ky4lc Loc: Madisonville Ky.

I use a free program called File Renamer Basic (there is a delux version that costs $19.95) . Youi can do virtually anything you want to to your files, name, rename, number, I use it mainly to rename music files as it has an MP3 decoder built in it. Here is the product site if you want to check it out. http://www.sherrodcomputers.com/products_filerenamer.cfm
The program is easy to learn and work with.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I don't usually rename on download, however I'm rather sure my Canon Image Browser would if I wanted, think I did it on a batch or two a while back. Renaming is not part of my usual workflow, I do rename folders using Windows , usually for location or subject.

Coyote9269 Loc: USA

I change the front of file name but leave the rear numbers unless the files are being sent to someone.
D810-0001 .........pineisland-0001 further if I convert the file to be shown on fb I add fb at the end of the number. It helps me get back to the original raw easier if I need it.

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

It begins in the camera. Each of my cameras has a unique file naming designation. For example, my 5D Mark 4 has been set to label each file 5D4_,with continuous numbering to follow. I import my files using Lightroom with a custom rename showing Filename Date (YYYYMMDD)HourMinute-Second, which gives each image file an unique name. They are imported into a file showing the year, and into a subfile showing the date.

Once in Lightroom, I might give the subfile a brief descriptor, such as, Dallas Arboretum, by using the rename function, but often not if multiple jobs were done that day. When I am done developing and keywording the images in the subfile, I rename the file by putting an asterisk after the date. My primary searches are done by keywording. I also use collections and color coding extensively. I don't move files, except on rare occasions.

My usage is Lightroom specific, but it works for me. Hope it is useful.

BudsOwl Loc: Upstate NY and New England

My files go back to 2003 when I first started using digital cameras. I have a system of folders on a plug in drive where the main folder is "photos" and then I have folders such as birds, animals, flowers, and also some state names where I take a lot of photos such as Vermont, Maine, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, etc. and another called museums. Within these there are sub folders created when I import using Lightroom. I either use a shoot plus file name or just a file name when I import. One example is from a curling bonspiel that I did last winter: shoot name was gov_17 and the file names were on_ice, warm_room, winners, teams, awards. I use keywords and also use collections for the raws that I intend to process. May sound complicated, but it works for me.
Bud

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I do. The Nikon Software that transfers files from card to computer allows for limited renaming. I have a prefix set to a 4 character code indicating camera, then the date, then the image number for that transfer. So, photographs taken last Thurs., for instance, with my D800 is renamed D800-20170720-xxx. The xxx is a sequential number starting at 001.

Since I may do two or more sets of photos during a day, they will be stored in folders indicating the date and a 01, 02, etc. After the files are transferred, I'll use a renaming application, http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Main_Intro.php, to insert an appropriate number after the date and before the hyphen. Referring back to the previous paragraph, the file name for the first session would become D800-2017072001-xxx.

The explanation is quite a bit more work to do than the actual process.
--Bob

sawdust_128

None of the DSLR cameras provide you with anything more than a basic file name for each image, with different file extensions based on file type.

A big part of your naming scheme is consideration for your intended use of the image. For example, stock photography usually requires a file name in yyyymmdd_Descriptor_.png along with keywords for buyers to locate images by content.

Other uses or personal preference may require different data structures. I have an associate who uses YYYYMMDD + TIME + GPS Coordinates.

To accomplish renaming of files, I use Bulk Rename Utility.

http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Main_Intro.php

You might find this to be helpful.

P.S. DO NOT trust Windows to NOT overwrite your files.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

In answer to your questions. Yes I rename my image files after downloading. My process is:
(1) I Create a folder for the images. If I have shot raw and jpeg I create sub-folders for each.
(2) I download the images into the folder, Note: I do not erase them off the the flash card
(3) I rename them as follows: YYYY_MM_DD Brief_Description Camera_Image_name
(4) Import them into my cataloging program and sort/cull/edit as needed I save edited files with an _Ed extension
(5) Back up everything

Using step 3 above, every image taken has a unique file name. Even if the camera counter rolls over the date and subject will be different. I like to keep the camera file name as it acts both as a counter and makes it easy to find on the flash card should I need to do that for some reason. At some point after step 5, when the card is near full, I will reformat the flash card using the camera.

