I don't always.  I'm still trying to sort out which is most convenient.  Initially I tried converting early as it just seemed like the thing to do.  As long as I'm going to archive and base a workflow on DNG, I might as well start working that way early on.  Then I hit the roadblock described in this thread.  Even understanding that, there are still times that I think I prefer to go ahead and convert to DNG, archive the native camera format files (Kodak and Canon, I don't catalog these) and move on.  With some jobs, I may not do final tweaking and cropping of raw files until well after the shoot.  And with some jobs I may be doing that to a lot of images, not just a couple of selects.  However I may want to go ahead and get this job into the archive and catalog system fairly early on just to clean up my "Working" drive.  Once you understand the issue with DNG preview rebuilding, I don't find it that much of a hinderance or slowdown to just remember to do an "Export Settings" at the end of an editing session.

Bob Smith

If you want to convert to DNG early in the workflow and not suffer the editing slow down... keep Camera Raw prefs set to NOT update the embeded jpeg preview.  Then update all at once after you've finished an editing session... or just before you add the images to an iView catalog.  As someone pointed out to me in another thread here, you can manually update the previews by selecting all of the images and opening in Camera Raw, then from the flyout menu select Export Settings.  Updating all at once will take a bit of time but its something that can easily be done unattended while you work on other tasks.

Bob Smith

That was kind of my point in starting this thread.  It seems to me that it DOES somehow see a flattened version of the image to create the catalog image when you import.  but for some reason it won't if you ask again later to rebuild the image.  Multi layer PSD images (the extra layers in my files are often just a few adjusment layer masks) import just fine even though I have maximize compaibilty turned off and full size previews turned off.  However the catalog image disappears if I rebuild.  Turning maximize compatiblity on imports the file just the same, but it also allows a rebuild to take place without losing the catalog thumbs/previews.  I don't understand why a rebuild operation is any different than the initial import as far as what iView can see in the Photoshop file.

Bob Smith

As the one starting this thread...   Yes, I have contacted iView and recieved a reply from them asking for screenshots and some more specific info.  Once I've had a chance to get that to them and recieve a reply I'll post anything I find here.  My issue is that iView sees the multilayer PSD file just fine on import, but loses it if I ever try to rebuild.

Bob Smith

I've been using two side by side monitors for years.  It especially makes sense for Photoshop work.   You have one large clean screen for the image you're editing and an additional screen for all of the pallets.  You get more quality screen real estate for your buck by buying two modest size monitors rather than one huge one.  The only time I'd make a case for one huge monitor is if you worked in one single program that required a giant view.  Otherwise, you can more economically spit it between multiple displays.  Most of us are seriously multitasking.  As long as you're doing that, split the tasks between different screens.  Some on one.  Others on a second display.

I'm currently sitting at my main imaging workstation that has the same wonderful 20" Dell that you are using.  That's the main display.  I have on older 15" Apple LCD for a second display.  When in Photoshop, it holds the pallets while the Dell holds the image.  For sorting tasks, I keep Bridge open on the Dell with an iView Catalog on the smaller screen.  Of course there's many other things tucked under those windows to burn up screen real estate... a small web cam watches my front door; Epson print monitor windows; My voice mail system (Ovolab Phlink)... and of course iTunes, Address Book, Calendar... and I've got to have Safari so I can read these many forums.  It's amazing that I get anything done!

Bob Smith

I'm not sure exactly which you're referring to, but I've enabled full size previews in Photoshop; and I've set IVMP to use full size previews (and just about every combonation possible of related settings).  The problem persists.  The image displays fine on import but one attempt to rebuild will lose the thumbnail and preview in iView.  The only way to get it back is to delete the image from the catalog and re-import.  More than a little frustrating.  All works just fine if I do enable "maximize compatiblity" in Photoshop but the massive increase in file size for so little gain is simply not tolerable.  I understand the concept behind "maximize compatiblity" but not using it has never been a hinderance to my workflow before... and it saves gobs of disk space.  It just doesn't seem like it should be needed here since supposedly the files already contain thumbs and full size previews.  I've posted this question to iView support as well.  If I find out anything meaningful I'll post here.  The Q/A section of their site simply says to turn on "maximize compatibility".

