is there a really good image viewer? (like ACDSee for PC)

[Thomas K.]

thank you all for your help. after installung and trying more than 20 programs i ended up with QPict http://www.qpict.net (free trial)

costs 35bucks. supports my own directory structure. opens images fullscreen. can zoom to 100% view in fullscreen (press 1. and 3 to get back to normal view) is fast and has nice interpolation/sharpening (some programs have strange artifacs etc... not this one)

the program has hung-up 2 times so far and deleting files does not use trash but deletes immediatelly ... so there seem to be some problems ... but finally i've fond s.th. and that makes me happy.

regards
thomas

--
visit my homepage http://thomas.im
portrait - studio - streetlife

 

[Allan32177]

I was initially impressed with QPict--until I noticed it kept on crashing. Others have complained about this as well. Good luck.

 

[Thomas K.]

--
visit my homepage http://thomas.im
portrait - studio - streetlife

 

[digitalnoise]

I've got a registered copy of qpict and this reminded me to send off a bug report to the developer. I really like qpict so I hope it gets fixed.

 

[Thomas K.]

i just noticed if i delete a file it's only deleted for the current view. opening QPict next time the pics are still there.

thus i still cant browse across my photos and easily delete the pics i dont want. is there a possibility to do so?

thank you
thomas

--
visit my homepage http://thomas.im
portrait - studio - streetlife

 

[John Le Marquand]

I use ACDSee for the Mac. It is not as good as the PC version but will do what you want. Also I use Just Looking.

 

[Thomas K.]

...i've noticed it's directory structure is only linked to the real structure. this is the reason why pics couldn't be moved to trash (in fact they havent been deleted, only they link).

there's a possibiity of importing my directory structure. but importing is exactly what i tried not to do.

i'll try parallels now. have a legal version of Vista (free from my university) and will try to run ACDSee Pro 2 there.

thomas

--
visit my homepage http://thomas.im
portrait - studio - streetlife

 

[Lone Sailor]

Here is one I use...very fast and a lot of features. It is called View It. Take a look.

http://www.hexcat.com/

--
http://www.nevadajack.us

 

[digitalnoise]

^^ ViewIt's another of my favorites but it has issues under leopard as well. (Don't remember quite what they are since I stopped using it for now because of them.)

Regarding qpict, there is a pref for how deleting is handled and (possibly) command delete moves files to the trash regardless. I use it for that all the time despite the subsequent crashes under leopard when closing the index.

 

[Lone Sailor]

I have not noted any issues yet with View It but you can be sure it will be updated quickly...he is always good about fixing problems. I have only had Leopard loaded for about a week and only for about two days on my new iMac which arrived on Monday.
--
http://www.nevadajack.us

 

[thelahma]

Hi All,

I have just come across this thread - hopefully some of the original participants are still around. I am facing the same dilemma as the OP. I am desperately wanting to move away from PC to Mac, but its the browsing issue which is stopping me. I have used ACDsee for almost 10 years and its a key part of my workflow. The features I rely heavily on, and cant seem to find anywhere else are:

1. Browsing directly from file folders trees - without the need to import into other libraries. I want one set of files in a known location - not copies generated in libraries all over the place

2. Full screen image view with quick (keyboard) zoom from 100% to fit in window, (and keyboard advancement of images)

3. Ability to tag images (with simple keyboard control) while viewing full screen or thumbnail

3. Ability to select "tagged" images from the current folder only

4. Copy / Paste and create New Folder options to allow me to sort/arrange/copy files as needed

5. Image download or import from memory cards via a simple popup dialogue (ideally as an autoplay type feature once the card is inserted)

6. Batch renaming

7. The ability to select whatever metadata item you like to sort by. (ie sort by date time digitised for combining images from two cameras, or sort by camera type / owners name to seperate images from two cameras)

In short I guess I want ACDsee to build a full Mac version!

In the absense of that little answer to prayer - to those who mentioned ACDSee for Mac - does it do the above basic tasks? I dnt need RAW processing

I've heard suggestions of Parallels (ets) to still run ACDSee under Windows. Has anyone actually done this and found it successful in allowing you to access files across the Win - Mac boundaries. In other words, Can I run ACDSee under something like Parallels, or VM Fusion and use it to download and sort all my images, but then go to the Mac side to process these same files in Capture 1 and/or Photoshop?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If I have to sit around and wait for windows to stop stalling for much longer I think I might just go insane!

 

[Stefan V]

I recently bought a Macbook to do a few things:

• browse the internet - works fine
• webmailing - safari+hotmail is not a good combination, but others work fine
• light office work - neooffice is free but is terribly slow
• photo management and editing - what a disaster!

I somehow had the impression that a Mac was "the" system to do photo management and editing. Boy was I wrong.

It starts with the rubbisch iPhoto. I'm soooooo annoyed by these library-based tools! I just can't add/delete manually some photo's, if I do the iPhoto dbase is corrupted. Simply terrible.

No ACDSee, no FastStone Image Viewer, and worst of all no Picasa2. But it seems there's some light at the end of the tunnel, Picasa2 for Mac is under development I read somewhere.

