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Why version 8?

MikeFromMesa
I have been using C1 version 7 for about a year now and have downloaded the version 8 trial to see if it offers any significant improvements over version 7. I have been happy with version 7 but, since it could not import any externally edited images back into a catalog I have been using sessions instead. Since I do a significant amount of external editing I worked out a workflow for those images that have to be exported that allow me to create export images without cluttering up the filmstrip and have been happy with the results.

Version 8 offers the ability to automatically import images back into catalogs but I have never really understood what advantages catalogs offer over sessions, especially since I don't keep either my raw or processed images on my processing machine after the adjustments are done. Hence this post.

What advantages do catalogs offer over sessions?

Are there any significant improvements in version 8 over version 7 other than the automatic importing of images into catalogs? If so, what are they?

Thanks.
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • bml
    The most significant improvement for me is speed.
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  • Paul Steunebrink
    If you ask me, my suggested reading:
    http://imagealchemist.net/capture-one-pro-8-review/
    http://imagealchemist.net/new-capture-one-pro-8-1/

    I am happy to take your questions afterwards. 😜
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  • MikeFromMesa
    [quote="Paul_Steunebrink" wrote:

    I am happy to take your questions afterwards. 😜

    Well, that was educational. Thank you for the links.

    While they did give me information on what was new and what was changed there was nothing I saw that explained what the advantages, if any, of catalogs are over sessions and, for that matter, why it is any better to import images rather than just use images that are already stored on an internal disk. So here are some questions:

    1) Is there any real advantage in using a catalog over a session? My sessions remember settings for my images so I guess I don't see why someone would use a catalog rather than a session. I assume there are advantages, but I just don't know what they might be.

    2) Is there any real advantage in importing images into a session rather than just using images that are already on a disk and not importing them? Or is importing meant to bring them from some external media, like camera flash memory, onto the disk in the first place? My normal workflow is to copy the images from the camera flash memory onto my disk and then start C1. Perhaps I am doing all of this in the wrong order.

    Thanks.
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  • Paul Steunebrink
    [quote="MikeFromMesa" wrote:
    1) Is there any real advantage in using a catalog over a session? My sessions remember settings for my images so I guess I don't see why someone would use a catalog rather than a session. I assume there are advantages, but I just don't know what they might be.

    2) Is there any real advantage in importing images into a session rather than just using images that are already on a disk and not importing them? Or is importing meant to bring them from some external media, like camera flash memory, onto the disk in the first place? My normal workflow is to copy the images from the camera flash memory onto my disk and then start C1. Perhaps I am doing all of this in the wrong order.

    Good questions. Reflecting on your initial question however, I start with noting that the catalog is not a new CO8 phenomena, but existed in CO7 as well (you are probably aware of that).

    A1) Both catalog and session have their strengths. With a session you can browse system folder (regular folders), and this is probably what you are doing long time. A catalog is less sensitive to the location of the original and allows you to create an entire new maze of albums inside, independent from the originating location. Catalogs are better for digital asset management.

    A2) You must import with catalog, for session this is optional. During import you can rename, make a backup and a few more things but your current workflow is fine.
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  • SFA
    Mike,

    Sessions vs catalogues.

    I think it very much depends on what you shoot and what your final objective is.

    By volume of images most of my work can be described as "events". Sessions suit me best for those keeping everything self contained. Yes I could create a catalogue for the same purpose but unless doing a lot of keywording or subject/style grouping for long term use as a general library (which I am not because for events I don't really see the value for various reasons) there would be little point.

    I could see some benefit to using some of the output files to create a small size low resolution catalogue for sample presentation. My file naming would, typically, get me back to the original session/image if I needed to go there. No need for live access in my situation.

    Sessions are very easy to archive. Just copy the entire folder structure to one or more safe places.

    But then bear in mind along with my comments that I never have liked catalogues - one of the things that put me off LR at its V1 stage since if I wanted to edit the files with a different application I had to keep two active copies anyway.

    Importing.

    For a session you don't need to import and for simple random file and edits - often when testing something - I don't.

    The benefit of the import process is that it allows you to do a number of things with the image as you import a batch (greatest benefit is the batch approach). C1 will need to do such things anyway - create previews and so on - so it may as well be done in batch. However the big benefit comes when importing a large number of files as you can start the batch and then do something else. For one or two images it should not take long anyway.

    Import also makes more sense from a card (imo) than from files already copied to a disk IF you have previously established some sort of folder structure for the files copied and perhaps already named them as you wish to have them named.

    If, like me, you just let the cameras name things the ability to rename as part of the import process is most useful. As is the auto copy to a backup location although it's not something I use when working in the field at an event. (Various reasons for that mostly based on preserving battery life!)

    Import also provides facilities for auto processing images or applying preferred defaults, styles and so on all related to the batch generation of previews. Very handy unless of course you workflow has no need of them.

    Likewise you can add Copyright information if you have not done so in camera and, potentially, a generic caption to each image.

    Obviously you can do these things later but if shooting in volume it is handy to get the batching to do the work for you - or at least that's what I find.

    In summary for my purposes in one activity I get the files off the memory card into a folder in my Session folder structure, suitably and consistently named and with starting point edits (profiles, lens corrections and perhaps presets) already applied. I may also add Styles that contain generic keywords (if I am really organised) and other meta data. I have no doubt that there is much more I could do within the process especially if I had been shooting in controlled conditions. Usually I am not shooting in controlled conditions so those options are not much help to me.

    HTH.


    Grant
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