalog (up to all images you've ever shot)

You don't give up sessions.
 
J

JAllen

Guest
Why would one use Media Pro when one has Lightroom. Can't Lightroom keep track of your Image collection as well as Media Pro? With collections now possible I see no need for Media Pro.

JAllen
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I'm a Phase shooter and would not use Lightroom with a 10 ft pool on it with my Phase files. C1 is king when it comes to using Phase files because it is a complete system package between back and software as they are designed together to optimize maximum IQ from Phase backs. LR does not exist on my machine and never will as long as i am shooting Phase gear.

And yes that was a snobby answer( not meant to be) as one thing I am very biased on and admit is C1 for raw processing. I am a fanboy of C1 no question about it.
 

gazwas

Active member
I feel that sessions are at odds to catalogues.

Ever since Phase went from image capture to capture one we have been programmed to use small session files and now they are encouraging large catalogues of images. I'd much prefere something like is built into C1 that manages session in a similar way rather that how this new software seem to operate.

I'll have to do some more research to see if its of any use to me. Since Phase gave expression media away, I don't think I've ever activated it so maybe its a tool I'll never be without and I don't even know it.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I agree really need to look at this myself to see if it truly makes sense to incorporate this into my flow. Today i don't catalogue like this so have to see if this makes sense to me.
 

Terry

New member
I'm a Phase shooter and would not use Lightroom with a 10 ft pool on it with my Phase files. C1 is king when it comes to using Phase files because it is a complete system package between back and software as they are designed together to optimize maximum IQ from Phase backs. LR does not exist on my machine and never will as long as i am shooting Phase gear.

And yes that was a snobby answer( not meant to be) as one thing I am very biased on and admit is C1 for raw processing. I am a fanboy of C1 no question about it.

I don't think JAllen was saying use Lightroom to process Phase files. But use Lightroom to catalogue the files. Lightroom can do both (library and develop) but you don't need to use both. Media Pro seems to do the library part of Lightroom.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I don't think JAllen was saying use Lightroom to process Phase files. But use Lightroom to catalogue the files. Lightroom can do both (library and develop) but you don't need to use both. Media Pro seems to do the library part of Lightroom.
Okay so lets play devils advocate why spend 200 on LR just to catalogue for a Phase shooter that uses C1. See that makes no sense to me either and have a program on my machine that I will not use. So if Media Pro can integrate with my sessions than it is a better program for me. Now have to see how this all works of course and makes sense.

Now admittedly am looking at this from my seat and LR never made sense to me to begin with since I have and use C1 for my Phase and Sony files. It honestly has not been on my machine for a couple years.
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
I need an image organizer that is very well integrated with a top class Raw converter. Up to now C1 did not offer this. Looks like Media Pro 1 will change that.

Actually using C1 and LR has never been a problem for me.
 

baxter

New member
Does anyone know if it supports EIP workflow? Couldn't see anything in the press release or on Phase One site.

I had to convert all my EIP into IIQ (from P45+) in readiness so I could start cataloguing in Expression Media.

Actually haven't got around to commencing this task, so wondering what the advantages of switching to Media Pro might be before trying to set-up keyword presets to break the back of the task.
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Does anyone know if it supports EIP workflow? Couldn't see anything in the press release or on Phase One site.

I had to convert all my EIP into IIQ (from P45+) in readiness so I could start cataloguing in Expression Media.

Actually haven't got around to commencing this task, so wondering what the advantages of switching to Media Pro might be before trying to set-up keyword presets to break the back of the task.
EIP is supported as is sidecar-based C1 adjustments. I'd prefer/recommend EIP as that's a cleaner workflow in general.

EIP also, as of Capture One 6.2 embeds an adjusted preview image in the file so that both the finder, browsers, and Media Pro will see the adjusted image without having to render it. That's unique to Capture One (a raw file which remains raw but shows in all previews with any C1 adjustments).
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Phase One Media Pro Tutorial Videos on CaptureIntegration.com

Capture Integration's Editorial on How Phase One Media Pro Fits Into the Phase One Ecosystem

Not everyone is going to need or want Media Pro. That's one of the genius parts of the Phase One Capture One + Media Pro ecosystem. If you don't need catalog management (fast and easy review/editing/comparison/sharing of files spread across multiple sessions, detailed metadata'ing etc) then you don't need Media Pro and you can sleep safe knowing that Phase One won't bloat Capture One with those features (which you don't need). On the other hand if you do need catalog management you'll be able to use a catalog manager which is 100% dedicated/designed-for that purpose which is slowed down by the ability to adjust images, tether, etc.

