put photos where?

[the dane]

Hi, just put all my new photos onto a program that came with my nikon view nx2! the problem is it keeps making folders! (as in we took 40 photos so the program see it as image 001 002 etc, but if I put all the photos into last weeks folder those numbers all ready there, and must be over written)!! Do I have to manually rename every photo? or should I be using Nikon image space? I also have a photo bucket account!
Or is there an easier option? What do you guys use??? thanks once again

[I @ M]

If you want to use View NX2 you will need to set the preferences to suit your cataloguing "style" and stick to it.

If you use the Nikon Transfer program inbuilt with View NX2 you will have the options of renaming, storing in separate folders or sub folders and quite a few other options. At the time of each transfer from the camera to a 'puter you will be given the option of renaming or not and the format that the file is named as.
I use Nikon transfer and View NX2 and at each transfer all i have to do is to assign a name to be the leading part of the file sequencing. In the image here you can see my standard file sequencing.
First is the name that I assign to the folder followed by the preset date and then the time. All I ever have to do is to change the first part of the name when transferring the file/s. It only has to be done for the folder, not each image.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9582534/view%20nx2.png

As far as file overwriting goes, the best way to avoid that is to set the file numbering sequence in the camera as continuous so that each file that the camera produces is unique.

[ameerat42]

Check the file numbering system in your camera. You may have the option of progressive/continuous numbering, where each picture gets a new
name even if you change/format cards. Also check what View NX is doing to the file names. It might be re-naming them (I no longer have the program so I can't check.) If so, change it to keep the original - ie, changed to progressive numbering - file names from your camera.

The only way as it is now is to make a different folder each time you download from the camera, so that today's Image1, image2,.. do not overwrite yesterday's.

If this is unclear, pls let me know.
Am.

[I @ M]

Seeing as images work better for me when comprehending something I will illustrate the steps I use when importing files with Nikon transfer into View NX2.

When a memory card has been inserted and Nikon transfer is activated I see this screen.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9582534/view%202.png

Then when clicking the "edit" button next to the folder selection panel I see the image below as my standard folder assigning. I only ever alter the text under the new name section. All the other settings remain the same.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9582534/view%203.png

Then I rename the files by clicking edit next to the file renaming box, once again, I only ever alter the text in the l/h panel, all the other settings remain the same.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9582534/view%204.png

You may want to assign folders and names differently, there are plenty of options available in the program to set it the way you want it.

[the dane]

Thanks will try that with view nx !!! I just turned the file numbering sequence to on! (default is off)

[arthurking83]

Thanks will try that with view nx !!! I just turned the file numbering sequence to on! (default is off)


Good move!
But there is one small catch.

I've also used Andrew's ViewNX method for specific purposes too and it works well, but in general I like to keep an eye on how many images my camera has captured, and keeping the in camera file name alsoi helps me to keep a track of where and when I actually took a photo all those years ago too. Strange(maybe) but true.

But the catch is if you choose to use file numbering to sequential still comes back to haunt you at some point. And that point is image number DSC_9999! Where the camera then returns to DSC_0000.
And this is the catch.
If you place all your images onto the same PC, you will eventually find yourself back in the the same situation where you may accidnetally over write much older images with newer images, and not know this as you have forgotten about the older DSC_0000 images taken a few years back.

Some Nikons(not all) allow you to change file naming with also allowing you to change the prefix(lettering) with something else.
And so I also do this too(D300 and D800, but not the D70).
So on the cameras that allow full file naming, I then change from DSC_9999 to the next level .. DSD_0000 and so on.
On my D300, I eventually got to DSH_ ... but then I got the D800, which I'll end up doing exactly the same file naming convention all over again.
Actually I'm not that pedantic about at which point I do the file naming change over, and it may be at something like _9981 or whatever .. but always close to that _9999 point, and usually before I head out to get photos(never during a shoot!).

if you have this option, and think you're safe .. think again!