Thanks

Bob Smith

IVMP 3.02, Photoshop CS2, Mac OS-X 10.4.6

I can import a batch of layered Photoshop files into a catalog and everything shows just fine (media pane is the same size image as the thumbnail but I don't really care about that).  However, if I ever rebuild an item, the thumbnail disappears.  I have Photoshop set to always save icons and full size previews.  I do NOT have maximaize comaptibility turned on.  If I turn on maximize compatiblity, IVMP works just fine but the size of my Photoshop files grows enormously.  I have no other need for maximise compatibility so I have no intention of doing this just to get IVMP to show a thumbnail.  The Photoshop file already has a thumb and preview.  Why isn't IVMP using it when rebuilding (it does on initial import)?  Any ideas what other setting I might be missing?

Thanks

Bob Smith

I got that error yesterday for the first time.  It was caused by the fact that I'd forgotten to specify a destination folder.  May be obvious but could that possibly be your problem?

Bob Smith

I include a date in all of my files names now.  I use the yymmdd format.  I insert x's if the month or day are not known.  In fields like date created where a proper date is required, I reserve certain dates for images where a date is not certain.  For instance the 15th of any month means it MIGHT be an estimated day.  A look at the filename will tell me if its exact or not.  Not a perfect system by any means.  I'm open to better ideas.

Bob Smith

I am now.  Now that I'm getting more familiar with a workflow similar to what you outline in your book, I'd just as soon put my Kodak DCRs away and work with DNGs as early in the workflow as possible to keep the number of files/folders I'm pushing around to a minimum.  I apply Camera Raw defaults and basic metadata before DNG conversion but more precise tweaks to camera raw settings (especially crops) always occur later as I prep files more precisely yet before proofing for the client.  Yes, I open multiple similar files in Camera Raw and apply settings.  I was just not preparred for how much having the embedded JPEG update would slow the process down.

The suggestion to export settings seems to be a decent answer.  That allows much faster editing then I can export setting on a whole folder while I move onto some other task

Thanks

Bob Smith

Thanks... that's helpful.  And it appears that this method is also possibly the answer to my question posted here:

http://thedambook.com/smf/index.php?topic=553.0

slowly but surely I'm smoothing the glitches in this workflow.

Bob Smith

I've carefully calibrated my cameras with the Thomas Fors script to determine optimum default settings.  I've then set those as camera defaults.  Works well.  However if the files are accessed from a computer with different camera defaults set, I see those settings, not my carefully calibrated settings.  Yes, I know I need to enter the same defaults on this other computer but that's not always possible or convenient.  Is there a way to change the settings in a file that might be using appropriate camera defaults to appear as though these are edited image settings so that these will appear on any computer that accesses these files?  In other words the other computer will load the specific image setttings rather than camera defaults.

Bob Smith

I'm a recent convert to a DNG workflow.  I'm mostly happy with the improvements but one frustration remains.  If I set Camera Raw prefs to update the embedded preview (if its not updated what's the point of having it?) this radically slows the process of bulk editing DNG files as each minor tweak to a setting means a few seconds on each image to update the jpg.  With updating turned off, the settings and the preview shown in Bridge are updated MUCH more quickly.

So....  is there a way to leave updating turned off and then manually batch update the embedded jpegs in a folder of DNGs all at one time, once editing is completed?  I know that I can simply run the DNG convertor again and point it toward the edited DNGs as the source files, but this is even more time consuming and convoluted than waiting for previews to update after each individual edit.  There's got to be a better way that I seem to be missing.

Bob Smith

Tethered shooting is really something that generally depends on the software that the camera manufacturer supplies.  I've shot with various Kodak dslrs for years.  Their smooth tethered shooting workflow is one of the big reasons I preferred them.  It even worked very well with SCSI connected cameras before the days of firewire.  It's one of the things that Kodak really got right.  Sorry to see them go.  All of my studio shooting and much of my location work is done while tethered.  I like the immediate feedback on large screen.

These days I still tether with the Kodak software but I monitor the shots with Bridge.  It generally works well but often it doesn't immediately update when a new file is added to the watched folder.  I often have to click on another image anywhere in the folder and then Bridge will update the folder view and see the added files.  At other times Bridge automatically updates as soon as an image is added.  I can't seem to find a pattern as to when/why it works.  This is only a relatively minor irritation.  Bridge generally works fine for viewing files added by tethered shooting.

I too use this sort of thing for educational purposes.  I teach a college level basic photography class in a fine arts program.  I can illustrate basic camera control concepts very easily by shooting with the camera tethered to a computer connected to a projector.  Works like a charm.

Bob Smith