LR5 new catalogue or dont bother.

[Slipper]

I have had LR for the last 2 years and my catalogue has all my images from last and this year, in year then date order. Its getting a bit big and takes a while to load sometimes, so I wondered if you guys keep separate catalogues for each year or just have one.

[davidedric]

I don't have that many photos, and I do have mine in one catalogue. However, from what I can gather in Lightroom forums, a single catalogue is most often recommended.

When you say "to load" is that when you first start Lightroom? Since the catalogue is an sql database its performance shouldn't be that much affected by size. I wonder if something else is going on?

Dave

[Dr Bob]

Sounds like you have more photos in one catalogue than I. However, I currently have 2 catalogues in LR. One is for photos of flies that I have tyed (I am fly fisherman and fly tyer) and the other for the rest of my photos.

Dr Bob

[Glenn NK]

John:

I have all my photos (listed the same as you - year/month/date folders) from 2006.

Just checked the size etc..

I have one catalogue:

372 GB
57,473 files in 5,028 folders

It doesn't take very long to load it.

What takes a lot of time is when I exit LR and do a integrity check and full backup.

I think Dave's comments are on the mark.

Glenn

[HaseebM]

Are you saving in the same folder as the original without replacing? I have that issue and manually check and delete images to save space.

[chauncey]

John, you say that it's slow loading...is your computer adequate?
My own "C" drive is 2 TB, "D" drive is 1 TB, and 22 of RAM.

[NorthernFocus]

I do multiple catalogs that mimic a file structure also. All organized by subject. I know, I'm pretty anal about it...

[benm]

What's getting big? LR has two files; an lrcat and an lrdata. The lrcat is the important file containing all your keywords, collections, modifications, etc. The lrdata file contains the previews. I have 45,000 photos and the lrcat file is 500 MB; the lrdata file is 25GB. Have you tried to optimize the catalog (it's under "File")? You can also delete the lrdata file and LR will regenerate it (but that will take time).

[Slipper]

Thank you all for your comments, very helpful.
I have an i5 processor with 8gig of memory.
When I say slow, sometimes when I start up, the library panel on the left slowly illuminates the files sequentially downwards. At times this is a mater of 15secs, other times it seems 30 secs plus before I can do anything.
I have plenty of disc space so no problems there, and I optimise frequently.
Its obviously not my quantity of images as some of you have many more than I.
I have read that 1 catalogue is fine and you guys seem to agree.
Perhaps I am unduly aware of it.

I will have a look deeper into the files, and find out a bit more. I am not brillient with file handling though.

[davidedric]

One thing that really does make a difference is to have your programs and catalogue on a solid state disc (ssd). Don't know if you can accommodate that in your set up, but it certainly cuts down loading times.

Dave

[Kodiak]

LR5 new catalogue or dont bother.

Hey John,

… dont bother.

My RAW converter can do everything: importing from camera, cards, drives…
to moving and backup …but I don't ever let it do these tasks!
It is a Raw converter so all it does is help me optimizing my images before
converting to end usage.

I have every year a fairly large image bank to manage and my idea is the
more I do, the more (and better) I control. Libraries are getting very large
in no time at all and do make decisions that one may not be totally aware of!

[Glenn NK]

Thank you all for your comments, very helpful.
I have an i5 processor with 8gig of memory.
When I say slow, sometimes when I start up, the library panel on the left slowly illuminates the files sequentially downwards. At times this is a mater of 15secs, other times it seems 30 secs plus before I can do anything.
I have plenty of disc space so no problems there, and I optimise frequently.
Its obviously not my quantity of images as some of you have many more than I.
I have read that 1 catalogue is fine and you guys seem to agree.
Perhaps I am unduly aware of it.

I will have a look deeper into the files, and find out a bit more. I am not brillient with file handling though.

Obviously time is relative (Einstein proved that).

"At times it is a matter of 15 seconds. . . . ". To me that's not much time, but it only happens when I start LR up.

Quite often, I keep Lr open for a day or two - this eliminates the lag you're experiencing.

Glenn

[dabhand]

I have had LR for the last 2 years and my catalogue has all my images from last and this year, in year then date order. Its getting a bit big and takes a while to load sometimes, so I wondered if you guys keep separate catalogues for each year or just have one.

If you haven't already seen it, try this video by Julieanne Kost

steve

[shreds]

Steve,

Not getting any linkage there to the video?

I would add that it shouldn't take LR anywhere as long as that. My i7 processor and SSD is instantaneous, but even with a conventional HDD, I would be concerned. Do you keep it updated?

They are currently at v5.6

[Slipper]

Thanks for all the comments and help guys, too many to thank you individually but do appreciate it.
I have realised my 500gb hard drive is not enough and need to remove and archive older files off the computer.
I have two external drives already, so will replace one with another 1tb usb hard drive. (At the prices now its silly not too.
I will also go through my cat., and get rid of the rubbish. (for every sharp shot there are too many not sharp etc)

@Kodiak- your comment intrigued me, I assume from this that you dont bother with the catalogue side of your converter.
I must admit LR file handling does irritate me, as if one does an extra slight edit say, and you export with a preset as usual, it can put it in yet another sub folder if you forget to tell it not too. And DONT move anything outside LR but thats a whole new discussion.

@Davidedric. thanks for that david, I am a little out of date, but will look at the SSD devices. I assume I just plug this in USB port and use as extra drive.

@dabhand
.. Will check out the vid Steve, thanks. Do like her tutorials. (no link but I will find it)

[dabhand]

Ian,

Just seeing if anyone was awake - I certainly wasn't, forgot to include the link - so here it is - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjUtKAmJ_9c it's part of a whole series by her at http://blogs.adobe.com/jkost/lightroom-training-videos

BTW it was the OP who was having the problem, I too use an i7, with 16GB memory and separate SSD's for images and caches, my catalog which contains the last 14 years worth still goes like sugar off a spoon.

steve

[Slipper]

Steve,

Not getting any linkage there to the video?

I would add that it shouldn't take LR anywhere as long as that. My i7 processor and SSD is instantaneous, but even with a conventional HDD, I would be concerned. Do you keep it updated?

They are currently at v5.6

Yes, have 5.6 Ian. I am looking into these SSD now, wasn't sure how reliable they were as archive drives though, so a good research is needed.

Thanks for the link Steve

[davidedric]

To the OP

Hi John, you certainly can get an external ssd to mount through USB, though I think you would need usb3 to get good speed. Even better would be to mount it internally via a SATA interface if you have the room (don't think we know if you use a laptop or a desktop)

Dave

(edit) we were typing at the same time! I did a fair amount of research and I would say the jury is still out on the relative robustness of hdd's and ssd's. I have heard both views argued with conviction.

[Slipper]

To the OP

Hi John, you certainly can get an external ssd to mount through USB, though I think you would need usb3 to get good speed. Even better would be to mount it internally via a SATA interface if you have the room (don't think we know if you use a laptop or a desktop)

Dave

(edit) we were typing at the same time! I did a fair amount of research and I would say the jury is still out on the relative robustness of hdd's and ssd's. I have heard both views argued with conviction.

Thanks Dave. I use a laptop and only have USB 2. But following on from Ians link to the vid, Julienne Kosts suggests maybe just keep your last say 2 months work on an internal drive, the rest externally. That would help me I think, provided I didnt want frequesnt access to the older files.
I just wonder on start up though, if LR looks for the files. If not , no problem

Its all complicated, I just want to play photography

[davidedric]

I can sympathise! Seriously, it's the catalogue and previews that matter. When editing for example, the image file only gets read once at the start of the edit. It makes very little difference where you store the images.