Workflow and the SPP?

[Jeffry7]

I have been working with a couple of sets of photos I took with a Sigma sd Quattro h. These were in bright daylight and therefore a little difficult to work with.

I find that the Fill Light adjustment in SPP really help these photos. At least IMO. So i have been doing my adjustments in SPP.

The thing I miss the most from LightRoom Classic is the ability to embed the model's name in the EXIF. I have resorted to the very low tech solution of adding the Model name to the filename of the final JPEG.

Another issue is recording the final adjustments with the image. This is something LrC does by default. SPP by contrast uses whatever adjustments you have set from the last picture you edited. (Even apparently if you save the adjustments to the RAW?)

To address this I am archiving the exported JPGs as well as the RAWs.

I suppose I can save the adjustments for each image in a separate file and archive them for reference later. Does anyone do that?

I am just curious if anyone has a smoother method of working with SPP then I have so far figured out.

Thanks!

PS, an example of an image I am working with.

 

[xpatUSA]

I have been working with a couple of sets of photos I took with a Sigma sd Quattro h.<>

The thing I miss the most from LightRoom Classic is the ability to embed the model's name in the EXIF. I have resorted to the very low tech solution of adding the Model name to the filename of the final JPEG._

There are various EXIF editors which can do that - some on a batch basis.

Another issue is recording the final adjustments with the image. This is something LrC does by default. SPP by contrast uses whatever adjustments you have set from the last picture you edited. (Even apparently if you save the adjustments to the RAW?)

To address this I am archiving the exported JPGs as well as the RAWs.

I suppose I can save the adjustments for each image in a separate file and archive them for reference later. Does anyone do that?

FYI, SPP does save the settings in the JPEG EXIF under "Maker Notes" ... do you have Harvey's ExifToolGUI?

I think it it would pay you to get an app where you can embed IPTC or XMP keywords, thereby avoiding having to mess with Exif. Again batching is cool.

There are many other ways to skin the cat.

Personally I use XnView MP for that kind of stuff ...

... for example, it lets you search for 'model_name' AND "Juicy Lucy" and it brings up a Contact Sheet (catalog window) with all images that match that condition ... best search engine on the planet!

see also: https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=12772.0

--
What you got is not what you saw.

 

[xpatUSA]

FYI, SPP does save the settings in the JPEG EXIF under "Maker Notes" ... do you have Harvey's ExifToolGUI?

I think it it would pay you to get an app where you can embed IPTC or XMP keywords, thereby avoiding having to mess with Exif. Again batching is cool.

There are many other ways to skin the cat.

Personally I use XnView MP for that kind of stuff ...

... for example, it lets you search for 'model_name' AND "Juicy Lucy" and it brings up a Contact Sheet (catalog window) with all images that match that condition ... best search engine on the planet!

XnView can display Exif 'Maker Notes' ... go for it:

https://xnviewmp.en.softonic.com/

--
What you got is not what you saw.

 

[Stillton]

Jeffry7 wrote:

I have been working with a couple of sets of photos I took with a Sigma sd Quattro h.<>

The thing I miss the most from LightRoom Classic is the ability to embed the model's name in the EXIF. I have resorted to the very low tech solution of adding the Model name to the filename of the final JPEG.

There are various EXIF editors which can that - some on a batch basis.

Another issue is recording the final adjustments with the image. This is something LrC does by default. SPP by contrast uses whatever adjustments you have set from the last picture you edited. (Even apparently if you save the adjustments to the RAW?)

To address this I am archiving the exported JPGs as well as the RAWs.

I suppose I can save the adjustments for each image in a separate file and archive them for reference later. Does anyone do that?

FYI, SPP saves the settings in the JPEG EXIF under "Maker Notes" ... do you have Harvey's ExifToolGUI?

I think it it would pay you to get an app where you can embed IPTC or XMP keywords, thereby avoiding having to mess with Exif. Again batching is cool.

There are many other ways to skin the cat.

Personally I use XnView MP for that kind of stuff ...