What if you end up with two cameras, you get double the trouble all over again and my file naming still doesn't work. (from experience).
I have actually lost a few very early images from my D70s but I'm (hoping) sure that these first few images were really bad test shots (_0001 and _0002 type file sequences).

Note that I have noticed some other brands of camera call their images similarly named files, for eg. Samsuing could easily call their camera files DSC_0000 and so on.
I guess it depends on the file naming convention in the camera.

So like I said earlier, I also use Andrew's ViewNX2 file naming tool to help here.

So if you look carefully at Andrew's screen shot, my options in his third screen capture image is to name the file with (new+original name)<underscore>+(none)+(none).

So my files come out named: D800_DSC_0001, or D300_DSC_0001 .. etc, based on which camera is used at the time.
All images are placed into folders describing what, where and or why the photos were taken.

If I ever collate images spanning several cameras into one folder, which is very common, there is little to no chance of overwriting files .... well, unless you have multiple cameras of a particular model.
Which I don't do(but Andrew does!!).


If you have a series of images and they have very similar names, ViewNX2 does allow you to batch rename files easily too.

So if you have folder 001 with files DSC_0000 to DSC_0020 and you have another folder named 002 with the images with the same naming, you can change folder 002's images with an easy name change.

What you do is:

Open ViewNX2 and make sure that the film strip is displayed along the bottom of the screen(the easiest way to do this).
1/. Highlight all the thumbnails along the film strip(Ctrl-A).
2/. rightclick one image whilst they're all highlighted and scroll up to the top of the context menu, and choose rename.
3./ a small window similar to the one Andre posted in his third image appears.
4/. in that window you should(could select just about any file naming convention you prefer, but if you want to continue on with your sequential file naming system(as I do) you can do this from here.
5/. If you already have started a new series of sequential files, you may want to be careful with what you choose here, but if you haven't, you can 'start again' if you like(but I wouldn't).
6/. I'd start fresh but back tracking a bit, using DSB_0000 as a starting point instead.

So say you have those two folders as I described before(001 and 002) with the images as as described, the options in the renaming window that you would then choose should be:

(from left to right) ... (new name) [DSB]+(underscore)+(sequential number)+(none)+(none).
Under (sequential number) you get the option to start the numbering from where ever you like, and with the amount of digits you like too. To keep with Nikon camera file naming structures, you'd choose 4 digits.
For folder 001 with 20 images, you would choose DSB_0000 and it will rename each sequential image up to DSB_0020.
In folder 002, you then keep DSB_ and change 0000 to 0021, where the next image starts at DSB_0021 and will stop at DSB_0040 .. and so on and etc.


if your camera doesn't allow file naming with alternate prefixes, then I strongly suggest for you to use Andrew's advise on using Transfer's file renaming tools.

OH! and also try to use keywording under the preferences tab in Transfer 2! Up on the LHS where it says XML/ITPC preset. Add whatever you like, but just add something!
Pplace names, people names, activity types, locations, events, etc.

Such a simple thing to do during the transfer, and once you build up a collection of saved presets, it gets easier and easier as you add less data manually on images.
if you thin your images are worth saving, this may not appear to be significant .. but after 200K images, trying to find one particular type of image is a monumental effort of frustration.
Unfortunately ViewNX and CaptureNX doesn't offer any way to search for images based on keywords, but the keywording is all there. And is easily searchable by other software.

That last tidbit of advice is called Digital Asset Management(DAM) and is a very handy feature to get into a habit of now.. rather than 5 years and 200,000 images later!
if you find DAM to be a useful feature, be warned about it tho. While many DAM software abound for sale, or for free, not all are fully compatible with Nikon's software.(not the image files, but Nikon's ViewNX2 and CaptureNX2).
That is, you can set up XMP data into an Nikon file via some other software, this data may not be fully readable by ViewNX/CaptureNX. I know that a while back some data set via Adobe Lightroom wasn't readable by ViewNX2 .. whereas the data set via VNX2 was always readable by Lightroom.


