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embedded v. sidecar metadata

spericsperic Registered Users Posts: 30 Big grins
edited January 14, 2009 in Finishing School
So I just watched a tutorial on Aperture, as i just got a mac and looking at software options. I was on a PC before. I've been using LR for the past several months, but one thing that really bugs me are the sidecar xmp files. It may seem silly but to me those are just one more thing to go wrong or lose or keep track of, etc. I've been thinking of the DNG format because of it's embedded metadata, but that seems a bit too "controversial" at the moment so I don't think I want go that route either.

In the tutorial it showed that you could embed the metadata into the RAW file or save it as a separate xmp file. Why would someone one want the separate file?

I just downloaded the trial version of Aperture, so I don't know if I'll like the interface or workflow, but that capability to embed the metadata, and not have sidecars, almost has me sold. Will it embed the metadata from the images I've processed in LR if I import them into Aperture, or are those "stuck" with the sidecars?

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    arodneyarodney Registered Users Posts: 2,005 Major grins
    edited January 14, 2009
    speric wrote:
    In the tutorial it showed that you could embed the metadata into the RAW file or save it as a separate xmp file. Why would someone one want the separate file?

    Raw files are read only (and proprietary). Nothing is going to do this, if it did, I'd be real afraid to use it unless it was software from the manufacturer (and I would still not use it and convert to DNG). Go DNG. Its a publicly open file format designed to store all kinds of such data:

    http://www.ppmag.com/reviews/200709_adobedng.pdf
    Andrew Rodney
    Author "Color Management for Photographers"
    http://www.digitaldog.net/
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    spericsperic Registered Users Posts: 30 Big grins
    edited January 14, 2009
    arodney wrote:
    Raw files are read only (and proprietary). Nothing is going to do this, if it did, I'd be real afraid to use it unless it was software from the manufacturer (and I would still not use it and convert to DNG). Go DNG. Its a publicly open file format designed to store all kinds of such data:

    http://www.ppmag.com/reviews/200709_adobedng.pdf

    Here's the link to the tutorial:
    http://www.apple.com/aperture/tutorials/#adjustmetadata-embedmetadata

    maybe i'm misunderstanding but that's what it sounds like is happening. maybe someone who uses Aperture can chime in.
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