Best way to convert 5000+ Raw Images to JPEG?

[Rojo024]

Hi all,

I manage my photos with Aperture 2, and wanted to know what the best way to convert the 5000 Raw images that I have to Jpegs? I have got another 5 to 10 on an external that I would like to convert as well. Any and all suggestions would be great!

Thanks is advance for the help.

 

[CrackedButter]

Use Aperture? Kind of a no brainer really, its not like you're going to export them to something else first just to convert them again.

 

[Rojo024]

Im still pretty new to to the program, How do I go about it?

 

[blodwyn]

Im still pretty new to to the program, How do I go about it?

Select all the images you want to convert, then select "Export" on the File menu. Choose either to export the edited versions of the images (if you've edited them) or the original master images.

 

[QuantumLo0p]

Hi all,

I manage my photos with Aperture 2, and wanted to know what the best way to convert the 5000 Raw images that I have to Jpegs? I have got another 5 to 10 on an external that I would like to convert as well. Any and all suggestions would be great!

Thanks is advance for the help.

You did not mention what you are going to do with them after you convert to jpeg.

If you plan on working with them I would leave them as raw.

If you need to do something else with them that requires little or no editing then you could do a batch conversion in Aperture, Bibble, Photoshop or whatever else supports batch conversions.

For each app look up batch conversions in Help and it should walk you through a step by step process.

 

[Doylem]

Converting all your RAW images to Jpeg... isn't that like saving the prints and throwing away the negatives?

Aperture is a non-destructive editor. No matter what you do to an image (adjustments, croppings, converting to Tiff or Jpeg, etc), you will always be able to find the master image, or create a copy of the master image for further editing.

You can export as many pix as you want as Jpegs, while your master images remain unchanged...

 

[ChrisA]

Hi all,

I manage my photos with Aperture 2, and wanted to know what the best way to convert the 5000 Raw images that I have to Jpegs? I have got another 5 to 10 on an external that I would like to convert as well. Any and all suggestions would be great!

Thanks is advance for the help.

It's simple: Select everything then "export" them to some folder.

But "Why?" Why do you need to mass convert them? There must be some goal or project you are working on. If so tell us. There is likely a better why to get there then to export thousands of files from Aperture. But if you need them converted and outside of Aperture "export" is how it is done.

 

[Rojo024]

Thanks for all the help! I am looking to convert a chunk of them to conserve some space on my Internal HD. It is just something I have been thinking about doing but have not quit figured out how. Until now. I am kind of unsure how to most effectively manage my huge collection of images. I figured with jpegs, could manage more on my internal drive. I am interested in archiving many of them. I was under the impression that storing Raw photos for an extended period of time can result in out dated unusable photos.

 

[Doylem]

Thanks for all the help! I am looking to convert a chunk of them to conserve some space on my Internal HD. It is just something I have been thinking about doing but have not quit figured out how. Until now. I am kind of unsure how to most effectively manage my huge collection of images. I figured with jpegs, could manage more on my internal drive. I am interested in archiving many of them. I was under the impression that storing Raw photos for an extended period of time can result in out dated unusable photos.

You can move your RAW images to an external drive (or more than one), and still see the previews on-screen (of course, you'll need to plug the drive in to make adjustments, or export images).

Will your RAW files still be uncorrupted 20 years from now? Who knows??

 

[ChrisA]

Thanks for all the help! I am looking to convert a chunk of them to conserve some space on my Internal HD. It is just something I have been thinking about doing but have not quit figured out how. Until now. I am kind of unsure how to most effectively manage my huge collection of images. I figured with jpegs, could manage more on my internal drive. I am interested in archiving many of them. I was under the impression that storing Raw photos for an extended period of time can result in out dated unusable photos.

If saving space is the goal, Aperture has a built-in solution

A better way to save space on your system is to move the raw "masters" to off-line storage. Aperture will let you off load the raw files while keeping only the reduced resolution JPG files on the main disk. You can choose the size of the reduced resolution files so they can be full size if you like. Notice that Aperure has ALREADY converted all your raw files so really there is nothing more to do except move the raw files off your internal disk. Aperture wil track which disk(s) you have moved them too.

If you are worried about long term storage think about redundant off site backups.

 

[Rojo024]

If saving space is the goal, Aperture has a built-in solution

A better way to save space on your system is to move the raw "masters" to off-line storage. Aperture will let you off load the raw files while keeping only the reduced resolution JPG files on the main disk. You can choose the size of the reduced resolution files so they can be full size if you like. Notice that Aperure has ALREADY converted all your raw files so really there is nothing more to do except move the raw files off your internal disk. Aperture wil track which disk(s) you have moved them too.

If you are worried about long term storage think about redundant off site backups.

Thanks ChrisA, I like the sound of this solution. In doing this will I be able make adjustments without being connected to the drive? Next question, How do I set this up? Or can you point me in the right direction to learn how to set this up.

 

[krye]

You should never convert RAW files to JPEG for the sake of saving hard drive space! If you're going to do that you might as well toss you're DSLR and get a P&S. Never never never throw away your RAW files!

Terabyte drives just hit $99. Please buy a bigger drive!

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3333210&sku=TSD-1000H3

 

[macbones]

You should never convert RAW files to JPEG for the sake of saving hard drive space! If you're going to do that you might as well toss you're DSLR and get a P&S. Never never never throw away your RAW files!

Terabyte drives just hit $99. Please buy a bigger drive!

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3333210&sku=TSD-1000H3

Ken Rockwell has a good take on RAW vs JPeg-

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/raw.htm

and here http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/real-raw.htm


Seems if you are using a non-destructive editor there is really not a huge disadvantage to jpeg, and the advantage is jpeg is not proprietary to a specific camera manufacturer AND a specific camera Model of a specific manufacturer. . .