So many CR2 files, so little space. Advice appreciated.


jpierre

New Member
Oct 26, 2010
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Hello all Clubsnappers

I have recently started shooting RAW images as wanting to begin post processing. So far Picassa is just not cutting the mustard and i'm wondering what would be the best, simplest piece of inexpensive software available to help me advance.

Seeing as the size of RAW/CR2 files are so big, anywhere from 20-25Mb, does anyone have any advice on managing files prior to and after processing? after downloading photos to computer, then editing, will there be duplicate photos as is sometimes the case with Picassa? Once having finished processing, can the image be converted to JPEG without losing image quality? Do pros have mountains of external harddrives sitting around full of wedding snaps, bird life and that air show back in 2001.. etc?? how does one continue shooting without having to delete the collection? Is it wiser to print photos rather than keep on a harddrive considering they may fail? My questions go on...

I thank you all in advance for your help, comments, advice.

Cheers

jpierre
 

There is always some degree of data degradation when saved into jpg, and how visible and how picky is pretty subjective at times.
Firstly delete the photos that you do not really need. Having said that, postprocessing with layers can quickly increase a psd file size.
For me I duplicate my data doubly on my BD-R discs, with one disc for retrieval if needed, the other for archive

Ryan
 

Hello all Clubsnappers

I have recently started shooting RAW images as wanting to begin post processing. So far Picassa is just not cutting the mustard and i'm wondering what would be the best, simplest piece of inexpensive software available to help me advance.

Seeing as the size of RAW/CR2 files are so big, anywhere from 20-25Mb, does anyone have any advice on managing files prior to and after processing? after downloading photos to computer, then editing, will there be duplicate photos as is sometimes the case with Picassa? Once having finished processing, can the image be converted to JPEG without losing image quality? Do pros have mountains of external harddrives sitting around full of wedding snaps, bird life and that air show back in 2001.. etc?? how does one continue shooting without having to delete the collection? Is it wiser to print photos rather than keep on a harddrive considering they may fail? My questions go on...

I thank you all in advance for your help, comments, advice.

Cheers

jpierre
Hi,
You need to do housekeeping all the time. Junk the ones that you don't want or not worth keeping. Save those that are more worthy of keeping. It depends on what degree of worthy means to you.
Get an ext hdd, 1 or 2 TB 3.5" or 2.5", up to you. Its not very expensive now.
Use these as backups. If you want good quality Jpeg after processing from RAW, convert to the highest resolution.
It takes time & effort to go through all the photos you've taken all the years. That's where good & proper housekeeing of your HDD comes in.
Nothing last forever & things will fail. So get two or even more HDD for backup. I experienced HDD failure before & all my stuffs are gone :(
 

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I have the same problem, started to shoot RAW only but file sizes so big eating HD space...I get around it by shooting Raw+Jpeg in camera, after download, there are only a handful that I might spend time post process(portrait, landscape), others shots just for documenting the occasion i leave it as jpeg only...save a lot of space....
The other issue with shooting RAW only is cannot display my NAS pics via AC Ryan player, so now shoot in RAW + JPEG sure can see JPEG on TV big screen...
 

Hi,
You need to do housekeeping all the time. Junk the ones that you don't want or not worth keeping. Save those that are more worthy of keeping. It depends on what degree of worthy means to you.
Get an ext hdd, 1 or 2 TB 3.5" or 2.5", up to you. Its not very expensive now.
Use these as backups. If you want good quality Jpeg after processing from RAW, convert to the highest resolution.
It takes time & effort to go through all the photos you've taken all the years. That's where good & proper housekeeing of your HDD comes in.
Nothing last forever & things will fail. So get two or even more HDD for backup. I experienced HDD failure before & all my stuffs are gone :(

Totally agreed because I also experience HDD failure. Filter those you need and archive, review every 3-6 months.