Convert/Remove RAW Files on a Mac

Using an iMac/Big Sur and Photos, and I'd like to free up some space on the
computer and iCloud. I can do this by removing/archiving 1500 RAW files, and
replacing them with compressed copies. Trying to figure out the best way of
going about it.

Would the inbuilt Export/Compress options be best? There doesn't seem to be a
way of doing what I need within Photos - so far as I can see, it'd involve a
lot of shifting files out of and back into Photos.

--
Cheers, Rob

In article , RJH
wrote:

Using an iMac/Big Sur and Photos, and I'd like to free up some space on the
computer and iCloud. I can do this by removing/archiving 1500 RAW files, and
replacing them with compressed copies. Trying to figure out the best way of
going about it.

the best way is get a bigger hard drive.

On Mar 15, 2021, RJH wrote
(in article ):

Using an iMac/Big Sur and Photos, and I'd like to free up some space on the
computer and iCloud. I can do this by removing/archiving 1500 RAW files, and
replacing them with compressed copies. Trying to figure out the best way of
going about it.

Would the inbuilt Export/Compress options be best? There doesn't seem to be a
way of doing what I need within Photos - so far as I can see, it'd involve a
lot of shifting files out of and back into Photos.

What is the source of these RAW files, phone, or other camera?

Is Photos, and iCloud your only only backup/archive?
If so, you should seriously consider a redundant backup/archive plan for your RAW files starting with the purchase of an adequate sized portable HDD/SSD and/or buying more iCloud, or other Cloud storage.

Personally, since memory and storage media (HDD/SSD) is inexpensive these days, I would be planing that method of backup rather than compressing my RAW files, and risking file corruption. That way I have an onsite archive with a potentially redundant expanded iCloud storage.

--
Regards,
Savageduck

On 15 Mar 2021 at 14:46:04 GMT, "Savageduck"
wrote:

On Mar 15, 2021, RJH wrote
(in article ):

Using an iMac/Big Sur and Photos, and I'd like to free up some space on the
computer and iCloud. I can do this by removing/archiving 1500 RAW files, and
replacing them with compressed copies. Trying to figure out the best way of
going about it.

Would the inbuilt Export/Compress options be best? There doesn't seem to be
a
way of doing what I need within Photos - so far as I can see, it'd involve a
lot of shifting files out of and back into Photos.

What is the source of these RAW files, phone, or other camera?

DSLR. They're not huge - maybe 15MB each. But I don't need them as RAW.


Is Photos, and iCloud your only only backup/archive?

Time Machine regularly, portable drive occasionally.


If so, you should seriously consider a redundant backup/archive plan for your
RAW files starting with the purchase of an adequate sized portable HDD/SSD
and/or buying more iCloud, or other Cloud storage.

Yes, could do, but . . .


Personally, since memory and storage media (HDD/SSD) is inexpensive these
days, I would be planing that method of backup rather than compressing my RAW
files, and risking file corruption. That way I have an onsite archive with a
potentially redundant expanded iCloud storage.

My real constraint is the SSD on the iMac. It's 500GB, and I got to within
20GB spare recently. Bumping that up to 100GB wasn't too difficult, but it's
made me look a little more carefully at it all. I don't think removing the RAW
files will save me much space - it's one of a few things I'm looking at. I
don't like keeping things like photos (100GB) and documents (50GB) on remote
sources.
--
Cheers, Rob

On Mar 15, 2021, RJH wrote
(in article ):

On 15 Mar 2021 at 14:46:04 GMT,
wrote:

On Mar 15, 2021, RJH wrote
(in article ):

Using an iMac/Big Sur and Photos, and I'd like to free up some space on the
computer and iCloud. I can do this by removing/archiving 1500 RAW files, and
replacing them with compressed copies. Trying to figure out the best way of
going about it.

Would the inbuilt Export/Compress options be best? There doesn't seem to be
a
way of doing what I need within Photos - so far as I can see, it'd involve a
lot of shifting files out of and back into Photos.

What is the source of these RAW files, phone, or other camera?