Whoa! turned into a longer post that I originally planned it to be! :D

[OzzieTraveller]

G'day Dane

I have a 6-page illustrated PDF for my students that describes several options for uploading images
If you would like a copy of it, pl PM me

Regards, Phil

[ameerat42]

Ozzie. D'day yerself. Whereyerbeen?

[ROA44]

I have ViewNX 1 & 2, and have just purchased LR 4., which I have not loaded yet as I want add another HDD to and re set up as I have a lot of junk on it and extras anyway.

1. When processing in ViewNX does ViewNX create a new image so as not to destroy the original or is it best to make a copy and process the copy.

2. I heard a pro photographer suggest that it is better not to change the original file name of the photos, any thoughts on this.

I've only just more recently started to get more organized with my images and started of by creating a whole heap of folders, EG. Family, Nature, etc. then within each master folder I've created sub folders, EG. Flora & fauna, then sub-folders within them. Then when I down load off the camera I just select the catagory and appropriate sub-folder and if needbe create another folder and possibly date it EG. family birthday and leave the file names the same. PS thanks for the original post lots of interesting info.

[ameerat42]

AFAIK - that's what you get when you delete a program - ViewNX does not change the original.
(I think) it adds some metadata to part of the file (where metadata can be added non-destructively)
to tell you what it has done. (That's how my raw converter works, anyway.)

(Now I'll also wait to hear from somebody who knows.)
Am.

PS. After you've (or I've) made the changes to the raw file, you (or I) save it as a tiff or jpeg for other uses: posting, or more editing
in GIMP, PS, etc.

[arthurking83]

Am basically got it in one.

it does alter the original, but in a nice way.
Any changes made to the raw file, are easily unmade, and the file is as good as original again(in ViewNX2's opinion).

Note tho, as you said you have LR4 too. Any changes you make in one program, are not seen by the other. LR4 writes it's changes to an external file, which VNX2 and most other software can't see.
Any edits made in VNX2 aren't repeated into LR4 .. so your VNX2 edited NEF turns into an 'original' NEF according to LR4.

Something I've noticed tho with LR4, sometimes if I open any edited NEF file in LR4, very briefly the image on screen will render as per the edited file(or what I think looks like it), but quickly changes to a totally bland looking unedited raw file once LR4 has decided it should really load itself up fully.

I don't find that there is any issue with file naming at all. I can't see why the original file name as per the camera is more important than any file name that means more to the individual.
But in saying that, I actually confess that even tho I do rename my files, I only add a prefix to the in camera file name so in effect the original name is still intact ... just enhanced.

While ViewNX2 is handy, it's CaptureNX2 that I like in many ways much more when it comes to NEF file handling.
One of the things I really like about CNX2 is versioning and the way it's done. Versioning is a system where you can create any number of variant edits of the one raw file. (I'm sure LR must have this same system, but I rarely use LR).
Anyhow, you can have a multitude of versions of the one NEF file, and it's all contained in the one NEF file, but that file doesn't actually inflate in size(by any appreciable amount). it may in fact grow by a kilobyte or two, but this is insignificant. Versioning is dependent on the software creating the versions, so you can only see them via CNX2 .. just as I'd expect LR to do it too.

I would uninstall ViewNX 1 as it's now old and pretty much redundant .. or if you do a re install to declutter your PC, don't install it again .. just keep VNX2.

[ROA44]

Just out of curiosity, (perhaps for the moderators as I'm not sure if it's possible and will soon find out) Is it possible to save or print some of the info that is posted in the forums, as there are some interesting and good tips, hints, ideas posted and to go back and find them some times can be difficult and to remember where they were especially if you see one just before your about to head out the door.

May already be available but I haven't found out how to do it yet not a Mod's fault, just me and IT.

[ameerat42]

Yes, there is a very easy way, but since you are asking about forum rules, flag this thread and ask the Q to a mod in the pop-up box.
Am.

