Author Topic: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer? (Read 288,972 times)

JeffK · « **Reply #50 on:** March 20, 2007, 05:36 AM »

I'm a naughty boy. Looks my conclusions were made in too much haste.

1. iView Media Pro does not give one instant access to your graphics, in fact it has to load them into a catalog, albeit a reasonably fast process.

2. StudioLine shouldn't have got second place either. 30,000 graphics slowed it to a crawl on my computer. The graphics occupy approx 175MB on my hard disk, the resulting SL database, supposedly containing only links to the graphics and presumably fields for all the image info occupied more than 1G. It didn't handle my disk beconing full very elegantly either.

3. Looks like my choice of 2 years ago Smart Pix Manager may not have been a bad one after all. IVMP is still very acceptable though and I find the interface, once the graphics are loaded, quite intuitive.

To be fair, my 30,000 graphics is a big ask and I don't think for most practical purposes people will have that many.

Jeff

JeffK · « **Reply #51 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:01 AM »

One thing I've noticed about IVMP and SL. If I happen to want to look at Graphic no. 30,000 I have to load 30,000 icons before I see it (this is the first time I catalog my graphics). With SmartPix if I set it going in showing all my graphics and I scroll down to the end the last graphic is visible in seconds. This is not an issue once the catalog is complete of course.

Jeff

tomos · « **Reply #52 on:** March 20, 2007, 08:23 AM »

Quote from: JeffK

I will pay for exifpro

Jeff
how do exifpro & SmartPix compare?

(have looked at exifpro website, looks good. Will go look at SmartPix now)
thanks for all the info

tomos · « **Reply #53 on:** March 20, 2007, 08:48 AM »

SmartPix seems to have tagging as "Keywords"

must go back & reread this thread

JeffK · « **Reply #54 on:** March 20, 2007, 08:50 AM »

Just quickly - if you select an image and press Ctrl-Enter a table comes up with all the data associated with that image.

tomos · « **Reply #55 on:** March 20, 2007, 09:04 AM »

From scanning thread again, one advantage of SmartPix -

Quote from: JeffK

Smart Pix does read IPTC data, and can write new data to an image also.

urlwolf · « **Reply #56 on:** March 20, 2007, 09:06 AM »

One quick thing...
If I tag my pictures (no small feat) I want to be able to automatically upload them to flickr WITH tags. I think picasa could do that, thanks to a plugin, but no other software did it reliably?

Which of those has the fastest interface for tagging?

JeffK · « **Reply #57 on:** March 20, 2007, 09:14 AM »

Quote from: tomos on March 20, 2007, 09:04 AM

From scanning thread again, one advantage of SmartPix -

Quote from: JeffK
Smart Pix does read IPTC data, and can write new data to an image also.

tomos, I believe I'm right there - maybe you could confirm it if you have time.

JeffK · « **Reply #58 on:** March 20, 2007, 09:15 AM »

Quote from: urlwolf on March 20, 2007, 09:06 AM

One quick thing...
If I tag my pictures (no small feat) I want to be able to automatically upload them to flickr WITH tags. I think picasa could do that, thanks to a plugin, but no other software did it reliably?

Which of those has the fastest interface for tagging?

That's beyond my level of expertise, urlwolf. I'll try and have a look and see.

JeffK · « **Reply #59 on:** March 20, 2007, 09:56 AM »

I think I've decided that I don't particularly like StudioLine image organisers but I should tell forum members that they have some spring specials on their website ATM.

So StudioLine Basic is free, StudioLine Classic is $US30 reduced from $59. They have a graphic webpage tool which is normally >$200. But ATM it is $49 if upgrading from StudioLine Calssic and $79 if upgrading from StudioLine Basic. So try it out and if you like it they are really good prices.

www.studioline.biz

Jeff

tomos · « **Reply #60 on:** March 22, 2007, 08:38 AM »

related bits n pieces:

recent thread from urlwolf how to tag files in winXP

led me indirectly here:
http://idea.zanestate.edu/archives/2006/09/picture-metadata/
about picture metadata.

From the comments there:

Quote

I’m the developer of Beagle [search software] and I’m glad to say we do index both EXIF tags and XMP metadata. The XMP data has to be stored in the file, however, and not in a sidecar file.

also led me to microsoft photo info

Quote

Microsoft Photo Info is a new software add-in for Microsoft Windows that allows photographers to add, change and delete common "metadata" properties for digital photographs from inside Windows Explorer. It also provides enhanced "hover tips" and additional sort properties for digital photographs in Explorer (in Details view).