... for example, it lets you search for 'model_name' AND "Juicy Lucy" and it brings up Contact sheet (catalog window) with all images that match that condition ... best search engine on the planet!

see also: https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=12772.0

The way I speeded up my SPP x3f processing (my usual volume is between 20 and 200-ish shots) is this:

Method 1:

(done once per SPP installation)
1. Set SPP to "apply previous setting" in Preferences.
2. Create 3 presets - one for each of my DP Merrill with settings all neutral except for Noise reduction sliders, lens correction, WB and Color Adjustment. The latter three would be camera specific (DP2M needs a lot more magenta, while DP3M might not need it at all).

(done to each sequence of photos)
1. Open the first image.
2. Change Adjustment Mode to "Custom".
3. Start editing.
4. Once satisfied, save the edited x3f.
5. Go to the next image and SPP is gonna auto-apply settings from the previous shot. This works both ways - going from the shot number 2 to shot number 3, as well as going from shot 3 back to shot 2.
6. Tweak it if necessary. Save.
7. Rinse repeat.

This saves me a TON of time when editing multiple shots of the same scene.
If you don't want the settings auto-applied from the previous shot, just switch Adjustment mode back to "x3f" and it will reset everything to the last saved in that RAW file settings.

Method 2:

There is another way to auto-apply settings:
1. Save your preferred adjustments as a preset.
2. from Main SPP window, select all images you want that preset to apply to.
3. Ctrl+S and go "Custom" -> Select the preset in the dropdown menu.
4. Set "Save setting to source RAW files" flag.
5. Hit OK (this will export all selected images.
This will save those settings, but you will have to wait a lot for it to export all the images in the process.
I use method 1 when the length of each series that require the same settings is less than 2-3 dozens of shots. For extremely large series, I would go with Method 2.
This obviously doesn't address any issues with exif data.

 

[Shawn67]

In case you don't know, if you set the camera to shoot DNG you can skip SPP all together and just import directly into Lightroom. You might run the DNGs through Adobe DNG Converter to losslessly compress the files first though. Being linear DNGs they are large.

 

[Stillton]

In case you don't know, if you set the camera to shoot DNG you can skip SPP all together and just import directly into Lightroom. You might run the DNGs through Adobe DNG Converter to losslessly compress the files first though. Being linear DNGs they are large.

Drawback is that the colors will not be exactly the same as with SPP. Also, DNGs are 12bit, I believe, while SD Q x3f is a 14bit.

 

[Shawn67]

In case you don't know, if you set the camera to shoot DNG you can skip SPP all together and just import directly into Lightroom. You might run the DNGs through Adobe DNG Converter to losslessly compress the files first though. Being linear DNGs they are large.

Drawback is that the colors will not be exactly the same as with SPP. Also, DNGs are 12bit, I believe, while SD Q x3f is a 14bit.

Yup. Back when I had the sd Quattro H I used DNG almost always. The biggest downside, for me, was not having DNG+Jpeg since the jpeg engine in that camera was so good.

 

[Stillton]

In case you don't know, if you set the camera to shoot DNG you can skip SPP all together and just import directly into Lightroom. You might run the DNGs through Adobe DNG Converter to losslessly compress the files first though. Being linear DNGs they are large.

Drawback is that the colors will not be exactly the same as with SPP. Also, DNGs are 12bit, I believe, while SD Q x3f is a 14bit.

Yup. Back when I had the sd Quattro H I used DNG almost always. The biggest downside, for me, was not having DNG+Jpeg since the jpeg engine in that camera was so good.

Ah I see. Makes sense. yes, x3f already has the same jpg imbedded in it.

 

[Scottelly]

Hey Jeffry, you can set SPP to use defaut, auto, or previous settings, rather than just the previous settings you used on the last image (which is what it sounds like is happening to your images). This is done in Preferences, which can be found under File in the file browsing window (not the image editing/adjustments window). You need to go to the middle section of the Preferences window, and select what you want under "Applicable adjustment setting (X3F/DNG)."