Lightroom might be nice, but come on, 300 euros to do photo management which I could do on a Windows computer for free?

I'm really hoping that Photoshop Elements 6 (with Bridge!) will be nice, otherwise.... the Macbook will remain a very expensive, but good looking, surf-machine.

--
-- the owls are not what they seem

 

[Thomas K.]

hello thelahma,

now after 3 month i have to say i really like my macbook more an more. dont want to give it back again!

BUT: i still have no solution for your and me request. none of the tools discussed here work in any way like ACDSee. i've emailed ACDSee and they told me the company has decided not to build an ACDSee version for mac.

my solution for the moment is ACDSee running on Vista with Parallels on my mac. you have to use parallels to get access to mac's "pictures" directory. with "fusion" you have network access only with means you have no trash if deleting any file with ACDSee (which would it make impossible to use ACDSee to select and delete your photos). parallels is fine. and it's slow. even if in background it uses 30% CPU. i have no direct access to mac's photoshop, so i have finder open at the same time as ADCSee. ... all in all it's still the better solution (for my use) than any of the mac software but its far from perfect.

some hope: 1st: there will be a mac version of picasa coming this year. 2nd: there's photoshop elements 4 coming for mac (end of march).

both import pictures. however they keep your original folder style and dont create their own copies. that means you can also edit/delete pictures with affect on your originals. lets wait and lets hope that one of these two could be the tool we are looking for.

regards
thomas

Hi All,

I have just come across this thread - hopefully some of the original
participants are still around. I am facing the same dilemma as the
OP. I am desperately wanting to move away from PC to Mac, but its
the browsing issue which is stopping me. I have used ACDsee for
almost 10 years and its a key part of my workflow. The features I
rely heavily on, and cant seem to find anywhere else are:

1. Browsing directly from file folders trees - without the need to
import into other libraries. I want one set of files in a known
location - not copies generated in libraries all over the place

2. Full screen image view with quick (keyboard) zoom from 100% to
fit in window, (and keyboard advancement of images)

3. Ability to tag images (with simple keyboard control) while
viewing full screen or thumbnail

3. Ability to select "tagged" images from the current folder only

4. Copy / Paste and create New Folder options to allow me to
sort/arrange/copy files as needed

5. Image download or import from memory cards via a simple popup
dialogue (ideally as an autoplay type feature once the card is
inserted)

6. Batch renaming

7. The ability to select whatever metadata item you like to sort by.
(ie sort by date time digitised for combining images from two
cameras, or sort by camera type / owners name to seperate images from
two cameras)

In short I guess I want ACDsee to build a full Mac version!

In the absense of that little answer to prayer - to those who
mentioned ACDSee for Mac - does it do the above basic tasks? I dnt
need RAW processing

I've heard suggestions of Parallels (ets) to still run ACDSee under
Windows. Has anyone actually done this and found it successful in
allowing you to access files across the Win - Mac boundaries. In
other words, Can I run ACDSee under something like Parallels, or VM
Fusion and use it to download and sort all my images, but then go to
the Mac side to process these same files in Capture 1 and/or
Photoshop?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. If I have to sit around and
wait for windows to stop stalling for much longer I think I might
just go insane!

--
visit my homepage http://thomas.im
portrait - studio - streetlife

 

[Mjs]

I do agree somewhat on the lack of photo viewers for the mac. This and nothing like Qimage surprised me. But, putting this aside, the complete color management of the mac system is superior to the pc and will benefit you in the long run. If you are basing the macbook on a viewer and saying only surfing because of this, then you really need to learn some things about color management and over all photo processing.

Now, having to pay for a program like lightroom seems to be an issue which is fine, but what do you actually want to do and how much good editing do you do? Lightroom is a superior program to picasa and acdsee and is meant to be so. If you just want to do basic editing then just learn to use Iphoto a little more or find another basic program out there. You seem to expect to buy a mac and have all programs handed to you for free. Photomanagement does cost on both sides (pirating aside). To slam the mac system because your amateur needs are not met makes you like kind of ignorant.

IMHO the mac is superior in overall color manangement and has all the advanced programs available for use (I just recently switched over from years of pc) for true photo editing.

I recently bought a Macbook to do a few things:

• browse the internet - works fine
• webmailing - safari+hotmail is not a good combination, but others

work fine

• light office work - neooffice is free but is terribly slow
• photo management and editing - what a disaster!

I somehow had the impression that a Mac was "the" system to do photo
management and editing. Boy was I wrong.

It starts with the rubbisch iPhoto. I'm soooooo annoyed by these
library-based tools! I just can't add/delete manually some photo's,
if I do the iPhoto dbase is corrupted. Simply terrible.

No ACDSee, no FastStone Image Viewer, and worst of all no Picasa2.
But it seems there's some light at the end of the tunnel, Picasa2 for
Mac is under development I read somewhere.

Lightroom might be nice, but come on, 300 euros to do photo
management which I could do on a Windows computer for free?

