If you are using LR, that's really easy in the library module. Its where I do my editing--comparing side by side if you choose. You can use the Canon Zoombrowser also. I was going to suggest Bibble, but its not available for the Mac I don't believe. I'd suggest you dl the LR demo and see for yourself. Besides editing, its a great DAM (I used Imatch prior to this) and I use PSCS3 in conjunction with it--doing a 'round trip' when further processing is needed (or softproofing, PKS in PS for prinitng--both coming to LR at some point we've been lead to believe) easily. BTW, you can view from 1:1 to 11:1.
Hopefully, some Mac person will give you more options.
I already have LR installed. But I needed to upgrade to version 1.3.1 in order to read G9 RAW files. After the upgrade performance became much slower (in relation to version 1.2). In library mode it is so slow that it isn't workable. So I changed back to version 1.2. Now I need another program to view and organize G9 RAW files. I could use Bridge or Imagebrowser, but I don't like these for viewing and organizing.
The best and by far fastest "viewer" that I have used is FastStone Image Viewer. I don't know what the format of the G9's raw files is, but I assume CR2. IF so, it will work great for you. I use it for quick editing out the duds, but I don't use any of the image editing/converting options it has. http://www.faststone.org/
I use BreezeBrowser, http://www.breezesys.com/BreezeBrowser/index.htm and find it very useful for many things. However, there is a bit of a problem with G9 raw files right now because Canon has not released the SDK for the G9. This problem will probably be resolved very soon.
The G9 raw and SDK problem may apply to other software as well.
Gordon Buck wrote:
I use BreezeBrowser, http://www.breezesys.com/BreezeBrowser/index.htm and find it very useful for many things. However, there is a bit of a problem with G9 raw files right now because Canon has not released the SDK for the G9. This problem will probably be resolved very soon.
The G9 raw and SDK problem may apply to other software as well.
As the OP stated in his first post, he's on a Mac. BreezeBrowser is Windows only.
p.1 #10 · Canon G9: software for viewing RAW files
jerryrock wrote:
Do people just not like Adobe Bridge? It is fast, can read Canon G9 files, compare images, magnify tool, sort and catalog images etc.
Short answer. No. I find it sloooow as all get out, and rather cumbersome. I love Lightroom, but it's still not fast enough for quick first edits. Faststone first, lightroom next. Bridge is never used.
Sorry about missing the Mac part. My appologies.
d
p.1 #12 · Canon G9: software for viewing RAW files
Realize that RAW data is not viewable as an image you will not be able to quickly display a full resolution image from your raw data for the RAW data has to be converted first. What can be displayed quickly is the embedded jpeg in your Canon RAW files. Though this embedded image has fewer pixels then your full resolution image you will have no problem telling which images need to be junked. I use faststone image viewer quickly delete my junk before using Adobe Bridge because it takes the bridge a long time to build its cache of thumbnails.
I would imagine the Lightroom would have a similar performance problem importing all your image into its databases. I tried the beta version of Light Room it seemed to have at least two of them one for meta-data and one for thumbnails. I pointed lightroom at my Image Disk for it to import it never finished the import. Every time I started lightroom it would continue the import in the background. I let it run for days the databases became very very large but the import never finished. I reset lightroom and just played with it importing just a few directories. Having the power of a database was nice. The performance for what was imported was good however I still needed Photoshop. I would say lightroom is a better organizer the the Bridge but it cost quite a bit and consumes a lot of disk space for its databases, .A tree structure and naming convention is all the organization I need. I'm not the type the going to enter keywords or attach keyword to all my images so I can query a database.
p.1 #13 · Canon G9: software for viewing RAW files
Dan Fleury wrote:
Short answer. No. I find it sloooow as all get out, and rather cumbersome. I love Lightroom, but it's still not fast enough for quick first edits. Faststone first, lightroom next. Bridge is never used.
Sorry about missing the Mac part. My appologies.
d
Bridge may never be used by you, but it is used by many graphics professionals around the world who have the ability and hardware to run it properly.
p.1 #14 · Canon G9: software for viewing RAW files
Software is area that really interests me and I have tried a lot of different approaches in this area. I currently am using two tools: 1) Bridge in CS3; 2) Photo Mechanic v4.5+. If you know where the files are located (ie. folder), then Photo Mechanic is the way to go. Camera Bits has a demo ... but, be careful the program is very addictive.
p.1 #16 · Canon G9: software for viewing RAW files
jerryrock wrote:
Bridge may never be used by you, but it is used by many graphics professionals around the world who have the ability and hardware to run it properly.
It is very speedy on my MacPro.
Both Bridge and Lightroom (the newest version) are quite fast on my PC (built for me this Spring after PSCS3 and LR--older computers may have slowness issues).
One difference that is important for me between Bridge and LR is that I upload all my files to external HDs--6+ years worth at this point. With Bridge, I have to have them all connected to search them. With LR--the data base is able to search, use all library functions, keywords, metadata searches, etc. without any of them being connected. To work in the develop module, send over to PS for more processing, print, etc.---I have to connect the correct HD, but not all 6. This may be of no interest to the OP at all, but thought I would mention it. I use Bridge often--its a very very good browser (I also use a large dedicated internal HD for 'current' images--upload to LR and have it copy to my internal) , but doesn't function in other ways that I need also (I used Imatch in the past).
Just thought I would mention this--as I don't think its come up before and is significant for me. Wouldn't be either for those that have a different arrangement for drives.
p.1 #17 · Canon G9: software for viewing RAW files
jerryrock wrote:
Bridge may never be used by you, but it is used by many graphics professionals around the world who have the ability and hardware to run it properly.
It is very speedy on my MacPro.
My answer was not meant as an attack on Bridge. Your question was, "Do people just not like Adobe Bridge?" And for me the answer to your question was "No". Im sure many people love it. That's great. I love many things that other don't, and it really doesn't bother me. People have to begin to not take answers in these forums as personal attacks. I'm getting very frustrated at answering questions, and then having to soothe someone's soul for having a different opinion....
ps running brand spanking new dual core processor with 4 gig ram and all the newest bells whistles. So I don't think my hardware is an issue. I still find that for first edits, (in my opinion) Faststone is the fastest rendering application I have found out there. Keeping in mind it is the embeded preview file as mentioned in an earlier post. Please don't be offended at this statement.
Cheers!
Dan
Your question was, "Do people just not like Adobe Bridge?" And for me the answer to your question was "No". Im sure many people love it. That's great. I love many things that other don't, and it really doesn't bother me. People have to begin to not take answers in these forums as personal attacks. I'm getting very frustrated at answering questions, and then having to soothe someone's soul for having a different opinion.... 