Moving the Lightroom Catalog and Photos

1. Download Lightroom from Adobe. The Lightroom license allows for installation on two computers, so my existing license key for Windows works just fine on the Mac.
2. Install Lightroom on the Mac.
3. Locate your Lightroom catalog and preview cache files. The catalog (filename ends in .lrcat) is the Lightroom database containing all of your edits and metadata. The cache file (same name as your catalog, plus the word Previews, and ending in .lrdata) contains the image thumbnails for your photos. It’s not necessary to move this file, but if you do, you’ll save a bit of time because Lightroom won’t have to rebuild all of your thumbnails.
4. Take a look at where your photos are stored. After moving Lightroom, you’ll need to update the file locations so that it can find your files. Hopefully you have your images in some sort of logical storage locations.
5. Move your Lightroom catalog and cache files to the Mac. I used an external (firewire) hard drive but you could also use any other file transfer method. I created a “Lightroom” folder within the “Pictures” folder for my Lightroom files and put them inside.
6. If you’re moving your photo files, move them at this point. If they’re on a external drive or another storage location that isn’t changing, continue along…
7. Open Lightroom on the Mac and open up your catalog. You should see thumbnails but if you look in the Folders panel, you’ll see that the names are grayed out because Lightroom can’t find the files.
8. The final step is to help Lightroom find your photo files. Right-click on a grayed-out folder location and choose “Find Missing Folder” and browse to the correct location.

That’s it! You’ve moved Lightroom and all of your data is intact. You can also move plugins and presets which are as straightforward as moving them from the PC file location to the Mac file location.

Moving Lightroom Plugins and Presets

Since Lightroom lets you choose your own plugin location, you will simply move files from your plugin location on your PC to a location on your Mac, then reinstall the plugin via Lightroom’s Plugin Manager (on the File menu).

Presets might be a little more hidden. On Windows Vista, they’re stored in folders under C:\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\. On Windows XP, they’ll be in C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Adobe\Lightroom. Move your custom presets to the Mac. On the Mac, you’ll want to store them inside ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom.

Overall it’s a fairly simple process given the complexity of the program.

As I mentioned in the original post, I don’t have any complaints about this lens; long fast glass is a good thing for many purposes.

One question that I’ve been asked a few times recently is that of which DSLR camera is best for a beginner who wants to get serious about their photography? There isn’t one single right answer, but here are a few things to consider.

Brand

Go with Canon or Nikon. They’re the two big players in this market, offer a wide variety of lenses and accessories, and they both make a quality product. There are other options, such as Sony, Olympus, and Pentax, but Canon and Nikon will make purchasing equipment and seeking out resources much simpler. Which should you choose between Canon and Nikon? Either will produce great images. One major factor is that if a bunch of your friends have one brand, by choosing that brand you’ll be able to share lenses and trade equipment.

Price

Photography with a DSLR is going to cost money. You don’t have to break the bank to get started. An important consideration is that when it comes to image quality, the lenses (casually referred to as “glass”) are as important, if not more important, than the camera body. Keep this in mind when budgeting for equipment. Don’t go buy a $2,000 body and then put on a $200 lens. My recommendation is to get one of relatively inexpensive “lower end” DSLRs to learn with, and get some decent lenses with the plan that the lenses will outlast the camera when (and if) you eventually upgrade to a fancier body in the future.

Features and Numbers

Don’t fall into the megapixel marketing trap. The reality is that you can print perfectly clear 8×10 photos from a 5 megapixel camera. More megapixels will do larger sizes, but even an 8 megapixel camera can do poster prints. All of the DSLRs from Canon and Nikon will allow you to easily adjust the shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation. One thing that isn’t often talked about is the physical feel of the cameras. I’d encourage prospective buyers to head down to a local camera shop (I’m a big fan of Pro Photo Supply in Portland) and get their hands on a few different cameras to see how things feel.

So… which one?

If you want to go with Canon, I’d look at the Canon Digital Rebel XTi which offers a good mix of features at a reasonable price (around $500 for the body). If you decide to go the Nikon route, I’d recommend the D40x which has comparable specs and will run around $600 including a 18-55mm starter lens.

Either one will take great photos, and despite what some equipment brand-zealots might tell you, the quality of photographs will depend far more on the technical and artistic talent of the photographer than the particular model of camera being used.

Enter the Think Tank Speed Belt system. It’s a very flexible system consisting of a variety of bags that can be worn on a special belt. Bags can be added or removed from the belt as needed for a particular situation or shoot. A big positive is that the lenses or other items in the bags can be accessed while the belt is being worn, without stopping or setting anything on the ground.

I still use my backpack to bring a large quantity of gear to a shoot, but if the situation requires moving around and being able to swap equipment quickly, the flexibility of the belt system makes it my tool of choice. Photographers looking to invest in a bag should consider the type of photography, gear to be carried, and budget, and choose a system allowing for the best results for their situation.