A feature of IMatch is the ability to set up master → version relationships between files based on a naming convention. In Mediabank, filenames differ only in their extensions. Versions are identified as follows:
Relationships between file formats. Versions have dotted borders.
Canon RAW (.cr3)
The Canon R50 shoots Canon Raw version 3 (CRW) and I have it set to C-RAW (Compressed RAW) because there is no noticeable quality loss. Each image is saved with a matching JPEG file. The ability of IMatch to specify a version acts as a visual proxy for the CR3 image is an efficient solution to the problem of Finding cropped Canon images in IMatch. I can also quickly upload the JPEG for sharing, replacing it with an edited version later on if needed.
I store the CRW files until I want to edit an image. Before editing I’ll pre-process the image through DXO Pure Raw to perform noise reduction and lens correction.1 Editing occurs in Affinity Photo and a high-quality JPEG is produced for sharing. Importantly, these files all have _dxo in the filename to distinguish them from a standard DNG workflow. The intermediate DNG and AFPHOTO files are deleted unless the editing has been substantial. I am still testing if I need to keep both the DNG and AFPHOTO, or if I simply recreate the DNG when needed for the smaller AFPHOTO to refer to.
| Format | Master Expression | Link Expression |
|---|---|---|
CRW | \.(cr3)$ | (_*{name})(?:_dxo\.(?:dng|afphoto)|\.jpg)$ |
Matches filename.cr3 with filename_dxo.dng, filename_dxo.afphoto or filename.jpg.
DNG, TIFF and HEIC
Scanned images are in JPEG format. When editing is required I convert to TIFF, keeping the original image quality, and then produce a new JPEG. Scans normally need substantial retouching so the AFPHOTO file is kept (remove scan lines, large colour correction, etc.).
images are either HEIF or JPEG and will require minimal editing so the AFPHOTO is an intermediate step, quickly discarded.
| Format | Master Expression | Link Expression |
|---|---|---|
DNG | (?<!_dxo)\.dng$ | ^(_*{name})\.(jpg|afphoto)$ |
HEIC | \.(heic|heif)$ | ^(_*{name})\.(jpg|afphoto)$ |
TIFF | \.(tif|tiff)$ | ^(_*{name})\.(jpg|afphoto)$ |
Matches filename.ext with a check for DNG to exclude _dxo in the name because that is part of the CRW workflow.