It's a first release so I'm sure there will be a few bugs and I'm sure performance will improve greatly over the next few months, but this is a very exciting announcement.

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

Workshop Member
Why would one use Media Pro when one has Lightroom. Can't Lightroom keep track of your Image collection as well as Media Pro?
Both have Image Collection (aka "Catalog management") tools/abilities.

Whether they both do "as well" for you is something you'll have to evaluate for yourself. Each will have advantages and disadvantages. The core advantage of LR is that it can do everything (though IMO it does all things "pretty well" and nothing "great"), while Media Pro focuses ONLY on Catalog Management and is built to make that functionality as fast and easy as possible.

FYI - my personal catalog management is currently done through Aperture. I could have also used LR but when I made my decision LR was still early on and not on-par (IMO) at that point with Aperture. I looked into iVew Media / Expression Media at the time but at the time the level of integration with C1 and modern raw files was just too shoddy. Now with the new much higher level of integration and many updates I'm looking forward to moving my catalog out of Aperture and into Media Pro.

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
 
I have Expressions Media, post-MSFT. The test app I just downloaded does open my LX-5 RAW files, which the previous would not, but it will not display in Thumbnail view many hundreds of images in all kinds of formats which even the old one would display. Double clicking the blank image results in "Rendering Image", and you do get to see it "full-size", but it still won't then show up in Thumbnails. JPEG Rotate command doesn't rotate the jpegs any better/more reliably than E.M. did. I don't see any reason to consider an upgrade or continuing trying to use this, especially for a $59 fee.
 

gazwas

Active member
I looked into iVew Media / Expression Media at the time but at the time the level of integration with C1 and modern raw files was just too shoddy. Now with the new much higher level of integration and many updates I'm looking forward to moving my catalog out of Aperture and into Media Pro.
Just had a watch of some of the support videos and IMO this is is terrible way to catalogue images. Its just not intergrated into C1 enough.

Major failings for me so far with just limited research is noting is done automatically and assumes the user do everything. After capture you even need to send (?) the images to the media pro catalogue and after making any further adjustments in C1 you have to select the thumbnail in media pro to manually update the changes to the thumbnail. It doesn't even see varients properly which I use all the time.

Another big issue for me also is it doesn't make use of the session structure that C1 users are so used to organising their shoots with. It just clumps the images in one big catalogue and relies on the users keywording.

I also don't get why C1 can have a nice tidy file structure...... RAW files with their setting and preview kept away from the RAW file in their own folders to keep everything simple. But Media pro insists on an annoying sidecar file junking up the RAW folder.
 

Vincent Goetz

Subscriber Member
I find this all rather interesting. having used LR to catalog and CS 4 and then CS5 for post processing. Two months ago I purchased C1 and have cleaned my drives at the same time. Nothing is stored in LR anymore, and I visit CS5 on rare occasions.

Capture One continues to blow me away, in the easiness of use, post processing is a dream now. I will look at MP to see if it will meet my catalog needs. My biggest issue is remote hard drives that I use to backup, and if MP makes that easier I will be spending the money...

I have to say in the past two months of learning my Phase One P40+the only criticism I have is the absolutely terrible production quality of my V-Grip. It does not fit seamlessly with the camera body and always wants to be loose. Phase One should replace every one that they sold. They should also have two holes in the bottom of the grip where the mount plate is for tri-pods, currently my camera wants to swing around because of the lack of a solid mount.

Aside from that apparent waste of $1200 I am happy with this new world, and I am loving my images. Last week I took out one of my Nikons for the first time since the Phase One entered my life. That was a long hiatus for me.
 

Christopher

Active member
Well, i use LR and C1 and so far I have seen nothing to switch. In my eyes LR has the much better output options. Especially printing and web galleries. Second thing is that it looks like there is not much more comunication going on between c1 and media pro than between c1 and lightroom.
 
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