Speed up RAW Conversion workflow

[KeN]

Hi there,

Anyone could enlighten me on the above before I make any necessary upgrades to my digital workflow?

I am shooting mostly RAW and need to do my conversions to JPG or TIFF fast with DPP(Canon software). I am currently using an old powerbook G4 titanium and it take more than 3 minutes to convert a raw file to JPG. This takes up too much time as I need to convert a lot of images fast.

What are my options? I do intend to get a desktop as a workstation and use the powerbook as a portable option. PC or Mac doesn't matter. I was recently quoted at VideoPro a set that I think is pretty decent but I am not sure if that's necessary.

The desktop includes:

Dual processors Pentium 4 2.8D
Giga Motherboard
2G Rams
256MB Leadtek 660TD Video Card
NEC DVD Writer
CoolerMaster Box and power supply
All the above for $1.7k

Is this worth it? Or should I get something else? Please help!!

KeN

 

[selamatlzh]

Hi there,

Anyone could enlighten me on the above before I make any necessary upgrades to my digital workflow?

I am shooting mostly RAW and need to do my conversions to JPG or TIFF fast with DPP(Canon software). I am currently using an old powerbook G4 titanium and it take more than 3 minutes to convert a raw file to JPG. This takes up too much time as I need to convert a lot of images fast.

What are my options? I do intend to get a desktop as a workstation and use the powerbook as a portable option. PC or Mac doesn't matter. I was recently quoted at VideoPro a set that I think is pretty decent but I am not sure if that's necessary.

The desktop includes:

Dual processors Pentium 4 2.8D
Giga Motherboard
2G Rams
256MB Leadtek 660TD Video Card
NEC DVD Writer
CoolerMaster Box and power supply
All the above for $1.7k

Is this worth it? Or should I get something else? Please help!!

KeN

3 mins ? Wah I thought Apple can do better than that.

 

[oeyvind]

Ken any G5 will be good. It took me abt 1sec per MP for RAW processing in C1 on my 'OLD' Dual 1.8 G5

 

[slaam]

haha why do you cite guangzhou as your place of residence?
erm
ok back to business.. you shld shoot in raw only when you think you need it.. for things you cam't replicate (IMHO so correct me if i am wrong)
if you batch process your raw images i think there's no point to shoot in raw in the first...
raw is for situations where you can't predict and you use it for insurance cos that million dollar shoot aint comin back again.
raw files take so long cos they use the computer processor to process rather than your camera's... which ensures more control.. ..
sorry if i am overstating the obvious

 

[KeN]

so does it mean that if I use Imac G5 it will be fast too? I guess there's also a limitation to my L2 Cache too....the newer mac are at 533mhz and the PC set up is at 2G. I read something about bottlenecking. I think it has got to do with my powerbook's L2 cache.

Preview of Raw file on DPP is scarily slow too....it's embarrassing.

 

[TMC]

Get the QUAD G5 2.5Ghz with 16GB ram, will never go wrong with that.

 

[Royce]

My pathetic P4 Mobile 2.2 ghz can process a RAW file in 1 minute. But I really don't notice it because while the files are being processed I'm still working on the others. You should try Capture One - it's by far the best RAW processing software I've used, in terms of output quality and smart workflow (ie. can process in background while working on other photos).

 

[theRBK]

that's (original post) a decent system...though you didn't mention anything about a very important part...the harddrive...

if going for Mac, would suggest you wait awhile...cause they are introducing some new systems based on Intel chips soon (February I think)...so you can either get a more powerful system, or get a cheaper system of the current vintage, at that time...

 

[Klose]

Hi there,

Anyone could enlighten me on the above before I make any necessary upgrades to my digital workflow?

I am shooting mostly RAW and need to do my conversions to JPG or TIFF fast with DPP(Canon software). I am currently using an old powerbook G4 titanium and it take more than 3 minutes to convert a raw file to JPG. This takes up too much time as I need to convert a lot of images fast.

What are my options? I do intend to get a desktop as a workstation and use the powerbook as a portable option. PC or Mac doesn't matter. I was recently quoted at VideoPro a set that I think is pretty decent but I am not sure if that's necessary.

The desktop includes:

Dual processors Pentium 4 2.8D
Giga Motherboard
2G Rams
256MB Leadtek 660TD Video Card
NEC DVD Writer
CoolerMaster Box and power supply
All the above for $1.7k

Is this worth it? Or should I get something else? Please help!!

KeN

I suggest going to Fuwell or Bell instead :sweat:

 

[theRBK]

or Cybermind...some of their parts can actually be cheaper...

plus, Fuwell famous for 30 days 1 to 1 exchange of parts...