DSLR. They're not huge - maybe 15MB each. But I don't need them as RAW.

You know your needs, and usage, but I consider my RAW files as my negatives, and you never know when you might actually need to return to them. Sometimes I find myself returning to 10-12 year old RAW files originating from a camera I no longer own.


Is Photos, and iCloud your only only backup/archive?

Time Machine regularly, portable drive occasionally.

OK, but...


If so, you should seriously consider a redundant backup/archive plan for your
RAW files starting with the purchase of an adequate sized portable HDD/SSD
and/or buying more iCloud, or other Cloud storage.

Yes, could do, but . . .


Personally, since memory and storage media (HDD/SSD) is inexpensive these
days, I would be planing that method of backup rather than compressing my RAW
files, and risking file corruption. That way I have an onsite archive with a
potentially redundant expanded iCloud storage.

My real constraint is the SSD on the iMac. It's 500GB, and I got to within
20GB spare recently. Bumping that up to 100GB wasn't too difficult, but it's
made me look a little more carefully at it all. I don't think removing the RAW
files will save me much space - it's one of a few things I'm looking at. I
don't like keeping things like photos (100GB) and documents (50GB) on remote
sources.

It doesn’t sound to me that the RAW files are eating up your storage, you don’t have that many. What other large files are you storing?

What do you mean by “remote sources�?

I have always maintained a redundant backup system for my image files, separate from Time Machine along with my current active Mac desktop. Doing things that way new image files (now DSLR and drone video) are added to both desktop Mac and backup upon import. I have to be more disciplined now that I have drone video files in the mix as those can be quite large. I regular cull obvious rejects, and older archived work from the Mac as I always have access to originals, and edited work on my backup drives.

I find 500GB to be a tad small for a desktop (I have a 3TB desktop Mac) especially if you are working with media files such as RAW photos, video, and edited product. In your situation I would invest in a good size outboard HDD/SSD minimum 2TB, but preferably 4TB or larger, and use that as a working drive for all your image files, and most all other stuff. That way your 500GB iMac drive need not be burdened with that stuff, just limited to OS and apps. I would have a second backup drive partitioned for Time Machine backup for the iMac & large working drive.

I have a variation of that system using a 2TB USB-C SSD as a working and scratch drive. That leaves me plenty of room on my iMac for edited images and stuff. Then I also have Cloud storage; 200GB on iCloud ($2.99/month) and 1TB via Adobe CC.
....and I have other backup drives.

--
Regards,
Savageduck

In article , RJH
wrote:

What is the source of these RAW files, phone, or other camera?

DSLR. They're not huge - maybe 15MB each. But I don't need them as RAW.

maybe not now but at some point in the future you will.



My real constraint is the SSD on the iMac. It's 500GB, and I got to within
20GB spare recently. Bumping that up to 100GB wasn't too difficult, but it's
made me look a little more carefully at it all. I don't think removing the RAW
files will save me much space - it's one of a few things I'm looking at. I
don't like keeping things like photos (100GB) and documents (50GB) on remote
sources.

why not?

On 15 Mar 2021 at 19:38:37 GMT, "nospam" wrote:

In article , RJH
wrote:

What is the source of these RAW files, phone, or other camera?

DSLR. They're not huge - maybe 15MB each. But I don't need them as RAW.

maybe not now but at some point in the future you will.

You've not seen the photos :-) But yes, maybe.




My real constraint is the SSD on the iMac. It's 500GB, and I got to within
20GB spare recently. Bumping that up to 100GB wasn't too difficult, but it's
made me look a little more carefully at it all. I don't think removing the
RAW
files will save me much space - it's one of a few things I'm looking at. I
don't like keeping things like photos (100GB) and documents (50GB) on remote
sources.

why not?

As the primary source I'd work from, latency and internet/network dependence.
As a backup, no problem.

--
Cheers, Rob

In article , RJH
wrote:

What is the source of these RAW files, phone, or other camera?

DSLR. They're not huge - maybe 15MB each. But I don't need them as RAW.

maybe not now but at some point in the future you will.

