PM6 Impressions

[olidie]

Hi,

after many years of using PM4 and PM5 with great satisfaction I tested PM6 when it was released but stayed with v5 because of some issues http://forums.camerabits.com/index.php?topic=12169.0;topicseen. Believing that PM6 had some time to ripen I decided to get on the bandwagon. Unfortunately I have to say that as good Photo Mechanic is as a software as flawed v6 is in my opinion. Here are some of my observations. I stand to be corrected if some are simply my fault as a user (Win 10 1903, i7, 16GB Ram).

- Startup takes about twice as long as PM5.
- Opening large folders for the first time results in a message "Gathering Sort Information XX%" that blocks scrolling in the folder (default sort is Modification Time). I even had the message get stuck.
- Some design changes are terrible for my eyes: too bright borders of boxes in the IPTC windows (former stationary pad). Or the drop shadows of inactive points in the right click menues that are just painful to look at. 
- Had to change several rename snapshots since the variable {filename} now results in the extension being written twice. This did not happen with v5. {filenamebase} is a solution but requires work to change former snapshots.
- Untagging or deleting metadata was slow, very slow when I first started working with PM6. This seems to have changed.
- When a contact sheet is open and new pictures are copied into that folder e.g. by exporting from LR some pictures would only be shown as filenames but no the thumbnails. Only restarting PM would help to show theses pictures. With the most recent update this behavior seems gone.
- Last update to build 3954 (158b808) removed all but two of my favorites.

PM is a great piece of software done by a great team. That's why I will stick with it even if v6 does not work for me yet as v5 did.

Oliver

[baergnat]

This is still the case, months later. for the first time ever, I regret making the upgrade to the next PM iteration - Lightroom actually now opens and sorts faster than PM6. I hope this is fixed soon, because the longer I have to wait for this to sort the more likely I am to make a switch. minutes add up. I searched the forum and wrote this entire response while PM was opening a folder of less than 1300 images.

[olidie]

Well, unfortunately it is still the case. At least for me. Check this recent thread: http://forums.camerabits.com/index.php?topic=13301.0

I have been a more than happy user of Photo Mechanic well over 10 years, praising the software and Camera Bits' exceptional support, but I too regret having given up my license of PM5 for PM6. Too many little and bigger bits and pieces I don't like overshadow the overall great software. PM5 was closer to being perfect.

[Kirk Baker]

This is still the case, months later. for the first time ever, I regret making the upgrade to the next PM iteration - Lightroom actually now opens and sorts faster than PM6. I hope this is fixed soon, because the longer I have to wait for this to sort the more likely I am to make a switch. minutes add up. I searched the forum and wrote this entire response while PM was opening a folder of less than 1300 images.

What sort type are you using?  Are all sort types slow for you?

-Kirk