Capture One 7 and image process history

[Paul2660]

I am curious what others who use Capture One feel about this.  I strongly miss a dedicated image history file, i.e a file that gives you the ability to go back through all the various processing steps applied to a single image.  I realize you can go back with the edit button, but this a first come first serve process and can get very confusing if you happen to be trying to get back to a certain processing step.  With the LR process you can see a list of all the various adjustments that were made for a individual image, listed out, and pick where you need to go back.  As I understand it in Capture one, your only option is to keep hitting the edit/undo selection till you get back where you want.  This is not a very clear process and if you are not careful you can corrupt another image by mistake as it only one undo at a time and IMO hard to follow if you are trying to go back more than one or two processing steps.

I had hoped that with Capture One 7, a dedicated/by image history would be available especially since so many other improvements were made.

If there is a way to do this in Capture One, I would appreciate a pointer.

I am windows user, not Mac, and there may be an easy way on the mac side.  But on Windows I can't find one.

Thanks
Paul

[Doug Peterson]

I agree that would be nice.

It is not possible. However using Clone Variant (especially by keyboard shortcut for ease of use) is a pretty decent stand in. Similar in concept (in this regard) as the "snapshot" tool in the history tool in photoshop.

When you reach a milestone of editing you create a clone variant.

[Paul2660]

Doug, hopefully you have more pull than me with the folks at Phase.  With LCC processing tech camera images, it's really a big need.  I will try your point on the clone variant. 

Thanks
Paul

[remko]

Hi Paul,

I fully agree with your observation. I myself was quite surprised when I found that C1 does not have a history function à la Lightroom. For me such a history function is an essential part of a RAW converter and I miss it strongly.

I will try the Clone Variant that Doug suggested and will make a request to the Support Team as well about the missing history function. It is my experience that they are very open to suggestions and will have a serious look into it when time permits. The more users speak out the better 

cheers,
Remko

[johnbeardy]

I'm not why you should be surprised. Other than Lightroom, could you name another raw converter that has it?

[Phil Indeblanc]

Snapshot vs history log are not a comparable features. A snapshot is just that. More used for a varient for making a key image to try different processes on.
A history list of actions you made is a path to go back is a documented workflow. I think any well fine tuned image can benefit from such a history, LCC files composite files, any and all really.

I too fully agree, and I'm a bit surprised myself :-)
If you think about it, The brushes came after LR. The BW came after LR. the forsaken Catalog came after LR. Perhaps he is surprised to see they missed this adaptation. Or any top level developer as we place C1 and LR to miss usch a feature.

The "snapshot" in general is OK in theory, but not what happens in real life most of the time. I have yet to see a regular workflow with that feature being used in raw. Excxept from complex files in Photoshop; yes this is a handy feature. During a raw developing of a image, you work like a painter, a little here, a little there and this and that......You go along in a stride. THEN, you realize this looks great, but..."What did I do?"  well, say goodbye or good luck trying to replicate. Hence the history log.

I think C1 stands strongly on its own as a developer. I have no doubt that most whoever uses C1 now would still use C1 as there primary raw dev without all the features they adopted from ACRaw/LR. What were they doing all this time before C1 had the feature?  Too bad they went the route they did.
Even now, I still prefer making brush/layer edits in LR. The interface is much more visually intuitive. As visual artists, it is key. Much rather make the best RAW conversion possible in C1!..... then do all else in LR.