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M
montanajeff
Participant
January 3, 2020
Answered

want to batch smart fix

  • January 3, 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 2555 views

I used to be able to select hundreds of pics in Organizer and Smrt Fix them in a batch. It took all night but it was still worth the time.

Now I have Elements 19 and I can only Smart Fix 1 pic at a time. Was the batch capability removed or am I missing something?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Phinny

You'll need to be in expert mode for it to work.

5 replies

MichelBParis
MichelBParis
Legend
August 18, 2020

But I don't understand why the jpg-option is not present in ACR as it would be very easy to integrate and make the workflow more efficient, but this is not the main topic here.

Not sure what you mean by the "jpg-option"?

You can open and edit jpegs as well as flattened .psd or .tiff files just like raws.

If you mean saving the result in jpeg, you simply 'Open' in the editor to save, continue to edit for local tools or layers, then you have all the options of the editor to save in your preferred format. Adobe considers the ACR plugin as only the converting stage in Elements. You can also simply work on a batch of 50 or 100 files, mixed jpegs and raws, select all after editing and a simple click on 'Done'. Then a simple export in jpeg from that batch (an album for instance) and you have your jpeg results.

Also have a look at the Preference dialog icon on top and the section 'default image settings'.

 

N
Neb1
Known Participant
August 18, 2020

I see what you mean. And I am sorry for being too short on my jpg comment as this is not the main focus of this thread. Anyway, I was referring to the "Save image..." button which gives you only the dng-export option and the pull-down contains dng and DNG. So basically I don't understand why there isn't a third option, i. e. jpg, as this would make the batch jpg export later (also described in your workflow) obsolete.

 

But the main focus is batch optimizing: Can you quickly comment on the fourth option for batch correction that I am missing (cf. previous post)? Thank you!

MichelBParis
MichelBParis
Legend
August 18, 2020

You are right that the smart fix in the editor expert mode is not available for batch editing.

However, I would not be surprised if the scripting tool in the very affordable Elements+ would work with that command.

https://elementsplus.net/help/en/batch.htm

MichelBParis
MichelBParis
Legend
August 18, 2020

As you have found, the results mainly depend on your taste.

They also are very dependent on your display conditions: are you using a decent, hardware calibrated display in good lighting conditions? Otherwise it's impossible to compare anything.

The enhancing algorithms only try to give you easy 'pleasing' results, not strictly true colors for display or printing. No reason at all to use the same settings for a 'quick' and automatic fix or to provide the best 'negative' for further manual editing.

The best tool in Elements for 'automatic' and advanced results is the ACR raw converter. You can use it not only for raw files, but also for jpegs. The 'auto' setting is mainly optimized to start with the best information you can before editing each file or a given set of the opened files. So, Elements has four ways to batch auto-correct files.

    N
    Neb1
    Known Participant
    August 18, 2020

    Yeah, of course, sorry, I forgot to mention my display with respect to my comparison so that you can make sure it is valid: It's a hardware calibrated EIZO EV2785 and it was almost dark around us during the comparison.

     

    Thank you for your hint regarding ACR. I just tried it and extended my comparison with the 10 pictures out of ACR and I think it delivers yet other results but on a comparable level than Editor Quick / Smartfix, so better than Organizer Smartfix. But I don't understand why the jpg-option is not present in ACR as it would be very easy to integrate and make the workflow more efficient, but this is not the main topic here.

     

    So, we found four ways of auto-correcting (Organizer Smartfix, Editor Quickfix, ACR auto, Editor Smartfix) with all of them out of the same software bundle while delivering different results.

     

    You mentioned "four ways to batch auto-correct files". Editor Smartfix seems to me not capable of batch processing, so I would end up with three ways for batch correction. What am I missing?

    Greg_S.
    Community Expert
    Greg_S.Community Expert
    Community Expert
    January 3, 2020

    The capability still exists in the Instant Fix tool.  Make sure you have the Show All Photos button toggled on:

     

    N
    Neb1
    Known Participant
    August 17, 2020

    In this thread, the batch smartfixing within the Organizer and the Editor are both discussed. Simple question: Which one produces better results?

     

    Background:

    Maybe I am the only one, but I would expect both ways (i. e. within the Organizer and the Editor) to produce exactly the same results, even though I admit that the term "smartfix" is not really clear and distinct, but they are both called "smartfix" within the very same software bundle (Adobe Elements) and both also have the same goal of "smartfixing".

     

    However, the results are, at least for some pictures quite different. I tend to like the results which the Editor produces more which is somewhat a pity as I like the workflow that the Organizer offers more compared to the workflow needed for smartfixing with the Editor.

     

    So does it depend on the picture or personal preference or are there more people with the impression that the Editor delivers better smartfix results (or the opposite)?

    Greg_S.
    Community Expert
    Greg_S.Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 17, 2020

    The Organizer's tool is actually called Instant Fix.   If all you want is a single-button click, then all of these features probably have a similar result.  But the Organizer's Instant Fix, and the Editor's Process Multiple Files>Quick Fix options are different.  Instant Fix is newer and is a better tool in my opinion.  There is no ability to preview the results in the Editor's batch processing, and you only have one option toggle for each of the parameters (levels, color, contrast and sharpen).  The Organizer's tool allows you to make adjustments on a sliding scale, using the preview sliders and the adjustments will be applied to all of the selected images.

     

    Beauty, as they say, is in they eyes of the beholder.  So, it is very difficult to provide a definitive comparison. But given the advances that have been made in certain aspects of the tools involved, I would think that the newer one comes out better in most comparisons.

    Phinny
    PhinnyCorrect answer
    Legend
    January 3, 2020

    You'll need to be in expert mode for it to work.

    Phinny
    Phinny
    Legend
    January 3, 2020

    I don't know if this will produce identical results but go to File >> Process multiple files ... and note the options available to you in upper right.

    M
    montanajeffAuthor
    Participant
    January 3, 2020

    Thanks for responding. I see that option but I cant seem to access it. It's not "highlighted" in my menu so i can't click on it.

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