1 Shoot, 2 Cameras, Duplicate file names "problem"

Raymond Lin · 12 Jul 2010 at 11:24

So I just did a wedding and in the process of putting the files fromt he memory cards into my computer and then into Lightroom subsequently...

Before that I have hit a snag. I used Two 5Dii for the wedding and my first 5Dii had hit 10,000 shots already so it went back to being 0000 again in the image count. The new 5Dii started at 0000 anyway and that's where the problem is, I can't put them into the same folder for storage, normally I just call it "Bride & Groom Name RAW" and then out put the processed images into another folder and I never touch that RAW folder.

I have for the moment got around this by putting them in to 2 separate RAW Folders (Raw 1 & Raw 2), but how do I create 1 single collection/folder in Lightroom? As I planned to sort them by time shot in Lightroom so the entire wedding goes in a sequence. (I synced the time in the camera so they should be fine sorting by time.)

Help anyone?

p.s. manually renaming files is out of the question, I shot over 80G of photos!

martinturner · 12 Jul 2010 at 11:41

I think there is a shareware utility which can rename files in bulk, just add a suffix to the end of all files - this way when sorting them you should get them all in time sequence. I have had this issue once before (a long time ago), and done this, althoguh cannot recall the name of the application. Actually, thinking about it more, if you copy/paste the whole of the second set of photos Windows will actually tell you that you have duplicates, you can choose the option which 'keeps both files'. Windows will add a suffix onto the end for you.

Hope I am making sense.

Messiah Khan · 12 Jul 2010 at 11:43

When you import the photos into Lightroom (And therefore into the folders) can you not specify the naming convention? Ie, set the name to say Cam1xxxx.cr2 & Cam2xxxx.cr2?

Edit, Or even if they end up in 2 physically different folders, you could still create a collection with all the photos from both folders can't you?

GSXRMovistar · 12 Jul 2010 at 11:48

Can't you just import (or move them) into a single folder directly in Lightroom? As long as the main part of the file name is different they should be fine, i.e:-

Bride & Groom Name RAW_Cam1_001.jpg
Bride & Groom Name RAW_Cam1_002.jpg
Bride & Groom Name RAW_Cam2_001.jpg
Bride & Groom Name RAW_Cam1_003.jpg
Bride & Groom Name RAW_Cam2_002.jpg

Or if you do have a load of files to bulk rename I find this tool fantastic for it:- http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/

EDIT: Doh beaten by MK and obviously RAW fiels don't have a .jpg extension.

Raymond Lin · 12 Jul 2010 at 11:48

martinturner said:
I think there is a shareware utility which can rename files in bulk, just add a suffix to the end of all files - this way when sorting them you should get them all in time sequence. I have had this issue once before (a long time ago), and done this, althoguh cannot recall the name of the application. Actually, thinking about it more, if you copy/paste the whole of the second set of photos Windows will actually tell you that you have duplicates, you can choose the option which 'keeps both files'. Windows will add a suffix onto the end for you.

Hope I am making sense.

I use Mac, the options are Replace, Replace All or Stop.

I chose Stop. lol

martinturner · 12 Jul 2010 at 11:50

I too would choose stop

There must be a freebie bulk rename app available.

Sirrel Squirrel · 12 Jul 2010 at 11:54

If you can get access to the folder with a PC, this program will do it:

http://www.publicware.dk/EN/FileRenamer/Index2.htm

It lets you add text or auto generated numbers to the front, back, or anywhere in the file name.

I imagine you could probably do something similar with an automator script on the Mac?

Raymond Lin · 12 Jul 2010 at 12:08

Messiah Khan said:
When you import the photos into Lightroom (And therefore into the folders) can you not specify the naming convention? Ie, set the name to say Cam1xxxx.cr2 & Cam2xxxx.cr2?

Edit, Or even if they end up in 2 physically different folders, you could still create a collection with all the photos from both folders can't you?

I am trying to avoide renaming the original files if possible, there is no need if i can see them as 1 single collection in LR. But i have never done this before, as I have only ever shot with 1 camera at a time.

Can you do this?

Temi_D · 12 Jul 2010 at 12:09

If you copy the files to the same folder, there should be an option to 'keep both files' where it just adds (1) to the end of any duplicates

Rojin · 12 Jul 2010 at 12:24

What version of lightroom? I've only used v3 on the PC. A simple way to view these in LR would be to create a top level folder, place the RAW 1 and RAW 2 folder into it. Selecting the top level folder in LR will display all child folder contents as well (after syncing the folder).

