One problem with tethering in Photo Mechanic is that you still need other software to accomplish it. You can set this option to wait for both members of a raw+JPEG pair, or to wait for a specified time for raw files to become stable. Photo Mechanic's Live Ingest feature lets the app watch folders and immediately import anything that lands in said folder, as well as work as a tethering feature-direct from camera. At import, you can apply a local or global metadata template to the images, rename them to a specified sequence using variables, and erase or unmount the disk after the operation. You need to set a primary destination and optionally a secondary. You can ingest from not only media (called disks in the app) but also folders or a selection in the Contact Sheet view. Once you land on a photo you want to edit, you can tap the E key to open it in your default photo editing application for that file type. Missing are simple pick and reject buttons offered by other software, though you can check a tag box or press T or + to tag an image, which is this app's equivalent to what other apps call a pick. You can enlarge the Contact Sheet view in Photo Mechanic with a slider at the top of the window, and you can sort images by capture time, modified time, filename, star rating, and other criteria. Despite the outdated design touches, the interface is still functional, with clear on-hover buttons on each thumbnail for rotating, viewing info, and opening in full view. In general, the interface seems to hail from the Windows Vista days, with 3D Aero styling. Photo Mechanic's interface uses light colored window borders, which most photo software has moved away from in favor of a dark gray that doesn't distract from the images. Each folder you open gets a new tab at the top of the window. The window quickly populates with your shots with what Camera Bits calls the Contact Sheet. The premium version, Photo Mechanic Plus ($229 or $90 to upgrade), adds an image database with multiple catalog capability. Upgrading from an earlier version costs $89. Photo Mechanic carries a one-time purchase price of $139. Versions of the software for both macOS and Windows are available, and capabilities are nearly identical in both. It does, however, let you import, organize, and rate your images, and then export them to another app for editing, upload them to an online service, or print them. Photo Mechanic doesn't let you edit photos, nor is it meant for processing raw camera files. But is it worth getting as an additional program when you need other software to do actual editing? But seasoned pro photographers have long sworn by Photo Mechanic as the fastest importer and previewer, as well as the most capable tool for organizing thousands of shots. Plenty of photo apps let you view, import, and organize photos from your digital media, including the mindshare-leading workflow program Adobe Lightroom.
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