This is the Preferences window.



--
Scott Barton Kennelly
https://www.bigprintphotos.com
https://www.sigmaphotopro.com
https://www.sigmacamerapro.com

 

[xpatUSA]

I have been working with a couple of sets of photos I took with a Sigma sd Quattro h.<>

The thing I miss the most from LightRoom Classic is t**he ability to embed the model's name in the EXIF.** I have resorted to the very low tech solution of adding the Model name to the filename of the final JPEG._

There are various EXIF editors which can do that - some on a batch basis ...

Another plus for XnView MP:

ChatGPT - Batch EXIF Editors

Shared via ChatGPT

chatgpt.com

 

[Jeffry7]

I have been working with a couple of sets of photos I took with a Sigma sd Quattro h.<>

The thing I miss the most from LightRoom Classic is the ability to embed the model's name in the EXIF. I have resorted to the very low tech solution of adding the Model name to the filename of the final JPEG._

There are various EXIF editors which can do that - some on a batch basis.

Another issue is recording the final adjustments with the image. This is something LrC does by default. SPP by contrast uses whatever adjustments you have set from the last picture you edited. (Even apparently if you save the adjustments to the RAW?)

To address this I am archiving the exported JPGs as well as the RAWs.

I suppose I can save the adjustments for each image in a separate file and archive them for reference later. Does anyone do that?

FYI, SPP does save the settings in the JPEG EXIF under "Maker Notes" ... do you have Harvey's ExifToolGUI?

I have started using it for embedding the model names. Clunky, but it does work, including in batches.

I think it it would pay you to get an app where you can embed IPTC or XMP keywords, thereby avoiding having to mess with Exif. Again batching is cool.

There are many other ways to skin the cat.

Personally I use XnView MP for that kind of stuff ...

I will check that out.

... for example, it lets you search for 'model_name' AND "Juicy Lucy" and it brings up a Contact Sheet (catalog window) with all images that match that condition ... best search engine on the planet!

see also: https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=12772.0

 

[Jeffry7]

In case you don't know, if you set the camera to shoot DNG you can skip SPP all together and just import directly into Lightroom. You might run the DNGs through Adobe DNG Converter to losslessly compress the files first though. Being linear DNGs they are large.

Drawback is that the colors will not be exactly the same as with SPP. Also, DNGs are 12bit, I believe, while SD Q x3f is a 14bit.

Yup. Back when I had the sd Quattro H I used DNG almost always. The biggest downside, for me, was not having DNG+Jpeg since the jpeg engine in that camera was so good.

Ah I see. Makes sense. yes, x3f already has the same jpg imbedded in it.

A while ago I went back and forth on the whole DNG in camera thing. I eventually decided I had more flexibility with x3f files. For one thing I can get the x3f+jpg mode if I want. For another, I get 14 bit instead of truncating to 12. The other thing is that I can use the Kalpanika tool to convert x3f to DNG if I want to do that. (And it will keep the 14 bit.) Or I can export as TIFF from SPP.

For any given shot I can decide if I prefer SPP processing, or LrC processing.

If I pick DNG in camera, I am limited to LrC processing.

 

[Scottelly]

In case you don't know, if you set the camera to shoot DNG you can skip SPP all together and just import directly into Lightroom. You might run the DNGs through Adobe DNG Converter to losslessly compress the files first though. Being linear DNGs they are large.

Drawback is that the colors will not be exactly the same as with SPP. Also, DNGs are 12bit, I believe, while SD Q x3f is a 14bit.

Yup. Back when I had the sd Quattro H I used DNG almost always. The biggest downside, for me, was not having DNG+Jpeg since the jpeg engine in that camera was so good.

I agree. If I wanted DNG files from my SD Quattro H there is no way I would just shoot in DNG mode. Instead I would shoot RAW+JPG, and then I would convert the RAW files to DNG using a converter. (The only converter I know of is Kalpanika.) Not long ago I was experimenting with shooting DNG files, and I forgot I had left my camera set to record DNG files. Then I did a photo shoot with a model, and shot a bunch of DNG files (ABOUT 150 MB per photo). I was miffed (as they say it in the U.K.). No big deal though, because most of the photos I shot were with my Nikon anyway.