You've not seen the photos :-) But yes, maybe.

it's guaranteed.

the quality of raw processing keeps improving.

that means that the results you see in the future will be better than
the results you will see today from the very same raw files.

yet another advantage of digital. film only gets worse with time.

My real constraint is the SSD on the iMac. It's 500GB, and I got to within
20GB spare recently. Bumping that up to 100GB wasn't too difficult, but
it's
made me look a little more carefully at it all. I don't think removing the
RAW
files will save me much space - it's one of a few things I'm looking at. I
don't like keeping things like photos (100GB) and documents (50GB) on
remote
sources.

why not?

As the primary source I'd work from, latency and internet/network dependence.
As a backup, no problem.

use an external hard drive. since you have an imac, there's no issue
with laptop portability.

if you use a server, keep the important photos local and less commonly
ones on the server.

another option are proxy images.

On Monday, March 15, 2021 at 3:18:58 PM UTC-4, Savageduck wrote:
On Mar 15, 2021, RJH wrote:
"Savageduck" wrote:
On Mar 15, 2021, RJH wrote

Using an iMac/Big Sur and Photos, and I'd like to free up some space on the
computer and iCloud. I can do this by removing/archiving 1500 RAW files, and
replacing them with compressed copies. Trying to figure out the best way of
going about it.

Would the inbuilt Export/Compress options be best? There doesn't seem
to be a way of doing what I need within Photos - so far as I can see, it'd
involve a lot of shifting files out of and back into Photos.

What is the source of these RAW files, phone, or other camera?

DSLR. They're not huge - maybe 15MB each. But I don't need them as RAW.

You know your needs, and usage, but I consider my RAW files as my negatives,
and you never know when you might actually need to return to them. Sometimes
I find myself returning to 10-12 year old RAW files originating from a camera
I no longer own.

I was thinking somewhat similarly, while also noting that on every dSLR that
I've ever used, saving as a RAW is an option, so if RJH has decided that their
workflow doesn't need them, they should turn RAW off in the camera, to stop
creating more of them.


Is Photos, and iCloud your only only backup/archive?

Time Machine regularly, portable drive occasionally.
OK, but...


If so, you should seriously consider a redundant backup/archive plan for your
RAW files starting with the purchase of an adequate sized portable HDD/SSD
and/or buying more iCloud, or other Cloud storage.

Yes, could do, but . . .

If RJH is keeping the RAW's, then they merit having resources allocated to do that.

Seems to be as a "just in case" backup, so an external storage is fine, and perhaps
not 3-4 redundant copies, including an off-site or two. Fortunately, the small
capacity needed (since its only 1500*15MB = ~24GB) opens up more options
than just an XX TB hard drive, such as a USB thumb drive, burned to an optical
disc or three, or even put back onto a camera memory card. Of course, once
one starts to back up some data, there's convenience (& wisdom) to copy all of it.


Personally, since memory and storage media (HDD/SSD) is inexpensive these
days, I would be planning that method of backup rather than compressing my RAW
files, and risking file corruption. That way I have an onsite archive with a
potentially redundant expanded iCloud storage.

My real constraint is the SSD on the iMac. It's 500GB, and I got to within
20GB spare recently. Bumping that up to 100GB wasn't too difficult, but it's
made me look a little more carefully at it all. I don't think removing the RAW
files will save me much space - it's one of a few things I'm looking at.. I
don't like keeping things like photos (100GB) and documents (50GB) on remote
sources.

It doesn’t sound to me that the RAW files are eating up your storage, you don’t
have that many. What other large files are you storing?

(videos are another common area to check for storage consumption...)

For a ~500GB iMac (or MacBookPro), one could consider picking up an external
drive that uses a stick of M.2 NVMe memory...small, faster than SATA SSDs, and
not any more expensive. Thunderbolt 3 is nice, but USB-C is still fast enough to
be able to saturate the M.2's buffer on larger copies.

YMMV for turnkey (eg, Thunderbolt 3 500GB MyDigitalSSD Pocket Vault Express
(PVX) for $100), or DIY (a USB-C MyDigitalSSD M2X; $25) w/Crucial P2 M.2 NVMe,
either $60 for 500GB; $105 for 1TB; totals = $85 to $130).

