Using two Macs with a single Capture One library

[Poki]

A question for all you Capture One Pro users out there, hopefully someone has experience with a use case like this:

I am going to upgrade my 2009 15" MacBook Pro to a new model sometimes in the next weeks or months. With a new MBP, I should finally be able to use my notebook to edit photos in an acceptable speed. Now, here's the problem: I want to keep my RAID systems and backup routines on my desktop Mac, and I want to have a single catalog for all my photos.

My idea is to simply transfer the catalog on the MBP every couple of weeks over to the desktop Mac, fuse the catalogs together there and start with a new catalog on the notebook. The question is: Does Capture One allow me to do this? I know there's a "Import Catalog" feature, but how exactly does that import my catalog? For example, if I have a folder named "Galleries", and an album within this folder named "Portraits", does it add the photos to the same album on my main catalog or does it create a second folder and album with the same name? Does it keep all edits, metatags and keywords?

 

[simonsi]

Importing one C1P catalog into another is both complete and painless in my experience - I use C1P v10 but this has worked without issue for me since I started on v8, running an iMac and MBP. The complete contents of the catalog are imported with full structure, edits etc etc

C1P Help pages are quite good as a reference:

https://help.phaseone.com/en/CO10/Organizing-Photos.aspx

Sharing a single catalog is also supported (that would be necessary in a photographers studio I'd imagine...bottom of this page refers:

https://help.phaseone.com/en/CO10/O...-Catalogs/Working-with-multiple-catalogs.aspx

 

[JamesPDX]

Direct-Attached RAID or directly from a network-based RAID? I was looking through this and maybe I missed it, but the omission of "Network Volume" should give pause. I'd at least look into external direct-attached storage where the catalog and media can reside. I think you'd want to use the "Offline Browsing Mode" on the nMBP for portability (like proxy edits) and keep your RAW catalog and edits on an external SSD, depending on the total size. Be careful. Make a test catalog and make sure it really works so you don't lose anything. (I'm a Lightroom 6 refugee...)

I'm using this for multiple media purposes: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicmultidock
No wallwart, no fan, no power switch.

PS: You'll need this https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEL2AM/A/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-to-thunderbolt-2-adapter if you're getting the USB-C nMBP.

 

[Poki]

Importing one C1P catalog into another is both complete and painless in my experience

That's pretty much what I wanted to hear - I am glad that's not an issue. Thanks for the links too!

Direct-Attached RAID or directly from a network-based RAID? I was looking through this and maybe I missed it, but the omission of "Network Volume" should give pause. I'd at least look into external direct-attached storage where the catalog and media can reside.

My catalog is on a mirrored RAID that's attached to my Mac Mini using Thunderbolt 1, though getting that drive in the network wouldn't be a problem. Although the offline browsing mode seems like a good idea, I guess it's easier to have two separate catalogues on my MBP and Mac Mini, and to transfer over the MBP catalog every couple of weeks to save storage space on the notebook and to get all the files into my backup routine. I don't need to have my full catalog on my notebook, I just need to be able to edit photos on-location and while traveling, since the time I spend at home with access to my desktop seems to get less and less recently.