frjack Loc: Boston, MA

Does anyone have suggestions for creating and managing "sessions" in Capture One? I've been trying to learn this program for the past two months and am ready to give up because of the cataloging/library/filing. Having moved from Aperture 3 that had an easy and intuitive cataloging system Capture One is proving to be a major source of frustration. I keep everything on an external drive that switches between two computers. I just tried to download some night shots and had to spend twenty minutes trying to find and open them on the external drive, to changed the name of the file, couldn't find them again, and still can't figure out where the ones I edited have gone.

I am on the verge of abandoning the program or using it as a plug in if I can find a better cataloging system. I only shoot RAW. The range of adjustments and brushes is excellent and allows me to do a lot more than Aperture did. But the cataloging, particularly trying to open files from the external drive at a later date, is pushing me toward despair. Working on Aperture was fun. Capture One ceased being fun about a month ago. I am dreading downloads and am thus doing it less often and shooting less. There does not seem to be a simple guide to using the program. The You Tube instructions are a combination of useless and too long. The written guide is similarly unhelpful and lacking in the kind of step-by-step instructions a neophyte needs. Please do not suggest using Lightroom. It is not an option. I neither want to deal with a monthly charge when out of the U.S. nor do I trust adobe not to raise the price. Indeed, the just-announded Capture One 11 update is $110. That ain't gonna appear on this man's computer.

cyclespeed Loc: Calgary, Alberta Canada

I could not agree more with your particular frustrations with C1. I got it on another Hog's advice since it was only $30 and allowed tethering for my Sony a6000 camera. I too can not get a handle on how the cataloguing system works. I purchased C1 Pro 9 by Sascha Erni. It let me know that C1 came to the non professionals because we could see the fabulous results with raw files but its original intent was to be a logical image capture and organizer. Thus you decide if you want to set up aa session or catalog and inside that albums, smart albums, projects and groups!
Yikes I say.
I'm about t enrol in Lynda.com for Capture One to have one last attempt to get to be able to use the basics of the program. The new ambassadors program may have success with neophytes too soon to tell and the one I looked into had a course for $64. You can see the great photos of this ambassador but no way to tell in advance if the lessons are user friendly or not. I have access to Luminar 2018 and I must say it is so much more user friendly but the results are, I think, more extreme, garish perhaps. But at least my own Mac filing system allows me to always find the images without delay. I hope someone can share how to get sessions to work for you and I can follow along as well.

anotherview Loc: California

You appear to have boxed yourself in.

You left a program that worked for you to go to one that only frustrates you. Worse, you cannot find helpful user instructions for it. It hides your files.

You reject Adobe Lightroom for a doubtful economic concern.

You do not mention Adobe Creative Cloud but I suppose you would reject it as well for the same concern.

Maybe someone here can aid you in finding clear instructions "for creating and managing sessions' in Capture One."

Hank Radt

Assuming you've checked out C1's help videos, try contacting support. I had an issue with sessions, which I wanted to use on my laptop on vacation to later import into my catalogs on my desktop, and support got on line with me and showed me how to do it. I've found their support staff to be very helpful.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

I can appreciate your frustration in trying to get accustomed to a new program but it seems that your intended use (switching between two computers) is exactly what Sessions are intended for.

I have been working with computers for over four decades and I find Sessions to be more intuitive, portable and safer than catalogs. They are also easier to back up.

There may be easier ways to get going but here is how I do it:

1. Open Capture One and click on File/New Session...
2. Select a new name for the session to replace "Untitled Session" with, for example "Temp"
3. On the "Location:" line, select a location on your hard drive or external hard drive, for example "C:\Digitals"
4. Click OK. That will create a new set of folders, for example: C:\Digitals\Temp\Capture, C:\Digitals\Temp\Output, C:\Digitals\Temp\Selects, C:\Digitals\Temp\Trash
5. Turn on your camera and connect it to your computer (or plug the memory card from your camera into your computer)
6. Using Windows Explorer (or whatever Mac calls it) open the directory containing your camera's raw files, select and copy them
7. Open the Capture folder, for example C:\Digitals\Capture, and paste them
8. Back in Capture One, click on File\Import Images... , select the session's Capture folder and click on "Import All" or select any of the raw files and click on "Import n Images"

Hank Radt

One quick thing you can do is download them again (or take one pic and download it, if you deleted the images from your card) and note where C1 stored them - then go there. You can also find the locations on the computer INSIDE of C1 by scrolling down on the first tab (the Library) until you find the disk drive (generally all the way at the bottom).

picsman Loc: Scotland

I only use sessions and find it quite straight forward. I select a new session before uploading and then upload via CO's own upload option. ( as seimslie does) but there is no need to paste anything (on a mac) just upload from the card/camera. I also can upload applying auto adjustments and styles so that I have a batch of images already edited to an extent. I can then edit further smaller batches of the same images were the uploaded result is not what I want. I have found uploading not to be any issue at all. I also have found CO's support to be prompt and sufficient on other matters I have asked about. I think there is a tutorial about cataloguing on youtube.

bweber Loc: Newton, MA

I keep all of my catalogs on an external drive. I have C1 on my desk top and a lap top. I tell each program where to find the catalogs and they open without a problem. When down loading new images I tell the download operation the catalog and folder to place the images and it works without a problem. I use multiple catalogs defined by subject matter because C1 is slow with very large catalogs and some of mine are larger than 10000 images. I use a portable hard drive when I travel and it is connected to my laptop with a travel catalog. Phase one has a very good free webinar on using catalogs and sessions.

erandolph Loc: La Pine, Oregon USA

Lynda.com has an excellent tutorial. The first 10 videos are about your exact issues.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

The method I described earlier works fine if you open a session in Capture One and connect the camera to the computer via a cable. That's my preferred approach since it does not involve removing the memory card from the camera.

But if you take the memory card out of the camera and plug it into the computer, you can import your raw images without having to resort to Windows Explorer.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

CO 11 is the latest version. It was released this last week. I have learned CO by their webinars. They have three scheduled in December. All about the ew CO 11. However, the information you asked about will be discussed in the first one Dec 7.

timcc Loc: Virginia

The C1 webinars are quite good and collectively cover all aspects of using the program. Usually there are several new ones every month, each addressing a specific topic, and previous webinars can be found on Youtube. If you register for one of the upcoming webinars on the Phase One website, you can ask questions online during the webinar and get immediate answers (as long as the questions are related to the webinar's topic). I've been very happy with C1 -- it has phenomenal editing capabilities.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Why is it called Capture One if it's version 10. Shouldn't it be Capture 10?

I am Aperture expat as well. It was hands down the best cataloging program and there is no program today like Aperture, that I know of. For a cataloging & editing program, Lightroom Classic is probably as close as you will get. I still use Aperture to access my Legacy Library and quickly find images taken before 2014. In my search for a replacement for Aperture, back in 2014, I tried Capture One. I don't recall it having any cataloging features back then. Certainly nothing like Aperture. C1's strength is in raw editing.

As for your dilemma, if you hate the software so badly that it is interfering with your shooting, then you need to find and start using software more to your liking. Unlike in 2014, there are multiple options available today.


Most offer free trials. Search the web you will find many options.

http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/multimedia/best-mac-photo-editing-software/

And that's not all of them. Affinity Photo (https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/software-review-affinity-photo-1-5-2) is missing from the above article. Read about them then try some of them and pick one you like.

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Luminar 2018 with cataloguing is coming very soon. Why not wait til then and see what it is like? If it as in\tuative as the rest of the program it could be the happy medium between Adobe & Aperture...

al13

What ever you do stay away from Luminar 2018.