 

[loupgarou]

raw processing under adobe cs2 can be done really fast, ie; you designate all changes to the raw files (exposure, curve, saturation etc),then do a save to psd. it can be done in batch.

so you just have to come back later to do further modification to your psd files.

 

[melnjes]

yup, CS2's RAW processing is fast.

But to be frank, don't see the need to shoot mainly in RAW unless it is difficult lighting or you want to do something that can only be achieved through the RAW workflow. If you're shooting in RAW because you're not confident of your skills, then it's time to not use RAW - learn faster that way.

The new Apple Intel-based machines are something to watch out for - heard that they are fast. Makes you wonder about Apple's earlier propaganda that their current machines are faster than Intel-based machines. :bsmilie:

 

[Allegro]

The new Apple Intel-based machines are something to watch out for - heard that they are fast. Makes you wonder about Apple's earlier propaganda that their current machines are faster than Intel-based machines. :bsmilie:

The new Mactel is NOT even out yet and from where you "heard that they are fast" ??! :bsmilie:

 

[ortega]

my D70 post processes the image really quick

i only shoot raw for landscapes

 

[melnjes]

The new Mactel is NOT even out yet and from where you "heard that they are fast" ??! :bsmilie:

Apple has been testing the Intel chip for a number of years and developers have already started porting their apps over, some even before the announcement. Check it up yourself.

 

[ST_sg]

I encounter the same situation too. Using NC4 to process my D70 NEF, the wait time usually happen during Noise reduction enable while viewing 100% full size. Next is saving to Jpg format. I can see the CPU goes 100% full.

PP 30 to 80 pics is still ok, but a bit of pain when I have 200 plus shots. :sweat:

Current system spec.
Althon 64 3000+
Gigabyte K8NS s754
512MB DDR 400 x 3
Xpertvision 6600GT 128MB AGP
1 x Seagate SATA 160GB
1 x WD PATA 80GB

Thinking of changing to Intel P4 platform might boost up the performance. :dunno:

 

[theRBK]

The new Mactel is NOT even out yet and from where you "heard that they are fast" ??! :bsmilie:

apparently, Steve Jobs has for a long time put a team at work on an Intel/Mac (what some would call MacIntel) solution... and as respected a site as zdnet, http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/software/os/0,39024180,39235916,00.htm, has posted a preview of things to come...

Current system spec.
Althon 64 3000+
Gigabyte K8NS s754
512MB DDR 400 x 3
Xpertvision 6600GT 128MB AGP
1 x Seagate SATA 160GB
1 x WD PATA 80GB

Thinking of changing to Intel P4 platform might boost up the performance.

I would recommend upgrade to Athlon x2...is faster than Intel chips, plus you can still use your RAM so price diff of x2 over Intel chips compensated...still have to get new motherboard though cause its socket 939 and from you specs, your motherboard is socket 754...

 

[ST_sg]

apparently, Steve Jobs has for a long time put a team at work on an Intel/Mac (what some would call MacIntel) solution... and as respected a site as zdnet, http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/software/os/0,39024180,39235916,00.htm, has posted a preview of things to come...


I would recommend upgrade to Athlon x2...is faster than Intel chips, plus you can still use your RAM so price diff of x2 over Intel chips compensated...still have to get new motherboard though cause its socket 939 and from you specs, your motherboard is socket 754...

I see... in that case will re-do my upgrade cost for the X2 then.

Thanks for your suggestion

Edit: but one question, not sure is Nikon Capture would optimise for dual processor architecture or not... otherwise it gonna be wasted of the extra chip. :dunno:

 

[Allegro]

Apple has been testing the Intel chip for a number of years and developers have already started porting their apps over, some even before the announcement. Check it up yourself.

These statements are not too far from being factual. But, did any developers claim that the intel chips are faster? quite on the contrary, there are worries among the apple developers that the latest gen of intel mobile chip (code name Yonah ?) might not be fast enough to run Tiger to Apple's satisfaction.

In the preview in zdnet as provided by theRBK, quote the conclusion :"As far as power consumption and OS performance are concerned, it can already keep up with Windows XP. Application performance clearly lags behind, though, and still needs to improve."

let's not get confused between rumours and facts.

 

[kristian]

In the preview in zdnet as provided by theRBK, quote the conclusion :"As far as power consumption and OS performance are concerned, it can already keep up with Windows XP. Application performance clearly lags behind, though, and still needs to improve." (BTW, I happen to have first-hand experience running osx86 in an intel notebook. My impression: it's still early days.)

The application they tested with was iTunes v4.8. This is a PowerPC application. It has not been compiled to run on osx86. It is running in emulation mode using Rosetta.

iTunes on Mac OS X x86's slower speed in this test is actually due to the Rosetta emulation environment, under which this PowerPC application (among others) runs.