Some example file names:
2017-5-29 ViscRd MemDayBBQ DSC_1314.NEF
2017-6-11 SanFelacianoSt Flowers DSC_1370.JPG
2017-3-18 AsianWarrorPrincess DSC_9602.NEF
2013-11-17 PautT Nikie Ride DSC_3631_AptEd.JPG (Edited using Aperture)
2017-7-17 MyAgapanthusInLateSun DSC_6205_PSed_LRout.JPG (Edited using PS & output file created with Lightroom)

Hope that helps.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I use that system as well. If you know the date taken, it's easy to find anything.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

You can rename with windows explorer as suggested above "Trip to Florida 2017" Just select all in the directory you want to rename..rename the first one.Using what is in parentheses a number will be added to each as it renames them..what you will get is "Trip to Florida 2017 (1)" The number in parentheses will increase by one till the end. This includes ALL files in the directory. It will do each file type separate.

blackest Loc: Ireland

I use lightroom and meta data and keywords mostly. I recently started using gps tracker on android and generate gpx tracks. lightroom associates the pictures taken with the gps coordinates at that time. It means photo's with gps can be associated with a location and filtered even taken years apart.

if you want to rename files and you use lightroom you can do so before import e.g
http://osxdaily.com/2015/05/28/batch-rename-files-mac-os-x-finder/

or inside lightroom.

do not rename outside lightroom after importing it will just cause lightroom to declare files missing, and if you reimport you will likely lose the edits you made earlier. names are great for exporting not so good for processing although if you wish to rename in lightroom you can do.

There is one case where you might find renaming a file useful where you have developed an image with particular settings it could be easy to give that photo a name then you can search for it another time and copy its develop settings to a new image. It may be better than cluttering up the left panel with develop presets you rarely use.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

I had no idea Apple had added a renaming function to Finder.
Thans for posting.

For many years now I have been using a program called Name Mangler, by Many Tricks software. It provides a great deal of flexibility, much more than Lightroom provides, and it works like a charm, is fast, and and Many Tricks provides free updates too.

blackest Loc: Ireland

It's been there for quite a while, another handy one is adding keyboard shortcuts to applications. I use a plugin for lightroom for displaying focus but its a pain to have to go through menus all the time.

Go to keyboard preferences and select app shortcuts and add the app you want a shortcut in. mine was lightroom 5 and the menu item was 'Focus Mask' you just need to put in three spaces and the title e.g Focus Mask exactly how it appears in the menu. For this i chose alt F and now any selected image gets this plugin run on it. Kind of handy for culling, no point working on a photo which is out of focus. :) I don't think you can do this in windows...

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

I do not rename files on download. There was a time when I did rename them, and now regret it. Also, putting in a date is not going to help me to find them, probably because my brain does not work that way. I find it easier to find images by putting them into topics with sub-folders for different years and/or different types of subjects. If I did want to find them by date, I would just go to the full catalog, which is organized by date taken, and find that date. But in general that would be a pretty cumbersome way to search. With what I call my "filing cabinet" type of system, I can easily find images.

That said, there are situations where renaming is necessary. For instance, a pro may want to select something to tell what date because that was a specific event/photo shoot. Or it might work better for some to use the client's name, etc. There are many different ways to organize photos in LR, and each of us has decided what works for us!

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

Answer to your first question is Yes. (Sometimes)

The renaming process is fast and very simple in Capture One Pro. Renaming can be done while uploading, downloading, during the actual processing procedure, whenever I want.

As for the new title I can either just name it anything I want or drag and drop a "ton" of presets or smart options. There are so many choices, I tend to just make a simple renaming preset and that stays forever until I rename things again.

I favor using the date then the file name. Other times the date and a semi-descriptive title. Once in a while it might be just the date and clients name. Even that can be changed at any time I feel like doing it.