[attachthumb=#]

tomos · « **Reply #61 on:** April 02, 2007, 06:21 PM »

Just tried to install ExifPro
~~and it doesnt install - it runs ...~~

then i clicked on a shortcut to my photos folder & it proceeded to create thumbnails for all 12,180 pictures
(I didnt know how many were there till now

)
fairly quickly too it done it

but it definitely caught me off guard - I've no idea where the thumbnail cache is but sure I'll find it (well I hope so).
Wonder will it still work if I move the programme..

Anyways, it is very fast, very pleasant that way.
I can compare 2 photos in the viewer, has a magnifying glass.
I'm happy so far...

tomos · « **Reply #62 on:** April 03, 2007, 02:02 PM »

Quote from: tomos on March 20, 2007, 09:04 AM

From scanning thread again, one advantage of SmartPix -

Quote from: JeffK
Smart Pix does read IPTC data, and can write new data to an image also.

It seems ExifPro is also IPTC compatible or whatever you'ld say

[attachthumb=#]

as a viewer it's wonderful - with a few caveats if that's the right expression.
Wanted to contact the authors/website but can't find any contact details.

Heres the viewer
[attachthumb=#]

Pros -
- You can compare up to 4 photos and have a stash of selected photos in the "Light Box" (right hand side there)
- Lots of shortcuts, e.g."B" toggles the "Preview Bar" on the top
- Fast

Cons -
- magnifying glass only works for selected picture - to change,
you have to click on a different picture, then go click on magnifying glass icon (no shortcut). Its a pain cause if you comparing photos & think you've found the best only to find it's not quite in focus...
- if you look at photos at either "end" of a folder, theres no "Back" button to get back - you have to scroll back along the preview bar (top) or go to a drop-down-list which is handy enough so long as you remember the number/name ... (don't know do any viewers do that?)
~~- can't find any option to open file in an external editor~~
[EDIT - Alt + Enter will open file in external editor]

These are first impressions of it as a viewer. I like it

superboyac · « **Reply #63 on:** April 03, 2007, 03:59 PM »

Wow, exifPro IS fast! That's pretty cool. I don't know how much it will slow down once it has thousands of pictures, but it's definitely faster than any other application I've tried. It seems to have a lot of nifty features also, at first glance. Perhaps this will pry me away from ACDSee, as far as my main viewer (as tomos suggested). MrCrispy is still probably going to want several specific features, but this is a nice surprise so far.

I really liked Lightroom when I tried it, but boy, was it slow!

tomos · « **Reply #64 on:** April 03, 2007, 04:26 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on April 03, 2007, 03:59 PM

Wow, exifPro IS fast! That's pretty cool. I don't know how much it will slow down once it has thousands of pictures, but it's definitely faster than any other application I've tried. It seems to have a lot of nifty features also, at first glance ..........

nice, innit !?!

also nice to hear it's much quicker than Lightroom

I have no experience of tagging
(apart from gmail - which has given me a taste for it)
so I would be curious to hear what you think of how tagging is implemented - will try it myself too ...

Re the Viewer side of things -
could anyone compare the screenshot of ExifPro viewer above to *their* viewer & talk about pros/cons?
I've only ever used Irfan, and well Directory Opus (which has been slowing down more & more displaying thumbnails & well isn't really so good for comparing for example)

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #65 on:** April 03, 2007, 04:49 PM »

To be fair Lightroom's principle aim is not as an image viewer - though if you only ever tried the beta version the full release is much faster than it was.

Must admit for quick viewing ExifPro will take a lot of beating!

Darwin · « **Reply #66 on:** April 03, 2007, 05:14 PM »

Quote

Directory Opus (which has been slowing down more & more displaying thumbnails & well isn't really so good for comparing for example)

I thought this was only happening to me! I wonder if deleting the thumbs cache and having DOpus regenerate it would have a beneficial effect? If I can get around to it today, I'll query their users forum about this.

