DNG, Backup, Metadata synchronization

[peterkrogh]

David,
Have iView "Convert Image Files" on a bunch of DNG files.  It's most obvious if you run it on a bunch of files.  Then compare to having Photoshop convert the files with the Image Processor.  iView is *much* faster, since it does not have to parse RAW data, just extract a JPEG and resize.
Peter

[danaltick]

David,

Peter is referring to the full resolution JPEG previews embedded in the DNG's.  iView has several commands that use these: Create Image Files..., HTML Gallery..., Contact Sheet..., Slideshow, and LightTable.  If your previews are good enough, you can batch deliver them as JPEG's depending on the requirements.  This process is much faster than creating Tiff's through Photoshop.  Looks like Peter does that about 5% of the time.

Oops Peter, looks like we posted at the same time.  That's not the first time.  Maybe you should start giving out prizes for that ;-).

Dan

[Chris Bishop]

All this talk of multiple external drives, needing to be kept in sync. There is a facility within ACDSee (pro) that allows sync'ing of multple drives. does any other software offer such an applet? I keep my data on a HDD within my machine (not my os drive) I then sync this to an external HDD and a DVD-RW. When the DVD is full I know to create a new bucket and start again. this bucket then becomes my watched folder. The old bucket is then burnt to a DVD-R which is kept at my place of work. I will do the same with my derivative files once I get enough of them.
My camera cards are copied to a Jobo 30gb back up device, before getting onto the computer. The card is the taken out of use until the files are copied from the Jobo to the computer.
I am considering sync'ing the Jobo to the external drive. It's one stage back, so one stage before any corruption can occur.
Only when the HDD is sync'd do I clean the camera card and put it back into circulation.
I have lost data (work not photos) so know the headache.
Back on topic, does iView, Bridge or any other program sync? Elements doesn't

[Chris Bishop]

Another issue raised in this thread is the frequency of burning metadata to the DNG (or any other file). The only reason I can see that I need to leave Elements (v3) is becuase it cannot write data to DNG. it keeps it within it's own database. If I don't burn it to DNG anyway, what am I losing by staying?
It can create DNG files
It has hierarchical keywords
I don't use it's back up program, but do back up it's catalogue.
It has Tags and collections
It is cheap
I don't know about v5, v4 didn't offer anything new.
If Lightroom can burn to DNG, and elements can read it, Is this not the answer?
Chris

[peterkrogh]

Chris,
Hmm, I have not tested Elements for this.

I would suggest that the inability to export information back into image files is a pretty big flaw, since that may mean that you cannot get your work out of the application when (not if) you decide to move on.  There are almost always workarounds - some better than others.  What version of Elements are you on?
Peter

[Chris Bishop]

I'm using Elements v3 as it allows curves etc. I have v4, just not loaded or used it.
Currently I find the problems are:
Cannot set date in database format. (I use an old version of ACDSee for that)
Cannot write to DNG or XMP
Does not import duplicates, but the "report screen" is size limited, so you don't always get the full information of where the duplicates were.

ACDSee also has a "sync" function which allows a HDD inside the PC to sync with an external HDD-great for back ups.

As long as I stay with Elements, my metadata stays with my RAW (DNG) files in it's own database.

I did think of creating a DNG file then a .tiff, with the same file name. Metadata the .tiff . This would allow the file to move or be read more universally. When a search brings up the .tiff, substitute the DNG, as everything will be the same. I can even link the files as a stack.
Chris