Aperture/iPhoto lost my RAW files!

Van Isle

I tried Aperature for a while. I loved it's sorting ability. I hated the way it integrated with Nikon Capture NX. That is to say, it sucked. So after the trial I "relocated masters" to my iphoto library.

Soon I had between 1 and 5 copies of almost every photo: RAW, and jpegs of all sizes, thumbnails large and small. ARGH!!!

So I did some sorting, pic by pic, to get rid of the thumbnails. I had iPhoto rebuild the thumbnail cache, then I discover my last 1000 or some images (including some money makers) have disappeared to leave only a large jpeg behind. AND I have doubles of roughly half of the other remaining photos (library is only about 3000 images) wiht no perceivable rhyme or reason.

WHAT?

I shoot in RAW exclusively, and now somehow between iPhoto and Aperature I've lost 942 RAW files BUT they've been turned into jpegs...

ah man! And no up-to-date backup because my external hard disk JUST fried itself.

Boo on Apple for this mess.

VI

DavidTO

Are you really sure they're not in the "Originals" folder? Or that Aperture doesn't still have them hidden somewhere? Even if they ARE still there, it does sound a bit roundabout the hoops you had to jump through to try Aperture. You might want to make sure that CatOne sees this thread, he's well-versed in Aperture, and he works for Apple, and might be able to help.

Van Isle

Nope, not in "originals" folder. Although I now have roughly 1000 "thumbnail" folders and 1000 "preview" folders, each with 1 jpeg. I can only assume somehow, in my haste and mind-numbed state of deleting MULTIPLE duplications that I somehow tracked down my last 1000 RAW files and deleted them vice the large jpegs.

It was a hassle to use Aperature, especially to switch back. You import your iphoto library to Aperature, it generates jpeg previews (even if the pic is already a tiny jpeg) and then it stores that somewhere. When you get rid of Aperature all the pics stay behind and you have to replace them. Not a very slick set up, IMO.

One of my mistakes (besides the backup, I know I know) was importing a months worth of photos during the trial in to Aperature directly rather than continuing to use iPhoto. That fumble-ness caused some confusion but I was trying to integrate the software into my workflow to see if it was worth the $350.

It ain't!

VI

Van Isle

Is there a way I could use recovery software on my hard disk to find all NEF files, particularly the ones it appears I have "trashed?"

EDIT: yes, and it has cost me about $100 so far, and some hours of work to get back all...65,000+ "image" files off of my hard drive...still workin on it. But I only need to sell a few of these pics to my regular motorcycle racers to make up the cost, right? RIGHT?

Many thanks.

VI