viewing software

[cbeam2]

What software do you recommend for viewing, etc? ACDsee, Breezbrowser, etc.

Chuck

[Swampy]

I use ACDSee 5.0 (6.0 was a pig so I skipped it). It will view the embedded jpg's in the RAW files, but not from the D70. It will also extract the embedded JPG's from the RAW files almost instantly (found this out during the Colorado Get Together).

Linda will be a proponent of Breazebrowser though and I may be moving to that as it does a little more. I just haven't had time to try it out before jumping ship.

EXIF Viewer is a nice little viewer for free as well. It's fast and has the handy exif info in various views, I use that as a side utility to ACDSee.

[cbeam2]

Thanks for the response. I looked at both and Breezebrowser seemed to lean towards Canon. At least it supported more functions for Canon. Can you sort by date taken and then drag files around to customize the order? And would it then rename the files in the order you just made them?


chuck

[Linda G]

Yes, I bought breezebrowser when I had my Canon digital cameras and loved it. I find I still use it the most because I can view all my raw files...canon, fuji and nikon. It was originally developed for Canon but the developer has expanded his support. Fuji is not so third party friendly so getting the data he would need for fuji conversion isn't easy and he hasn't had that many requests for it. He has a yahoogroups forum that he moderates and you can get direct answers.

I know you can sort images alphabetically, numerically, by timestamp and file type. I've never used the rename capabiliites of it so I'd be a poor one to answer that question.

I use it so far exclusively for building webpages and he includes a fully functional paypal template.

There are probably better ones out there, but for the cost and support, I don't think Breezebrowser can be beat.

[cbeam2]

What about ACDsee, Swampman? Can it do the same thing?

chuck

[Swampy]

As I said, I'm using version 5.0 as 6 takes about 20 seconds to load, while 5 is almost instant. So, comparing with version 5 and BB.

It will create web pages, however, no paypal and no descriptions. Pretty basic web pages.

As I mentioned before, it will also not read Nikon RAW files, it will only show you the thumbnail pic (too small to do anything with) while the Fuji RAWs will at least display the 1024x768 embedded jpg.

You can sort any way you want to with 5.0, including creating your own custom sorts. It will also do batch renames, although only basic options here as well.

It also has it's own database compilation as well, where you can catalog your images and search by all kinds of different things including description.

You can do some really basic editing, but no RAW conversion (only extracting the embedded JPG out of the Fuji RAW).

BreezeBrowser seems the way to go and I'm going to give it a whirl too. I'm sure in ACDSee 6, all of the above has probably been added onto as well. But like I said, 6 takes too long to load on my machine, unless it's cached, which it isn't always.

[Swampy]

One quick note about Breeze Browser... It doesn't appear to support Kodak's RAW format at all. But that's straight downloaded Breeze Browser. There doesn't seem to be an update to add the functionality either.

ACDSee 5 also doesn't support them, so you're stuck either way.

A second note, the author of Breeze Browser failed Math in school as he released version 2.8, then 2.9, then the latest, guess... 2.10. hahaha

Release Date Version Download Link
11 Dec 2003 BreezeBrowser v2.8
29 Apr 2004 BreezeBrowser v2.9
20 Sep 2004 BreezeBrowser v2.10

[Wichita Wayne]

To viewfiles I use ViewPrint. In fact I could not live without it. To rename files I use 1-4a ReName. It is free and renames files better than anything I have seen before. To print multiple pictures I use Pics Print, to archive pictures I use Archive Creator, and to recover lost files I use PhotoRecovery. For general management of picture files I use Thumbs Plus. To convert RAW I use Fiji's stuff. Searching for the best software is like searching for the Holy Grail. I haven't been impressed with a software program since Lotus 1-2-3.

[cbeam2]

If you use that many different programs I can understand why you drink beer. I don't however understand how you could drink Guiness :tupon:


:lol: Chuck

[Wichita Wayne]

Each individual program is simple to use and satisfies my needs. I use them because they make my life easier. If they didn't I wouldn't use them. And the main reason that I drink Guinness is that I cannot stand the everything-tastes-the-same rice beer that is brewed in the US. I also like most German Beers (no rice there) and will always try something new. As to quantity, I actually drink very little, but when I do I like for it to be a real treat. A good beer is a gift from God, but a six-pack is a betrayal.

[cbeam2]

I was lucky enough to go to Germany one time. You are right about their beer, it's quite good. I only tried Guiness once. I had no idea what I was about to taste, imagine my surprise the first sip. :guzzle:

If a program makes your life easier, then go for it. I think I'm gonna try Breezbrowser.

Chuck

[Swampy]

While Breeze Browser is a nice program and does a lot, I'm with Wayne and I'm sticking to what I do with what I grew up with. :)

I haven't tried it's webpage generation, nor it's watermarking or it's RAW conversion. There were two things I missed a LOT when using it versus ACDSee. 1, ACDSee uses a tri-pane window. One for navigating through folders, one for a large preview and one for thumbnails (or various other views). The large preview window can be resized dynamically so you have more space for thumbs or more space for a larger preview. 2, I can drag an image out of ACDSee into any other program I want (PS almost always) to edit it. Breeze Browser only lets you drag to locations within itself.

There was one other minor gripe with Breeze Browser which was when I double clicked an image or hit enter on it, it would go full screen. Fine. That's how I like that. But when I double click or hit enter on the full screen image, I want it to go back to the thumbnail/preview screen.

