[germar]

Hey everyone:

Now that I'm fast approaching 50 gigs of digital images, I'm trying to find a good photo catalog program to keep track of stuff. I'm using Windows, and so far I've tried out a product called idimage. Very well written and good documentation. but I'm wondering if anyone else has some favorites.

I'm basically interested with ease of use and the ability to assign and search multiple keywords. Image editing is not a priority.

What are you using for this task?


Regards,

germar

[emalvick]

Since you've tried out Idimager, I'd suggest giving IMatch a try. It has a bit of a steep learning curve, but it has many of the same features of Idimager with a bit more speed. There aren't too many other programs besides those two that allow hierarchal type categorization, and both are quite affordable.

I use IMatch and while it has some limitations, it's scriptibility and the numerous scripts already available have overcome some limitations and provided many functions that otherwise wouldn't be available in any program. It has also begun a process of upgrading to a more full featured version (different aspects of the new version have been finding their way into the current version) that will probably make it one of the most powerful programs out there. I also like that it can deal with an unlimited number of images without any noticeable performance loss (it's forums have people with 100,000+ cataloged images) and that it supports most meta data formats (I can actually backup its catalog into the IPTC keywords if I wish).

Idimager does have some of the features, and it can deal with Image stack and versions, which IMatch can't do natively (although that will be covered by its next generation version). I do find that it doesn't deal with these things to my liking, and it can be much slower once your database gets big. It did have a major release recently that may have overcome some of the speed issues (large number of images), and I think its database has a size limit.

Just to add a few thoughts, Picasa is a free program that can do some of the same things, but it has many limitations that really show up as soon as you move beyond a basic use. The nice thing is that it is free, and you can give it a try until you find you want more from it. The negative is that unlike Idimager and IMatch, Picasa isn't easy to switch from to another program (Idimager and IMatch can both exchange data easily with IPTC and XMP and other files for interchanging programs later on down the road).

ACDSee is another program, but I don't know much about it and its features. Starting out, it might be worth trialing a few or all of these programs with some test images to see whether it fits your vision of image management.

Erik

[PFH]

My favorite is the freeware Faststone Image Viewer for Windows. I´ve even made a donation.
FastStone Image Viewer, Screen Capture, Photo Resizer ...

[germar]

Thanks, emalvick and PFH for your feedback.

@ emalvick: Thanks for your in depth reply. I am messing with idimager and I like it, I particularly like how it is set up for very easy on-the-fly creation of categories and and other labels as well as drag and drop ease of inserting new images.

By the way you describe IMatch, it sounds like it might not be fully as fully "cooked" as IdImager. That makes me cautious, as I don't want to invest a huge amount of time creating a database to find the code's got some fatal bugs. Am I jumping to conclusions with this?

Also, there is a need for me to be able to have my wife network in and perform a query of the database. Does IMatch have a "server" function like this? Does anything out there do something like that?

Again, much thanks for your thoughts.

germar

[Richard Day]

In order of preference with some comments:

1. IDImager - The most complete DAM manager available, very Pentax friendly as it has a very complete and up to date database of lens ID info contained in the maker notes, fully XMP and DNG compliant (see Barry Pearsons website: Products supporting XMP within DNG).

Full and true versioning - the only one that does this!

Can be verrryyy slow when updating a huge database (I have around 100,000 images), also a memory hog. Great ability to select and launch (selected) images into various other editing/Raw converters provided they don't have their own overriding browser systems (i.e. Capture One v4) via assigned keys or drag and drop. Complies with all the grading and colour tagging used in Adobe Bridge with full dynamic bi-directional upgrading. Loads of other features too long to list!

Very active and helpful forum and developer.

2. Faststone - Not a true DAM, but a very fast browser, has limited tagging facilities, not XMP compliant, but great for "quick and dirty" drag and drop or assigned key launching into other editing software (provided they are compliant, similar to IDI above). Cheap (voluntary donations) and does what it says on the can, a very decent product.

4. Adobe Bridge - Very comprehensive, but again not a true DAM, very much locked into Adobe Raw Converter (ACR) but it can be de-activated as the default Raw converter (I don't particularly care for ACR). I do use this for tagging and grading as whatever I do in Bridge is reflected in IDI.

5. IMatch - I started out with it but it has never developed as fast as I expected, doesn't support versioning and is not bi-directionally XMP compliant. Some love it, I'm a bit indifferent to it, it also has a habit of crashing when dealing with a large update.

6. Lightroom - Very comprehensive "all in one" package, claims it's also a DAM, but I find it un-intuitive and clunky, plus it's fully tied to it's own RC based on ACR which I don't care for. Others swear by it. I keep trying it but quickly drop it again.

