I'm suffering from Digital Fatigue

[opus]

My cat is lying on her back under the piano in a pool of sunlight. She's sooo cute, but I don't want to go get my camera and take her picture, because then I'll have to download the pictures and then schlep through the RAW files, convert them, etc. I'm just so sick of the time it takes to do that.

Seriously, it's not just laziness. When I'm working with my Raw files they take about one minute each to open, and scrolling through File Viewer Utility takes about 45 seconds per row to load and scroll 4 pictures just to FIND the shot I want. This doesn't sound like much time, perhaps, but since I started taking RAW files it has slowed everything to a crawl and I'm getting sick of it.

I asked at the Apple Store if a G5 would speed things up and he said no. I'm about at my wit's end.


Any solutions?

[racingpinarello]

My cat is lying on her back under the piano in a pool of sunlight. She's sooo cute, but I don't want to go get my camera and take her picture, because then I'll have to download the pictures and then schlep through the RAW files, convert them, etc. I'm just so sick of the time it takes to do that.

Seriously, it's not just laziness. When I'm working with my Raw files they take about one minute each to open, and scrolling through File Viewer Utility takes about 45 seconds per row to load and scroll 4 pictures just to FIND the shot I want. This doesn't sound like much time, perhaps, but since I started taking RAW files it has slowed everything to a crawl and I'm getting sick of it.

I asked at the Apple Store if a G5 would speed things up and he said no. I'm about at my wit's end.


Any solutions?

I currently use PhaseOne C1 to process my RAW files for my Canons. It provides a much faster reviewing and batch processing for my RAW files. If you are just taking pictures of your cat, then use the JPG file format. Otherwise, look into faster software. It's still much cheaper than a new G5.

Loren

[Lionheart]

I agree with Loren, some good software would really help. Your dilemma is why I predominantly shoot JPG instead of RAW.
I still remember the good old days of film. Hmmm...let's see, shoot camera, then if the roll of film is finished, wind it, place in changing bag, spool onto developing reel, place in light tight developing tank. Rinse till clear, have chemicals cooking to appropriate temperature. Start developing, 1st develop, keep one eye on the thermometer in the water baths, rinse, rinse, rinse some more, color develop, keep one eye on the thermometer in the water baths, rinse, rinse, rinse some more, bleach fix, keep one eye on the thermometer in the water baths, rinse, rinse, rinse some more. Hang film in dust free enclosure or room to dry, use hair dryer to accelerate drying if you dare to be adventurous. With cotton gloves carefully examine film under 10x lupes and light box, mount slides for keepers. If print film, cut into 6 frame lengths, place in appropriate frame or holder and set up darkroom, set up developing chemicals ( see above) and make contact sheet. Or you can mount and scan in your handy dandy film scanner. Average time about 2.5 hours.
Sometimes I miss film.

[Speed]

My cat is lying on her back under the piano in a pool of sunlight. She's sooo cute, but I don't want to go get my camera and take her picture, because then I'll have to download the pictures and then schlep through the RAW files, convert them, etc. I'm just so sick of the time it takes to do that.

Seriously, it's not just laziness. When I'm working with my Raw files they take about one minute each to open, and scrolling through File Viewer Utility takes about 45 seconds per row to load and scroll 4 pictures just to FIND the shot I want. This doesn't sound like much time, perhaps, but since I started taking RAW files it has slowed everything to a crawl and I'm getting sick of it.

I asked at the Apple Store if a G5 would speed things up and he said no. I'm about at my wit's end.


Any solutions?

Shoot Jpeg's! Save the RAW files for the important stuff. Landscapes at the beach or the mountains. Portraits that you know will be printed large. The things that are really important to you.

For your day to day shots, stuff you find interesting and want to capture, or are just experimenting with, shoot as Jpeg's.

While digital has it's advantages (both of them! :-O), not everyone enjoys the digital workflow. Some folks live for that kind of stuff. They really enjoy it.

Personally, I shoot Jpeg's, and I'm just now to the point that I've decided there are some things I do want to shoot as Tiff's. Not everything, but some shots. Specifically, I'm wishing I had shot one of my Pilot Mountain shots as a Tiff so I could have a large print made of it. I don't like shooting Tiff's as a general rule because they are so slow to write to the CF card in the Coolpix 5700, and they take up so much room (14 MB for a Tiff vs 1.5 MB for a large Jpeg).

While shooting RAW files gives you the ultimate post processing control over your final image, it's not for everyone. Even if you like shooting RAW files, you don't have to shoot them all the time. Shoot some Jpeg's and see if your enjoyment of photography improves.

Now go pick up that camera! ;-)