Aperture/iPhoto lost my RAW files!

[Van Isle]

I tried Aperature for a while. I loved it's sorting ability. I hated the way it integrated with Nikon Capture NX. That is to say, it sucked. So after the trial I "relocated masters" to my iphoto library.

Soon I had between 1 and 5 copies of almost every photo: RAW, and jpegs of all sizes, thumbnails large and small. ARGH!!!

So I did some sorting, pic by pic, to get rid of the thumbnails. I had iPhoto rebuild the thumbnail cache, then I discover my last 1000 or some images (including some money makers) have disappeared to leave only a large jpeg behind. AND I have doubles of roughly half of the other remaining photos (library is only about 3000 images) wiht no perceivable rhyme or reason.

WHAT?

I shoot in RAW exclusively, and now somehow between iPhoto and Aperature I've lost 942 RAW files BUT they've been turned into jpegs...

ah man! And no up-to-date backup because my external hard disk JUST fried itself.

Boo on Apple for this mess.

VI

[DavidTO]

Are you really sure they're not in the "Originals" folder? Or that Aperture doesn't still have them hidden somewhere? Even if they ARE still there, it does sound a bit roundabout the hoops you had to jump through to try Aperture. You might want to make sure that CatOne sees this thread, he's well-versed in Aperture, and he works for Apple, and might be able to help.

[Van Isle]

Nope, not in "originals" folder. Although I now have roughly 1000 "thumbnail" folders and 1000 "preview" folders, each with 1 jpeg. I can only assume somehow, in my haste and mind-numbed state of deleting MULTIPLE duplications that I somehow tracked down my last 1000 RAW files and deleted them vice the large jpegs.

It was a hassle to use Aperature, especially to switch back. You import your iphoto library to Aperature, it generates jpeg previews (even if the pic is already a tiny jpeg) and then it stores that somewhere. When you get rid of Aperature all the pics stay behind and you have to replace them. Not a very slick set up, IMO.

One of my mistakes (besides the backup, I know I know) was importing a months worth of photos during the trial in to Aperature directly rather than continuing to use iPhoto. That fumble-ness caused some confusion but I was trying to integrate the software into my workflow to see if it was worth the $350.

It ain't!

VI

[Van Isle]

Is there a way I could use recovery software on my hard disk to find all NEF files, particularly the ones it appears I have "trashed?"

EDIT: yes, and it has cost me about $100 so far, and some hours of work to get back all...65,000+ "image" files off of my hard drive...still workin on it. But I only need to sell a few of these pics to my regular motorcycle racers to make up the cost, right? RIGHT?

Many thanks.

VI