[ROA44]

Hi Am, Is that the small triangle with the exclamation mark in it

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Am, Is that the small triangle with the exclamation mark in it

[arthurking83]

I think at the top of the thread you should see a link to something like Thread Tools. If you see this, then you should also have the ability to click this link and it'll give you an option to subscribe to the thread or email it to <someone> or view printable version.

Also, if you ever want to go back to any of the threads that you have replied into, way up top in the header of the page, and just under the site logo .. is a series of link option boxes.

Look for the one marked Search(with the down arrow). Click on this and scroll down to the option for: 'Threads I Posted In' This link will take you to a list of all the threads you have posted in, and in chronological order of the last reply(from any member) into those threads..... not dated by your reply.
So that if you had posted into a thread say a few weeks back, it may be down the list some way if many of the other threads in which you have posted have had many replies.

[ameerat42]

[QUOTE=ROA44;1158277]Hi Am, Is that the small triangle with the exclamation mark in it

Yes. (Woops! Too late.)
Ta also, Kym.
Am.

[Mark L]

Just out of curiosity, (perhaps for the moderators as I'm not sure if it's possible and will soon find out) Is it possible to save or print some of the info that is posted in the forums, as there are some interesting and good tips, hints, ideas posted and to go back and find them some times can be difficult and to remember where they were especially if you see one just before your about to head out the door.


To get a definitive answer, and inform others, maybe you could post this question in Site Matters ... http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/forumdisplay.php?8-Site-Matters

There is an easy way (copy and paste), but not sure if some sort of site copyright makes it morally not good!

[ameerat42]

Yep. I hadder look at that Thread Tools "Show Printed Version".
At least you could then print that. It doesn't show images, just their links.
Depending on your version of Windows (or other OS) you could print/save as PDF.
Am.

[Mark L]

Forget my previous post. Wouldn't be printable in thread tools if it wasn't allowed.:confused013
How's it going Dane?:D

[ROA44]

Went into, Thread tools, Printable version, then I think I highlighted the whole lot, then copied and paste in word. I did try Email that sort of worked but Probably better to only highlight each individual post and copy into word that way you don't get all the in between stuff. However there is probably a better way. know my comp. skills

[ameerat42]

Went into, Thread tools, Printable version...However there is probably a better way...

:D How did you know? Ages ago I got NOVA PDF LITE (http://www.novapdf.com/download.html) as a freeby on a magazine disc. Since then they've freed it up for all.
I think you might have to register it - and maybe not - but it is free.

Once loaded, do a Print from your browser. In FFox you can do a Print Preview, but you get a preview anyway. DON'T even go into Thread Tools and Printed Version.
With this program you will print the thread almost - depending on browser page encoding - as you see it, ie, pics (?warts) and all.

Oh, it acts just like a virtual printer and it gives you PDF files. You just select it from your list of installed printers (once you install the program).
I do not use the Win7 and later in-built (what-do-you-call-that-Msoft-version-of PDF) file generator as the files sark! I even use NovaPDF Lite in my Win7.
Good luck, and you'll soon be :lol:.
Am.

PS: You can use NovaPDFLite to print anything from any program just as it appears. You get a PDF file and you can later print that on a normal printer.

[ROA44]

Thank you Am for info on NovaPDF Lite not heard of that one before, but then there's allot of things I've not learnt yet.
(did you mean that DocX) thing that M$'s introduced).

I did have also read through the rules but could not specifically workout if saving/printing some of the post was against AP policy if it is then that's Ok I'll not worry about trying. However it would be handy to be able to do for personal reference while trying to get up to speed with processing when changes are finalized and I can start really getting into PP, but understand from Mods. point Of view if it creates other problems, EG. Copyright or other unforeseen probs.

Milton

[ameerat42]

It's not DocX but their version of a PDF file. I had so much trouble with them that I just installed this instead. I think the option is Save as ??(I just can't recall the file type)
Am.

[ROA44]

Yep just MS GGRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!.

Well I'd better get off the Proverbial and do something I suppose or or the Proverbial might happen.

Cheers 4 now.