Assigning color class to photo is slow

[explummer]

The issue is that I often experience a several second delay when assigning a color class to a photo.  I believe that this operation used to be instantaneous when I first started using PM 5.  Over time it has slowed down.

My workflow for culling photos is:

Insert SD card into computer.

In Photo Mechanic, review photos from the latest shoot and assign a new color class to the keepers.  I arrow through the photos in the preview window and use a number key to assign a color class.

Back in the contact sheet, select the color class and then ingest from selection to my hard drive (SSD).

Note, I don't format the card after every shoot/ingest, so the card typically has photos from previous shoots as well as the latest shoot.

The issue is that assigning a color class to a photo is often slow, it can take several seconds from the time I press the number key until the color class is assigned.

If I first copy my SD card folder to my SSD and cull from there, then there is no delay assigning a color class to a photo.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the SD card.  It's new and seems to perform well otherwise.  I'm guessing there is something slow about the internal database operation.  (Windows usually assigns drive letter F: to the SD card and over time perhaps a great number of F: entries have accumulated in the database?)

Environment:
Photo Mechanic 6.0, build 5280
Windows 10 Home 64-bit, build 19042
The machine is generally speedy, with two internal SSD's and 32GB of RAM.
I have done the "Resetting Preferences on Windows" procedure and it did not help.

[Kirk Baker]

The issue is that I often experience a several second delay when assigning a color class to a photo.  I believe that this operation used to be instantaneous when I first started using PM 5.  Over time it has slowed down.

My workflow for culling photos is:

Insert SD card into computer.

In Photo Mechanic, review photos from the latest shoot and assign a new color class to the keepers.  I arrow through the photos in the preview window and use a number key to assign a color class.

Back in the contact sheet, select the color class and then ingest from selection to my hard drive (SSD).

Note, I don't format the card after every shoot/ingest, so the card typically has photos from previous shoots as well as the latest shoot.

The issue is that assigning a color class to a photo is often slow, it can take several seconds from the time I press the number key until the color class is assigned.

If I first copy my SD card folder to my SSD and cull from there, then there is no delay assigning a color class to a photo.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the SD card.  It's new and seems to perform well otherwise.  I'm guessing there is something slow about the internal database operation.  (Windows usually assigns drive letter F: to the SD card and over time perhaps a great number of F: entries have accumulated in the database?)

Environment:
Photo Mechanic 6.0, build 5280
Windows 10 Home 64-bit, build 19042
The machine is generally speedy, with two internal SSD's and 32GB of RAM.
I have done the "Resetting Preferences on Windows" procedure and it did not help.

What kind of images are on the SD card?  JPEG?  RAW?   If RAW, do you embed metadata (XMP) or do you use XMP sidecars?

Your SSD will be at least two orders of magnitude faster than your SD card.

While it's up to you to decide, we don't ever recommend making any changes to images on a camera card.  They're your only copy of your images until they are ingested.

-Kirk

[explummer]

Thanks for your reply.

I almost always shoot JPG only.

I didn't realize that PM was writing metadata to the JPG on the card.   I thought PM was maintaining the metadata externally in some kind of database.   

I agree, it would be better not to write to the card before ingesting.    So, what is the best practice method for fast culling and ingesting?   All I need is a "Yes/No" type of cull.   And as I mentioned, I do prefer to keep several shoots on the memory card before reformatting the card.

Thanks again.

[Kirk Baker]

Thanks for your reply.

I almost always shoot JPG only.

I didn't realize that PM was writing metadata to the JPG on the card.   I thought PM was maintaining the metadata externally in some kind of database.   

I agree, it would be better not to write to the card before ingesting.    So, what is the best practice method for fast culling and ingesting?   All I need is a "Yes/No" type of cull.   And as I mentioned, I do prefer to keep several shoots on the memory card before reformatting the card.

Use Ingest with the "Incremental" option checked.  Have PM open the contact sheets during the Ingest.  You'll be able to cull as the images arrive.

-Kirk