There are other DAMs available, but are either very expensive (IView MediaPro) or not ticking all the boxes. Take a look at this comparison site of various DAM programs
ImpulseAdventure - Comparison of Digital Photo Catalog Software

and the review site DAM Roundup
The DAMRoundup - Photo Management Software Reviews and News

[emalvick]

Thanks, emalvick and PFH for your feedback.

@ emalvick: Thanks for your in depth reply. I am messing with idimager and I like it, I particularly like how it is set up for very easy on-the-fly creation of categories and and other labels as well as drag and drop ease of inserting new images.

By the way you describe IMatch, it sounds like it might not be fully as fully "cooked" as IdImager. That makes me cautious, as I don't want to invest a huge amount of time creating a database to find the code's got some fatal bugs. Am I jumping to conclusions with this?

Also, there is a need for me to be able to have my wife network in and perform a query of the database. Does IMatch have a "server" function like this? Does anything out there do something like that?

Again, much thanks for your thoughts.

germar

To get back to you on IMatch. I believe IMatch can be made to have a server function, but it may not be direct.

IMatch is not as fully cooked, but that doesn't mean it is buggy either. I find it way more stable than Idimager, and when it isn't the support for it is fantastic. IMatch has a great forum, and the program does have many of Idimager's features. The one lacking (but in the works) is versioning. Idimager may have networking features with its pro version (the database is SQL based if I remember right), but I am not sure how well they work.

IMatch does have on the fly category creation, which I like. It also has dynamic categories that can take advantage of already present XMP information and automatically categorize images based on characteristics. I categorize my images by camera and focal length this way. I am not sure about the limitation suggested about XMP as IMatch seems to be one of the only programs I've used that provides full XMP access and allows custom XMP templates among other things.

Now, the versioning limitation is the one reason I've thought about switching to Idimager, and I evaluate it once a year. The problem I have is that the versioning is too limiting for what I want out of it. I can utilize IMatch's filters and categories to create my own versioning, and many others have provided scripts for that as well. In the meantime, versioning will be added to IMatch in the near future, and then I will see how it does and re-evaluate the possibility of switching apps if it doesn't meet my expectations.

Faststone is a program I also use, but it really isn't a management software as it doesn't allow for categorization. I mostly use it for culling my images before categorization in IMatch (or Idimager if I was using it). It is a fast viewer, and it is free, so it is worth having for a quick browse of your images.

Ultimately, I would think your choices will come down to Idimager and IMatch. I do think they are both comparable programs with similar qualities. They both have excellent support with full forums. The forums are useful in addition to trials as you can see what problems and solutions people are having. The problem when you start using one of these programs is that the learning curve doesn't allow you to easily evaluate the advanced features that may become more important as you develop your catalog. Forums are great to see what features are there even if you aren't ready to use them. This is especially the case when you look at the scripting features of each program. Scripting becomes fantastic for certain functions to automate what might be complicated without. I think that is a big factor in my choosing IMatch in the first place. When I load in images into its database half of my categorizing is completed without my interaction. Idimager can probably do the same for you.

Last, Bridge and Lightroom supposedly provide image management features, but I don't think they are nearly as developed as the other two programs. The category depths are limited and the speed of each program are quite slow from what I've read.

[germar]

Thanks Richard and emalvick, your response is much appreciated.

I am leaning now toward idimager, as it seems to have a very full featured interface that's pretty straightforward to use. It also directly addresses my need for network support via the sql database. Imatch database is also clearly networkable (at half the cost) but it seems to be an afterthought rather than a deliberate design feature.

IMatch may be a bit faster, but that's not a huge issue for me.

You're right, IMatch wins on the scripting front... and while it may be a case of not knowing what I'm going to really need, right now Idimager seems to be a really strong contender in.

If money was a first concern, I'd day that IMatch is the best balance of features for the money. But right now after playing with both for a few days, I'm leaning toward Idimager.

Thanks for the guidance, all.

germar

[Derridale]

Have you checked Picasa, from Google? It's free, fast, and very easy to use. It copes with over 80Gb of photos on my server with absolutely no problem, and seems as fast as it did when I first installed it with only a couple of Gb of photos.

I have it set to check automatically in certain folders, and every time I add new photos in there, they just appear in Picasa. I don't have to do anything.

Just another option - and free....

The other one worth looking at is Photo Mechanic, from www.camerabits.com

Much loved by many professionals.

[germar]

As a wrap up to my search for the best catalog program, I made the leap and ordered IDImager. It is quite easily the most powerful and the most polished of the ones I tested. I went ahead and bought the Pro version and it's doing everything I could ask of it....though I did find out that the database and photos should really live on a local "master" machine where the bulk of the cataloging will be done.... it's just too slow to have the photos and db elsewhere on the network. Then have other clients logon to the master machine for searches and such.

Again, thanks to all who shared their viewpoints, my vote went to Idimager!

germar

[reeftool]

I'm another Picasa fan. So far I have no complaints at all. And free makes it all the better.