What do you mean by “remote sources�?

I have always maintained a redundant backup system for my image files, separate
from Time Machine along with my current active Mac desktop. Doing things that
way new image files (now DSLR and drone video) are added to both desktop Mac
and backup upon import. I have to be more disciplined now that I have drone video
files in the mix as those can be quite large. I regular cull obvious rejects, and older
archived work from the Mac as I always have access to originals, and edited work
on my backup drives.

Workflow is important to contemplate. Something that used to be suggested was
to employ some arcane Unix commands to move one's entire User directory over
onto a second drive, but its IMO smarter to leave it where it is, and then create
folders on the second drive where the bulk of the data storage is going to go
and then drop an alias link to each of them in the appropriate Mac user subfolder:
this way, the system won't lock up when that external drive isn't hooked up, while
still generally keeping things organized.


I find 500GB to be a tad small for a desktop (I have a 3TB desktop Mac) especially
if you are working with media files such as RAW photos, video, and edited product.

Indeed. Even with offloading data, I'm hitting the wall again with just 500GB, so
if I were to buy a new Mac today, I'd go with at least a 2TB SSD for the boot drive.
I'd prefer more, but Apple's prices, 2TB should be "future proof" good enough.

In your situation I would invest in a good size outboard HDD/SSD minimum 2TB,
but preferably 4TB or larger, and use that as a working drive for all your image files,
and most all other stuff. That way your 500GB iMac drive need not be burdened
with that stuff, just limited to OS and apps. I would have a second backup drive
partitioned for Time Machine backup for the iMac & large working drive.

One can do some value-shopping month-to-month to find which external HDD
size happens to currently be priced well (or not)...

I have a variation of that system using a 2TB USB-C SSD as a working and scratch
drive. That leaves me plenty of room on my iMac for edited images and stuff.

This sort of data segregation used to be much easier, back in the era when Apple
sold computers which featured more than one internal hard drive bay /S

So instead, we end up with a pile of externals, with a bunch of wall warts which
each demand their own plug.


Then I also have Cloud storage; 200GB on iCloud ($2.99/month) and 1TB via Adobe CC.
...and I have other backup drives.

The correct number of backups is always "just one more" ;-)


-hh

On 16/03/2021 7:08 AM, RJH wrote:
On 15 Mar 2021 at 14:46:04 GMT, "Savageduck"
wrote:

On Mar 15, 2021, RJH wrote
(in article ):

Using an iMac/Big Sur and Photos, and I'd like to free up some space on the
computer and iCloud. I can do this by removing/archiving 1500 RAW files, and
replacing them with compressed copies. Trying to figure out the best way of
going about it.

Would the inbuilt Export/Compress options be best? There doesn't seem to be
a
way of doing what I need within Photos - so far as I can see, it'd involve a
lot of shifting files out of and back into Photos.

What is the source of these RAW files, phone, or other camera?

DSLR. They're not huge - maybe 15MB each. But I don't need them as RAW.


Is Photos, and iCloud your only only backup/archive?

Time Machine regularly, portable drive occasionally.


If so, you should seriously consider a redundant backup/archive plan for your
RAW files starting with the purchase of an adequate sized portable HDD/SSD
and/or buying more iCloud, or other Cloud storage.

Yes, could do, but . . .


Personally, since memory and storage media (HDD/SSD) is inexpensive these
days, I would be planing that method of backup rather than compressing my RAW
files, and risking file corruption. That way I have an onsite archive with a
potentially redundant expanded iCloud storage.

My real constraint is the SSD on the iMac. It's 500GB, and I got to within
20GB spare recently. Bumping that up to 100GB wasn't too difficult, but it's
made me look a little more carefully at it all. I don't think removing the RAW
files will save me much space - it's one of a few things I'm looking at. I
don't like keeping things like photos (100GB) and documents (50GB) on remote
sources.


Get a 1TB external drive, or two of them. They cost (effectively) next
to nothing these days !

geoff