If she's too pink that's because I used the Velvia setting, when processing in Darktable

I don't think the DNG colors are all that bad, actually. It's all malleable anyway, I guess. I like the control I have over the colors in Darktable. (BTW, that photo is blurry because it's back-focused. It looks good small though.)

--
Scott Barton Kennelly
https://www.bigprintphotos.com
https://www.sigmaphotopro.com
https://www.sigmacamerapro.com

 

[Scottelly]

In case you don't know, if you set the camera to shoot DNG you can skip SPP all together and just import directly into Lightroom. You might run the DNGs through Adobe DNG Converter to losslessly compress the files first though. Being linear DNGs they are large.

Drawback is that the colors will not be exactly the same as with SPP. Also, DNGs are 12bit, I believe, while SD Q x3f is a 14bit.

Yup. Back when I had the sd Quattro H I used DNG almost always. The biggest downside, for me, was not having DNG+Jpeg since the jpeg engine in that camera was so good.

Ah I see. Makes sense. yes, x3f already has the same jpg imbedded in it.

A while ago I went back and forth on the whole DNG in camera thing. I eventually decided I had more flexibility with x3f files. For one thing I can get the x3f+jpg mode if I want. For another, I get 14 bit instead of truncating to 12. The other thing is that I can use the Kalpanika tool to convert x3f to DNG if I want to do that. (And it will keep the 14 bit.) Or I can export as TIFF from SPP.

For any given shot I can decide if I prefer SPP processing, or LrC processing.

If I pick DNG in camera, I am limited to LrC processing.

Yeah, that's how I feel about it too . . . though I don't have Lightroom. Intead I use Darktable.

 

[Jeffry7]

Hey Jeffry, you can set SPP to use defaut, auto, or previous settings, rather than just the previous settings you used on the last image (which is what it sounds like is happening to your images). This is done in Preferences, which can be found under File in the file browsing window (not the image editing/adjustments window). You need to go to the middle section of the Preferences window, and select what you want under "Applicable adjustment setting (X3F/DNG)."


This is the Preferences window.

Hi Scott,

Thanks!

Is there a way to make SPP use the setting that have already been applied to an image? Is that the meaning of default or auto?

It seems once you have the settings for an image figured out and saved to the raw file, you can never see them again.

 

[Jeffry7]

Jeffry7 wrote:

I have been working with a couple of sets of photos I took with a Sigma sd Quattro h.<>

The thing I miss the most from LightRoom Classic is the ability to embed the model's name in the EXIF. I have resorted to the very low tech solution of adding the Model name to the filename of the final JPEG.

There are various EXIF editors which can that - some on a batch basis.

Another issue is recording the final adjustments with the image. This is something LrC does by default. SPP by contrast uses whatever adjustments you have set from the last picture you edited. (Even apparently if you save the adjustments to the RAW?)

To address this I am archiving the exported JPGs as well as the RAWs.

I suppose I can save the adjustments for each image in a separate file and archive them for reference later. Does anyone do that?

FYI, SPP saves the settings in the JPEG EXIF under "Maker Notes" ... do you have Harvey's ExifToolGUI?

I think it it would pay you to get an app where you can embed IPTC or XMP keywords, thereby avoiding having to mess with Exif. Again batching is cool.

There are many other ways to skin the cat.

Personally I use XnView MP for that kind of stuff ...

... for example, it lets you search for 'model_name' AND "Juicy Lucy" and it brings up Contact sheet (catalog window) with all images that match that condition ... best search engine on the planet!

see also: https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=12772.0

The way I speeded up my SPP x3f processing (my usual volume is between 20 and 200-ish shots) is this:

Method 1:

(done once per SPP installation)
1. Set SPP to "apply previous setting" in Preferences.
2. Create 3 presets - one for each of my DP Merrill with settings all neutral except for Noise reduction sliders, lens correction, WB and Color Adjustment. The latter three would be camera specific (DP2M needs a lot more magenta, while DP3M might not need it at all).