You could also just add them to a new collection? I'm guessing you're not using LR3?!

I'm not a MAC user but a quick Google shows quite a few ways of batch renaming files if you need to go the rename route.

bigredshark · 12 Jul 2010 at 12:25

Well, first thing change the filename prefix on the camera's so you don't have the problem again (I assume Canon support this somewhere in the menus) - I don't know about Lightroom though, I believe Aperture copes with this on it's own (I presume using the metadata to differentiate, which is either really clever or slightly dangerous, I'm unsure)

Raymond Lin · 12 Jul 2010 at 12:31

Rojin said:
What version of lightroom? I've only used v3 on the PC. A simple way to view these in LR would be to create a top level folder, place the RAW 1 and RAW 2 folder into it. Selecting the top level folder in LR will display all child folder contents as well (after syncing the folder).

You could also just add them to a new collection? I'm guessing you're not using LR3?!

I'm not a MAC user but a quick Google shows quite a few ways of batch renaming files if you need to go the rename route.

I am usnig LR3 on the Mac, will give it a go tonight. I was still downloading them til 2am last night ! It takes roughly 1 minute to download 1 gig.

Temi_D said:
If you copy the files to the same folder, there should be an option to 'keep both files' where it just adds (1) to the end of any duplicates

That option is not there for OSX

Gnomey · 12 Jul 2010 at 12:52

I don't have a Mac but I found this: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/using-automator-to-batch-rename-images-mac/. It looks like it does what you want.

robertgilbert86 · 12 Jul 2010 at 12:52

You can select multiple folders when browsing in Lightroom, if you select your RAW 1 and RAW 2 folders together all the contained files will show at once. (Imagine Ctrl+clicking on PC.)

Alternatively, give all the files a keyword and make a smart collection that shows files with that keyword.

GJUK · 12 Jul 2010 at 13:09

I only use a PC so I hope this help...

I take it you copied the files into a folder on your Mac?

I know Lightroom can rename files while it doing it import, I use lightroom to copy files from memory cards into the directory (sub dir of My pictures) and I use LR option to rename files on import and as you can say what number you start from ie first folder wedding0001.cr2 once that done, import the next folder but make a note of the number the first folder finished on so if there 1037 pictures start the next import at wedding1038.cr2.

If the files are already on the PC...sorry mac then move the folders to somewhere out the way and then import with lightroom to the final destionaction with the above renaming...hopefully that will help...if not I will go away

GJUK

Tomsk · 12 Jul 2010 at 14:20

http://file-folder-ren.sourceforge.net/

Metamorphose

Just found it - it seems to do exactly what you want. ie rename using EXIF and in chronological order.

edit
Oops! doesn't work with Canon RAW.

edit 2
This page might help
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content...ge_and_archiving/file_numbering_and_naming.do

ChazHurst · 12 Jul 2010 at 15:43

Why not just copy the files into separate folders (with logical names) for each camera? Then you have no naming issues, then just add all of the contents of those folders to a single "collection".

Only issue you may have then is on export... Not sure what the export dialogue will say on a mac when you try to export the same named files to the same folder location. on PC it says "Use Unique Names"

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 12 Jul 2010 at 16:12

I would tread carefully as I ended up loosing really nice shots due to switching from a 20D to a 30D.. however back then my import / save system wasn't as polished as it is today.

I thought it was possible to tell the camera how to write file names?

Raymond Lin · 12 Jul 2010 at 16:33

Johnny|lucidcomposure said:
I would tread carefully as I ended up loosing really nice shots due to switching from a 20D to a 30D.. however back then my import / save system wasn't as polished as it is today.

I thought it was possible to tell the camera how to write file names?

You can but i didn't think of that :/

It will be the first thing i do when i get home tonight as I have another wedding this weekend !

bigredshark · 12 Jul 2010 at 17:18

Tomsk said:
http://file-folder-ren.sourceforge.net/

Metamorphose

Just found it - it seems to do exactly what you want. ie rename using EXIF and in chronological order.

edit
Oops! doesn't work with Canon RAW.

edit 2
This page might help
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content...ge_and_archiving/file_numbering_and_naming.do

You could, easiest way of batch renaming in OSX though is always going to be the terminal...