I'm really hoping that Photoshop Elements 6 (with Bridge!) will be
nice, otherwise.... the Macbook will remain a very expensive, but
good looking, surf-machine.

--
-- the owls are not what they seem

 

[thelahma]

Thanks Thomas - although I was hoping for a more positive result from your labour! I too had emailed ACDSee a week or so ago and I got told that "there has been talk but a timeframe hasn't been given," so I had been hopeful.

Its not the cost issue that gets me. I paid for ACDSee and would happily pay again for it to have it on MAC. The problem is I can find nothing that will let me work the way it does. Everyone says just use Lightroom. Problem is it doesn't let you do a simple Copy and Paste of your files. It seems these simple Copy & Paste controls are so notably laking in many other MAC equivalents. I frequently have to produce different versions/outputs of my files and ACDSee let me quickly tag, select all tagged files, copy, create a new folder, paste a new copy and then open in Photoshop in a few quick clicks/keyboard strokes. I know there are other ways of working but none seem so quick.

You mention that you can work with ACDSee on Parallels. Does that give you full access to all your MAC files? How slow is slow? (I'm looking a getting a Mac Pro so hopefully resources shouldn't be a big issue with 8 cores!)

Also - I have come across a like to a program called ACDSee for MAC. Have you tried that? Its not on the ACDSee site - but it claims to be from them. Obviously I cant try it being still a PC guy but has anyone else given it a go?

Here's a link: http://www.1888softwaredownloads.com/free-software/download-acdsee-for-mac-22644.html

 

[Thomas K.]

You mention that you can work with ACDSee on Parallels. Does that
give you full access to all your MAC files?

you have direct access to macs documents, pictures and music folders. additionally the desktop is the same (puting a file a windows desktop means you can also see it on your mac and other way round).

How slow is slow? (I'm
looking a getting a Mac Pro so hopefully resources shouldn't be a big
issue with 8 cores!)

i have macbook with 2.2ghz and 4GB ram. speed for picture viewing is fast enough though sometimes theres a problem when starting the fullscreen view. then the first pic (opened within ACDSee) takes 5 seconds and more. when finishing fullscreen view its that long again (all within ACDSee). changing images in fullscreen is fast (max 0.3 sec). very strange. somehow windows has to wait till leopard gives it the first access to it's pictures folder. it's not always.

Also - I have come across a like to a program called ACDSee for MAC.
Have you tried that? Its not on the ACDSee site - but it claims to
be from them. Obviously I cant try it being still a PC guy but has
anyone else given it a go?

it's a 100 years old version of ACDSee. dont even try it. i've done so and its slow with unusable picture interpolation/sharpening.

regards
thomas

--
visit my homepage http://thomas.im
portrait - studio - streetlife

 

[Mauro.B]

You mention that you can work with ACDSee on Parallels. Does that
give you full access to all your MAC files? How slow is slow? (I'm
looking a getting a Mac Pro so hopefully resources shouldn't be a big
issue with 8 cores!)

It is not only a matter of speed. In any Acdsee version the "compare" function (in which you can open more photos at once for comparison), which is the real value of Acdsee, does not work at least with the Nikon D300 jpegs.

Fastone's comparison tool works, albeit slowly.

In Mac territory the only not-database-based app slightly similar to Acdsee is Photomechanic, even if it has quirks that make it inferior to even Fastone. Problem with Photomechanic is its excessive price (150 US$).

M

--
Greets from Rome

Mauro

http://www.pbase.com/m_ben/

 

[Loring von Palleske]

It does everything mentioned earlier except perhaps the image pool (not sure since I stopped using it once I had LR and MS bought it out).

LR does have an image pool type thing however - it is called quick collection. cmd b I think automatically puts in the quick collection and it also has comparitive views as well.

I don't know that iview does but iview does have very powerful Exif editting capabilities and is fairly fast for browsing files...

 

[n8gray]

iPhoto: as fas as i know i MUST import my photos to iPhotos own
structure. can't use my own simple directory structure. please tell
me if i can skip this function.

In the preferences dialog, go to the Advanced tab and uncheck "Copy items to the iPhoto Library". You still need to "import" your pics but no copies are made unless you shoot raw or edit things in iPhoto.

But you might consider going the iPhoto way. It's funny, when I first started with iPhoto I was like you. I came from a Linux background and I really wanted my folder structure that I control. At some point I realized a few things:

1. iPhoto puts things in a folder structure that's just as sensible as any I would use. It's basically year/event, where an event is either a date like "Feb 2, 2008" or the name I give the event in iPhoto, like "HDR Sunset". This might not be exactly what I would use, but it's close enough.

2. It's actually quite nice to not have to think about the filesystem! It's easier to browse photos in iPhoto than it is in the filesystem. I can search by keyword, title, caption, or any other bit of metadata. I can save searches as smart folders. I can select a date range with ease, even though my photos aren't necessarily organized by date. Basically, abandoning the filesystem has proved to be a big win for me. Anything that I can do in the filesystem I can do just as well or better in iPhoto.

I'm not saying it's all roses in iPhoto land, but you might find it's easier to abandon the filesystem than you think.

Cheers,
-n8