(done to each sequence of photos)
1. Open the first image.
2. Change Adjustment Mode to "Custom".
3. Start editing.
4. Once satisfied, save the edited x3f.
5. Go to the next image and SPP is gonna auto-apply settings from the previous shot. This works both ways - going from the shot number 2 to shot number 3, as well as going from shot 3 back to shot 2.
6. Tweak it if necessary. Save.
7. Rinse repeat.

This saves me a TON of time when editing multiple shots of the same scene.
If you don't want the settings auto-applied from the previous shot, just switch Adjustment mode back to "x3f" and it will reset everything to the last saved in that RAW file settings.

Method 2:

There is another way to auto-apply settings:
1. Save your preferred adjustments as a preset.
2. from Main SPP window, select all images you want that preset to apply to.
3. Ctrl+S and go "Custom" -> Select the preset in the dropdown menu.
4. Set "Save setting to source RAW files" flag.
5. Hit OK (this will export all selected images.
This will save those settings, but you will have to wait a lot for it to export all the images in the process.
I use method 1 when the length of each series that require the same settings is less than 2-3 dozens of shots. For extremely large series, I would go with Method 2.
This obviously doesn't address any issues with exif data.

Thanks Stilton!

I kinda fell into method 1 with a set of images I was editing, but didn't know I could open images with x3f adjustment. This would make sense for later reviews of a set.

 

[xpatUSA]

I have been working with a couple of sets of photos I took with a Sigma sd Quattro h.<>

The thing I miss the most from LightRoom Classic is t**he ability to embed the model's name in the EXIF.** I have resorted to the very low tech solution of adding the Model name to the filename of the final JPEG._

There are various EXIF editors which can do that - some on a batch basis ...

I tried XnView MP's tool>batch convert

After a few stumbles, I got it to add "Juicy Lucy" into the IPTC Caption field of three selected images. A lot of Image Viewers show this field but, better yet, can search based on that field and reward you with a Contact Sheet with only those three images on it.

 

[xpatUSA]

Hey Jeffry, you can set SPP to use defaut, auto, or previous settings, rather than just the previous settings you used on the last image (which is what it sounds like is happening to your images). This is done in Preferences, which can be found under File in the file browsing window (not the image editing/adjustments window). You need to go to the middle section of the Preferences window, and select what you want under "Applicable adjustment setting (X3F/DNG)."

Hi Scott,

Thanks!

Is there a way to make SPP use the setting that have already been applied to an image? Is that the meaning of default or auto?

It seems once you have the settings for an image figured out and saved to the raw file, you can never see them again.

You can if you save them with a name ...

... here y'are from SPP 5:

--
What you got is not what you saw.

 

[Shawn67]

Haven't used Kalpanika but will give it a try. For me gettiing the sd Quattro (and DP1 Quattro) files into my regular catalog program (LR) with full editing was worth shooting DNG. After all it was still Sigma processing that took the Foveon data and created the DNG. Comparing back and forth the visual differences were tiny, the difference in speed and ease of use was huge. YMMV.

 

[xpatUSA]

I have been working with a couple of sets of photos I took with a Sigma sd Quattro h.<>

The thing I miss the most from LightRoom Classic is t**he ability to embed the model's name in the EXIF.** I have resorted to the very low tech solution of adding the Model name to the filename of the final JPEG._

There are various EXIF editors which can do that - some on a batch basis ...

I tried XnView MP's tool>batch convert

After a few stumbles, I got it to add "Juicy Lucy" into the IPTC Caption field of three selected images. A lot of Image Viewers show this field but, better yet, can search based on that field and reward you with a Contact Sheet with only those three images on it.

In FastStone viewer I added "Juicy Lucy" as a JPEG comment.

XnView MP found it by searching on 'Embedded Comment' 'contains' "Juicy"

--
What you got is not what you saw.