How to set ratings to both raw and jpeg files simultaneously?

[skyer]

I shoot in RAW+JPEG. After shooting I copy jpegs to one folder on my PC and raws - to another folder. Then I import both folders into Lightroom. After that I set ratings to jpegs (they look better and Lightroom process them faster). Then I open both folders (jpegs and raws) in Lightrooms's Library and I try to find jpegs with my ratings and set the same rating to corresponding raw files. It takes a lot of time!

As for the Photo Mechanic, I see that it can process files very very quickly. However, I am wondering is there a simple way how one can set ratings both to jpegs and raws from different folders? As far as I understand by now, setting ratings to both raw and jpeg files is even harder in Photo Mechanic than in Lightroom. In Lightroom it's possible to open all images from different folders and in Photo Mechanic images from different folders are opened in different tabs.

Please, tell me that I'm not correct and there is a simple way to set ratings both to raw and jpeg files simultaneously.

[Kirk Baker]

Please read the following from the documentation: http://wiki.camerabits.com/en/index.php?title=User_Manual_Flat_View#Navigator_and_Favorites
and
http://wiki.camerabits.com/en/index.php?title=User_Manual_Flat_View#View_Menu

"To combine two folders into one Contact Sheet, right-click (Ctrl-click) the folder you want to add in and select the ‘Open in Current Contact Sheet’ option. Option-double-click will also open the folder in the current contact sheet window."

If you open the folder containing the RAW photos and the folder containing the JPEG photos into a single Contact Sheet tab then if you have the View menu set to "Combined RAW+JPEG" then you should see your RAW and JPEG photos pair up.  Any changes you make will affect both photos equally, including ratings, tags, color labels and metadata (IPTC/XMP).

-Kirk
 

[skyer]

Kirk, thank you very much for your help!

"Combined RAW+JPEG" is such a great feature! I'd like only to ask you is there an option of synchronizing ratings between raw and jpeg files? Now, when I open in a single sheet a folder of raws that already have ratings (I set them before) and open a folder of jpegs without ratings, all files get combined and all files are shown as though they all have no rating at all. As a default behaviour it's good. However, maybe there is still an option I can automatically set same ratings from raws to corresponding jpeg files?

[Bob Russell]

To transfer the ratings from the raw files to the matching jpegs, pair up the raw and jpegs and then select all of the images for this update.  Next use the Update IPTC/XMP option from the Tools menu. Click the radio button to Read IPTC/XMP from RAW. Now click the Update button at the bottom. This will copy all of the IPTC/XMP metadata from the raw files to the jpegs.  If you have made IPTC updates to the jpegs and not the matching raw files, then don't used this workflow.

--Bob

[Kirk Baker]

Kirk, thank you very much for your help!

"Combined RAW+JPEG" is such a great feature! I'd like only to ask you is there an option of synchronizing ratings between raw and jpeg files? Now, when I open in a single sheet a folder of raws that already have ratings (I set them before) and open a folder of jpegs without ratings, all files get combined and all files are shown as though they all have no rating at all. As a default behaviour it's good. However, maybe there is still an option I can automatically set same ratings from raws to corresponding jpeg files?

In the IPTC/XMP section of the Preferences dialog you can choose to use the metadata from the RAW of the RAW+JPEG pair instead of using the JPEG's metadata.

http://wiki.camerabits.com/en/index.php?title=User_Manual_Flat_View#IPTC.2FXMP_Preferences

When viewing photos in RAW+JPEG mode use the metadata from the: This popup menu allows you to choose where the metadata comes from when RAW and JPEG images are paired.

To sync them you can do as Bob described, or make any other metadata change (like adding caption data or toggling the tag box) and both files will be updated to be in sync.

HTH,

-Kirk

[skyer]

Bob and Kirk, thank you very much!
Photo Mechanic is a great program!