So, I'll stick with Total Commander for file renaming and management which I already use extensively for file management (and an FTP client and file unpacker (unzip)) ( http://www.ghisler.com ). Then I'll use ACDSee for fast viewing and drag images into PS from that (or Total Commander).

I'll also continue to use Auto Site Gallery for creating my web pages as it does what I want (I won't be needing to create pages for ordering though) and I already paid for the license a long time ago.

Maybe I'll try Breeze Browser for watermarking/web creation stuff later though. It's photo editing features, I don't need either, that's why you have Photoshop and other photo editing programs.

[Linda G]

I agree, it's all in what you learn first,you find you expect the same things you like about it in a new program.

You can take an image out of Breezebrowser by pulling the edit menu down and already have your preferences set to open in the editing program you choose but I do find it annoying it will only take one at a time.

Chris Breeze is writing a new feature to pull up two images for a side by side comparison that has been requested by several users and correspondants in his yahoo forums, I will like that because I find I use it quite a bit in the hyperutility program.

As for using Breezebrowser for webpage layout, if you like the watermark but not the pages, it's easy enough to write the html, go to the folder and delete all but the large jpg with the watermark and then use those to generate html with any other program.

I would be very upset if I had to be limited to one program but would love it if I could find one program that did everything my favorite ones do!

[Lothar]

Try Konvertor, it will display (and convert, modify...) between 900+ different formats : www.konvertor.net/indexe.html
:)

[Linda G]

That looks like an interesting program but I still like the html converter from BreezeBrowser. I am dissapointed though, that he has come out with a souped up version of Breezebrowser and is calling it a new program, cutting out the old supporters he guaranteed lifetime upgrades to. We will still get upgrades, but what will they be? Probably no more than adding new digital camera support. Since it won't convert fuji files (yes, it does most Nikon), I won't be buying into the new program but keep the old one to do my html and conversion of my old D30 and D60 files. It does extract the low res embedded jpg from the fuji files for quick viewing and I've used that to see which ones I really want to convert but won't be paying for an upgrade. *sigh*

Yes, the program's probably worth it, I just hate having to pay for yearly upgrades to everything! I was promised on thing and under a technicality, I got something else. Legalese, doncha love it?

[JPS]

Each individual program is simple to use and satisfies my needs. I use them because they make my life easier. If they didn't I wouldn't use them. And the main reason that I drink Guinness is that I cannot stand the everything-tastes-the-same rice beer that is brewed in the US. I also like most German Beers (no rice there) and will always try something new. As to quantity, I actually drink very little, but when I do I like for it to be a real treat. A good beer is a gift from God, but a six-pack is a betrayal.
...same feeling here as Wayne's ! Although i stopped using Lotus 1-2-3 yeeeeears ago (well, it was the good time, when we could build our own programs with GW-Basic !?!), but i still enjoy Guiness a lot !!!
:beerchug: :beerchug: :beerchug:

[photoworks]

...same feeling here as Wayne's ! Although i stopped using Lotus 1-2-3 yeeeeears ago (well, it was the good time, when we could build our own programs with GW-Basic !?!), but i still enjoy Guiness a lot !!!
:beerchug: :beerchug: :beerchug:


I think that we have to change from Breeze Browser to Beer Browser.
A vote to Wayne :cheers:

I like this black beauty (Guiness) a lot too :beerchug:

Vasilis

[JPS]

I think that we have to change from Breeze Browser to Beer Browser......
...or why not "Beer Brother" ? ...or is it only me who find the sounds very much alike ?
:guzzle: :beerchug: :guzzle: :beerchug:

[photoworks]

Ok,ok we all gonna join the Beer Academy this way :beerchug:
JP I hope you're right after your heart warning, take care friend.

Vasilis

[Johnelle]

Wayne - '' I haven't been impressed with a software program since Lotus 1-2-3. ''

. . originaly owned and written by Johnathan Sachs who also wrote Picture Window Pro, a great image manipulation prog which gives PS more than a run for its money! Check out Norman Korans site to see how he rates it.

Back to the question - I use Compupic Pro which is a very good library management prog' - simple, powerful but it doesnt make coffee or or the black stuff :)

regards

[burnie]

I've just got ACDSEE 7 - very good. Much better than v.6

[burnie]

I've just got ACDSee 7. seems very fast, nice interface & better than v.6 !

[Linda G]

I have used Breezebrowser for several years, back from my Canon days. It originally only converted Canon raw camera files but has grown to include most of Nikon and some other brands. It does not convert Fuji but does see the raw files and will extract the jpgs in them to create quick slideshows and html pages. It's what I use on my site and I love it.

Many of the templates I use have been created and given to users of BreezeBrowser by it's knowlegeble users and I don't believe he has ever had to advertise his product as others have done it for him. That says something about the quality of his program.

Things have changed. This week, he introduced what he's calling a new program and refusing to honor his promise to his first users to give them free upgrades to any version of Breezebrowser for life.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010614002231/www.breezesys.com/BreezeBrowser/

Because he has broken his word on this, and trust me, it's not the money, several of his long time supporters and helpers have reassessed their recommendations of this brand software. Who knows where it will go now but since it doesn't convert Fuji, I have no interest in buying into the 'new' program and will also be pulling any of my recomendations for the program. It may have been a poor decision on his part originally to offer free lifetime upgrades but I feel it's been a poorer decision to renig on that by calling a definite upgrade a new program to get out of his previous commitment.

The firestorm has been so loud, he has shut down his yahoogroups support forum. That's his response so far. *sigh*