Darwin · « **Reply #67 on:** April 03, 2007, 05:27 PM »

By the way, actually dropped in here to say that I've purchased Photo Collector using the donationcoder discount and that I really like it. However, have just downloaded and am running exifPro - Wow! Very impressive so far (based on a cursory examination).

tomos - exifPro installed "normally" for me! Based on your comment I created a folder called exifPro in My Documents and dropped the *.exe into it, expecting the app to run. Instead, it installed to my Program Files folder.

tomos · « **Reply #68 on:** April 03, 2007, 06:50 PM »

Quote from: Darwin on April 03, 2007, 05:27 PM

tomos - exifPro installed "normally" for me! Based on your comment I created a folder called exifPro in My Documents and dropped the *.exe into it, expecting the app to run. Instead, it installed to my Program Files folder.

lets see, the date is wrong here cause I just edited it - no, it is right - it was posted around half eight of an evening -
and
I haven't taken drugs in years,
honest!

Quote from: tomos on April 02, 2007, 06:21 PM

Just tried to install ExifPro
and it doesnt install - it runs ...

I dont know,
I must have been verrrry tired & forgotten the bit where it actually installed

Darwin · « **Reply #69 on:** April 03, 2007, 07:48 PM »

Oh well, not to worry. tomos. It's all fine - the important thing is HOLY COW! I can't believe how fast exifPro is and how attractive its GUI is... It's also ridiculously light on resources (Private bytes, or VM, usage of 12,460K vs. 52,476K for Photo Collector both with the same picture selected - granted Photo Collector has 19000 images in its database and exifPro only 200...). My main complaint so far is that in indexing my main 19000+ image main picture folder (which has many subfolders) it chokes on a folder with recovered files in it. Fair enough, but it doesn't give me the option of "ignore folder and continue" or "ignore all files with errors and continue", it just spits out an error message for each file... Other than that, brilliant so far. I've already written the collectorz.com development team with suggestions based on my use of exifPro so far. Top of the list? Explorer view. Makes all the difference. As I explained to them, I am trying to use Photo Collector to get a grip on eight years worth of digital photography that has not been organized efficiently other than some half hearted attempts to place photos in folders created for them by theme and or by date. Explorer view allows me to make use of that half hearted organization. It's absence means that I am looking at accessing my photos by sifting through virtual folders organized by the datestamp contained in the exif data. Lots of pictures were taken with a digital camera with the wrong time and date stamp...

At exifPro's price, it's tempting to purchase a copy to support development (which, despite the low version number, looks to extend back to 2000. I don't know, though, that I need two Photo organizers...

yowasuphomeboy · « **Reply #70 on:** April 03, 2007, 09:01 PM »

ACDSee Pro 2 Photo Manager is having a public beta coming up in a few weeks...

http://files.acdsystems.com/english/newsletters/photoop/200702/photoop-2007-02-lp.html

Test-drive powerful RAW processing and new “darkroom” features & provide direct input to software developers...

Last years review:
http://www.donationcoder.com/Reviews/Archive/GraphicsViewer2/index.html

FYI - donationcoder coupon code DCOD-JW64 is still valid for $10 off ACDSee products purchased through regnow...

Jason

JeffK · « **Reply #71 on:** April 03, 2007, 09:02 PM »

I bought exifPro, a steal at~$US20. I've had it about three weeks and there has already been two updates in that time (one minor, one more significant). My main pro with it is it's speed.

Jeff

JeffK · « **Reply #72 on:** April 03, 2007, 09:04 PM »

Thanks for the info yowasuphomeboy. Welcome to the forum.

Jeff

yowasuphomeboy · « **Reply #73 on:** April 03, 2007, 10:28 PM »

thanks Jeff : )

Darwin · « **Reply #74 on:** April 04, 2007, 03:25 AM »

Jeff - just curious, how big is your database? Photo Collector has ALL my pictures (19000) indexed and is 414 MB, including the thumbnails that it generated. exifPro hasn't yet successfully indexed my pictures (keeps choking as noted above) and had indexed 1500 of 19000 images (with a projected index size of 1.4 MB GB) at the time of freezing. At this point, the index was 319 MB in size. This is a huge difference in size and I wonder if playing with the thumbnail size will alleviate this? I don't see any difference in terms of size or quality in the thumbnails generated by Photo Collector and exifPro...

Thanks,

Mike

EDIT: corrected size of projected database. If it was really 1.4MB, I'd be over the moon! Update, too: still haven't managed to index all my pics with exifpro