Photo organising software

[Mr Noble]

www.acdsystems.com/

Does anyone use this ACDsee software or other? Can you let me know which one is best.

At the mo I just use windows explorer and have them all in a mess (over2000 from last 6 yrs!) Some are in files like house" "lotus" "trackday" etc but it won't really do and I need to back them up.


I have just installed Adobe PS Album 2.0 and it looks good, BUT, I have discovered that it only organises your pics by using links to their locations on your PC wheras I think I want to use a programme that actually stored and moves the real files around for you, so they are all in the same place.

Is this possible or should I not worry about it and just use adobe album 2.0


Hope you understand what I am asking.

Thanks.
Greg

[FunkyNige]

Mr Noble said:

Hope you understand what I am asking.

Not really, but I'll reccomend Picasa (made by Google) anyway. It sorts photos, previews them, there's a backup/gift CD function etc., etc. It's free so you may as well try it

[Mr Noble]

I want to know basically, if all photo album programmes will use likes to your photos to organise them no matter where they are saved on your hard drive.

Or, when you save them from Raw shooter do I have to specify a location ie. my docs/my pictures/noble/2005/......and then save them across into the organising software too.

or do I save them straight into a folder in the organising software?


I guess if they all work the same then Adobe PS Album 2.0 will be just as good as any to use.........right?


Thx.

Greg

[chris.mapey]

Another vote for Picasa.

Will find all photos on your hard drive. You can then put them in "virtual" multiple albums, but you only have one copy of the piccy. Has basic editing built in as well...

Works very well & it's free

Chris

[V6GTO]

Does Picasa actually "make an extra copy" of each image...therefore doubling hard drive space used?

Martin.

[HankScorpio]

ThumbsPlus from Cerious Software.

Extremely powerful database, great batch processing.

Will catalogue your files as they are, storing thumbnails in a database.

Will also let you group stuff together by "Galleries" which are like virtual groupings but they reference the original files using the database if that makes sense?

Say I have trackdays in folders grouped by the day they were on (my preffered method), I can batch resize those (or recolour or add borders or make a web page etc) and save the result out.

But I could also use the gallery feature to group all the (e.g.) nobles together (or organisers or colours etc) and batch process those as a collection, referencing the original files from the DB.

So I've got a reference of the day but can easily track down red nobles or yellow porkers from any of the days as long as I remember to group them when sorting and storing.

BTW, I really, really like this product!

[ErnestM]

Adobe Bridge (CS2) lets you edit the EXIF and add your own information (even do it in batch mode). You can then use bridge to locate any picture anywhere on your hard drive.

ErnestM

[Mr Noble]

HankScorpio said:

ThumbsPlus from Cerious Software. Extremely powerful database, great batch processing. Will catalogue your files as they are, storing thumbnails in a database. Will also let you group stuff together by "Galleries" which are like virtual groupings but they reference the original files using the database if that makes sense? Say I have trackdays in folders grouped by the day they were on (my preffered method), I can batch resize those (or recolour or add borders or make a web page etc) and save the result out. But I could also use the gallery feature to group all the (e.g.) nobles together (or organisers or colours etc) and batch process those as a collection, referencing the original files from the DB. So I've got a reference of the day but can easily track down red nobles or yellow porkers from any of the days as long as I remember to group them when sorting and storing. BTW, I really, really like this product!

Would this be the software that I see the photogs using on trackdays?

Looks pretty good.

Thanks for the input guys. Think I am going to use album 2.0 as I installed it earlier before asking these questions and it seems that most programs are the same when it comes to what I need to do.

Think I can make all my images open in there from the start (jpg ones) and then I can use raw shooter to open and sort the raw shots I take, then drag them all into album 2.0

Should work it all otyu soon.

Thanks again.

Greg

[HankScorpio]

Trackphoto use ThumbsPlus, the last time I saw them it was V5 (which I also use), V7 is available but 5 does everything I want it to.
(although increased support for raws is available in 7)

[FunkyNige]

V6GTO said:

Does Picasa actually "make an extra copy" of each image...therefore doubling hard drive space used? Martin.

