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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Batch convert raw to jpeg
Dave Londres, Photographer
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Utica | NY | USA | Posted: 1:52 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> At work I have an 8-year-old powermac G4 with an 80GB hard drive that I use to process my assignments. I shoot raw, then edit down to under 10 shots that I tone, caption, and save as jpegs. I then drop them into our system and go on to my next assignment.
We keep an archive of our full takes from shoots, but our system can’t handle the size of the raw files. I use Photoshop (CS3) to convert the raw files to jpeg whenever I have time. The problem is my computer is old and slow and this takes a long time. I set it up to convert overnight, but because my assignments are in different folders and Photoshop can only handle a few hundred images at a time, I only get one done a night. This leads to the 18 assignments on my desktop waiting to be converted, and that’s a pretty low number.
I have tried messing around with automator, but haven’t had any success. Does anyone have any ideas? I know a faster computer would solve things, but that’s probably not going to happen. Thanks in advance! |
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Cecil Copeland, Photographer
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Marietta (Atlanta) | Ga | USA | Posted: 2:01 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> Dave ....
If I'm not mistaken, in the Automate>Batch dialog box, there is a check-box for "Include All Subfolders" ....
So, if you place all of your image folders that need processing underneath ONE folder name, and check the "Include All Subfolders" box in the batch command, every image file in every folder should be processed according the specs in the action that you've specified in the batch dialog box.
If you have questions, contact me and I'll be happy to help any way that I can .... |
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Landon Finch, Photographer
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Colorado Springs | CO | USA | Posted: 2:02 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> Have you tried using Bridge instead of PS?
(Does Photo Mechanic convert RAW to JPG?) |
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N. Scott Trimble, Photographer
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Lake Oswego | OR | USA | Posted: 2:09 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> If I understand you correctly, are you getting rid of RAWs? I hope not, you are doing yourself a great disservice otherwise. If space is a factor, then get yourself a hard drive to plug in when you are on the computer and store them.
Now back to the original problem. Have you tried Lightroom or Aperture? I find my bulk conversions work better when I am using that. You can also use Bridge to select multiple folders and batch convert as well. It takes awhile, but you can select more folders that way.
Again, if you are simply keeping the JPEGS, you are boxing yourself in. JPEGS are a destructive medium, and as monitors change over time, and technology progresses, you will find coloring and other factors off on a jpeg that can't really be corrected down the road. Plus, you clip yourself into a color parameter that might be unacceptable in the future too. RAW keeps the widest possible gamut with Prophoto the next best step for like a DNG.
Just sayin. |
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Jon Wright, Photographer
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Wayzata | MN | USA | Posted: 3:09 PM on 12.01.09 |
| ->> I wrote an action in Photoshop where I select the images by highlighting them in Bridge, then go up to Tools>Photoshop and select Batch. Find the action you created to convert to 8 bit (if neccessary) and save as jpg in any file you designate. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 3:42 PM on 12.01.09 |
| ->> If you're using Canon then the free software that comes with the camera (Digital Photo Professional) will batch convert from RAW to JPEG. It will also batch correct your files at the same time. |
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Israel Shirk, Photographer, Assistant
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Boise | ID | US | Posted: 3:50 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> CS4 has a much much higher limit on the number of raw files it'll take.
You could use something to save the assignment name/description in IPTC, move them into the same folder; convert, and then move to appropriate folder (using the IPTC) when the raw conversion is done.
There are also some automator plugins for photoshop that might enable that functionality too. Also, bridge has something that helps with queuing. |
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Dave Londres, Photographer
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Utica | NY | USA | Posted: 4:05 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> Thanks for the responses everyone, I think Cecil is closest to what I need. The problem is the multiple folders aspect. I’m not sure how to get the action to save the jpeg in the same folder that the raw came from instead of putting all of them in the same place.
Scott, I’m well aware of the raw vs jpeg issue, but we have enough trouble getting storage space for the staff’s jpeg takes.
The Bridge Tools>Photoshop>Image processor would be great, but it can’t do multiple folders.
The problem may be with my action writing. Is it possible to somehow set the destination and filename to the same place as the original, just as a jpeg instead of a NEF? |
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Michael Zito, Photographer, Photo Editor
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West Hills | CA | USA | Posted: 4:43 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> Dave, if you are using Photo Mechanic, select the images you want to convert, go to "Save photos as"- Image type -jpeg, Image Processing -no scaling (unless you cropped them in Photo Mechanic). Resolution 300 dpi. Destination -Always pick location. - Save. The images will be saved to the folder location of your choice. Your originals stay in tact. Depending on the number of photos, it will take a few minutes.
Note: Of course the same applies to RAW or jpeg images if you select to crop in Photo Mechanic, click on- to fit box (size you cropped images as) and your originals are not altered and you have cropped images to work with/send. This process makes cropping images much faster, and you do not have to open them in Photoshop.
- Mike |
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Yamil Sued, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Peoria | AZ | USA | Posted: 5:09 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> Dave.
Getting rid of your RAW files is like throwing away all your Negatives and keeping the Prints!!
Burn them into DVD's!!
Now for Software, I'm a Nikon Shooter and I use NX2!!
I shot over 8K Images last September at the US Nationals and I batched them according to White Balance Settings. It worked like a charm.
Y |
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Dave Londres, Photographer
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Utica | NY | USA | Posted: 6:06 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> Does NX2 handle multiple folders?
I agree with everyone on the raw being negatives thing, but my paper has been throwing out old physical negatives too.
It's not my call.
I ended up batch renaming all of the files in each assignment and putting them all in the same folder. From there I used bridge's Tools>Photoshop>Image processor to batch the 1,200 files to jpeg. When that's done, I'll sort them all back into the assignment folders. This is only a little less work than my previous workflow, but at least I can get more than 350 of them going at once.
If anyone knows of a solution that will work with my folders without spending any money, I would be all ears.
Thanks for the help! |
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Cecil Copeland, Photographer
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Marietta (Atlanta) | Ga | USA | Posted: 6:27 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> Dave ....
To handle the multiple folders aspect: In the Automate>Batch dialog box, under the "Destination" section, select "Save and Close" and check the "Override Action "Save As" Commands".
When you run your action on the folders (including sub-folders), the batch specs should perform the action and then save the file in the same folder that it opened it from .... |
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Mark Sobhani, Photographer
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San Antonio | TX | USA | Posted: 6:29 PM on 12.01.09 |
->> Why not shoot raw+jpeg, and trash the raws when your done?
That's sad that the paper is throwing out negatives. That's the history of your community. Contact your local library and/or museums and see if they want to work with the paper to archive those negatives in some way. |
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