PlayMemories and workflow

[tizeye]

Currently looking at switching from Nikon (D610) to Sony A7ii (or rumored A7Rii). The rumor of next month release is what is delaying the actual transition as will be interesting if Sony addressed the shutter and focus issues of the A7R. Biggest question concerns PlayMemories. Is it even necessary? I installed it and was shocked when it started cataloging all existing photos and videos on my hard and even telling me I needed to attach the 'camera' for some videos which originated on a nephew's camera phone. Typically, I don't import from camera (or SD card directly) in date taken format but for professional jobs as year folder and create subfolders by job name. I keep 2 years on the active computer and archive beyond that, with the year folder making it very easy. My primary importer is Lightroom. My fear is that PlayMemories is equally finicky as Lightroom where if I move the photos outside of Lightroom (i.e. Windows Explorer), it has a fit, unable to find photos, as all moves and hard drive reorganization has to be done inside Lightroom as it makes adjustments to its internal catalog system. I learned that the hard way, having to restore photos back to where they were, then making the move.

 

My fear with PlayMemories is that if I make the move in Lightroom, that it messes up PlayMemories cataloging system. Then I saw the warning about video and needing it to read camera and convert to ACHV. Those imported through Lightroom were read in Adobe Premiere in the native MTS format with no problem. Do I even NEED PlayMemories.

[Guest all8]

I did not know it existed until yesterday.

 

Would be very interested to know if there is a way to browse and delete photos on the camera, from an iPad, but without uploading the photos?

[holmes4]

You don't need PlayMemories unless you want to use WiFi import. You can import by USB or SD directly in Lightroom (or Bridge or what have you.)

[holmes4]

I did not know it existed until yesterday.

 

Would be very interested to know if there is a way to browse and delete photos on the camera, from an iPad, but without uploading the photos?

 

If the camera is connected by USB (or SD card) using Apple's camera connection kit, you can, I am pretty sure, browse without importing. I should try this...

[tizeye]

Thanks. I am going to uninstall it on the PC. Will keep the apps on both the iPhone and iPad because those are used 'in the field' but not necessary on the desktop or even the MacBook Pro.

 

One thing I did discover on another outing as I shot RAW+jpg, I did a selected import (not 'all') using the SD card attachment to an iPad. It imported both the RAW version AND the jpg version where I had duplicates in the gallery. Worse, there was no file name/exif data shown anywhere on the iPad to know which was which. Had to hook the iPad up to the computer USB where could go into the file structure, find the very large RAW files and delete them. Won't do that again as will use wireless transfer.