I think it does if you edit them, after which you can export them to a normal Windows directory to use in other applications.

[beano500]

I'm probably being thicker than my normal thickness on a thick day...


...but what do any of these applications do which you can't achieve by just filing the images sensibly in folders/directories?

... Yes - I have read about grouping and handling EXIF etc, but in PS you can add data which will surely make them searchable/findable etcetera

>> Edited by beano500 on Saturday 7th January 12:00

[HankScorpio]

For me, it's the convenience. I can process 1000+ and group easily with mouse rather than doing anything with keywords and later searches.

But it's the same as everything on here, I've found this works for me but everybody does something slightly different.

[Mr Noble]

beano500 said:

I'm probably being thicker than my normal thickness on a thick day... ...but what do any of these applications do which you can't achieve by just filing the images sensibly in folders/directories? ... Yes - I have read about grouping and handling EXIF etc, but in PS you can add data which will surely make them searchable/findable etcetera >> Edited by beano500 on Saturday 7th January 12:00

Must say I have been thinking the same thing this morning. Spent the morning throwing out old pics and putting them all in groups and folders and now thats all done, I don't know why I really need to have an album.

As far as backing up goes, I can just drag and drop them all on to DVD's.


Are there any programes like raw shooter that will work with all file formats. (can RSE be made to accept jpg's too?) that would make life so much easier when picking the ones to keep and chuck out and making quick crops and exposure corrections etc.

Does the full version allow jpg prosessing too?


Greg

[beano500]

Greg, are you using "MicroShite" Windoze?

If you are, you can get an (free) upgrade for picture viewer so that you can view RAW files - I find this really handy when you don't want to / can't wait for RSE to kick in and load everything up. Then sorting and copying/backing up gets a bit easier.

Download at Microshite here for anyone interested

[beano500]

Mr Noble said:

Does the full version allow jpg prosessing too?

Sorry missed this bit on first read... "No" (But it's such a good system isn't it?!)

[Bacardi]

If you want one of the best image management programs have a look at www.iview-multimedia.com The full Monty maybe expensive at £129 for amateur use but they do a cut down version for a more reasonable £30.

[ehasler]

Bacardi said:

If you want one of the best image management programs have a look at www.iview-multimedia.com The full Monty maybe expensive at £129 for amateur use but they do a cut down version for a more reasonable £30.

I was just reading a review of this here

Looks very useful!

[Mr Noble]

I find it odd that RSE is such a good programme but only does Raw's. It would be great to be able to do the same selecting and discarding and cropping and EV +- stuff with all pics (ie. ones from my compact too). Doing it all in the filmstrip of explorers viewer is painfull.


I have got the raw viewer for XP Beano thanks and it does help with looking them all up in the folders, a lot!


Now, how do we get RSE to do a jpg patch then!!??

GN

[beano500]

Does the name "Raw Shooter Essentials" give it away by any chance?

If it's any consolation, from the little I know about its history the developers were never intending to compete with other programs that were/are available, but every development seems logical. Also the walkthrough explanation of its use makes for a perfect workflow. I particularly like the program and have shelled out for 2006 premium

[sgrimshaw]

beano500 said:

I'm probably being thicker than my normal thickness on a thick day... ...but what do any of these applications do which you can't achieve by just filing the images sensibly in folders/directories?

So much that to be honest it's easier for you to go here www.cerious.com and read about it, than it is for me to try and precis the product info - they even have a free trial.

I'd be surprised if you didn't like it / think it was useful.

The ability to catalog offline disks (CD's, DVD's, External HDD etc) is what makes it so good for me, and the ability to bulk rename files. No DSC100023.jpg for me :-)

I've tried many, many different programs for this including some "industrial" strength (and cost) ones, but Thumbsplus is the one I always go back to.

Simon