Getting Started

1. Create or open a session

For a shoot, File ▸ New Project… (⌃⌘N) sets everything up in one click: name the session after the client or job (CommuniteFW26), choose how many numbered capture folders you need (one per outfit or set-up, 01 … 20) plus extras such as Tests, and the naming pattern — {session}_{folder}_{counter} gives CommuniteFW26_01_0001.RAF. The first folder is made active, so cards you import and tethered captures go straight into it.

Choose File ▸ New Session… (⌘N) and pick a location. A session is a folder with Capture, Selects, Output and Trash subfolders and a .cslsession file that keeps ratings, tags and every adjustment.

To work on images that live elsewhere, use Library ▸ Session Folders ▸ + to add any folder. To open a single file without a session, use File ▸ Open Image… (⌘O).

2. Import and browse

Import with ⇧⌘I: the Import window shows the cards and drives that are mounted (or any folder you choose), the images it finds with checkboxes and duplicate marks, and on the right where they go (Capture, Selects or a folder, with subfolder tokens such as {capture_date}), an optional backup copy, naming with tokens and a counter, creator / copyright / keywords, a look to apply, and whether to eject the card afterwards. Dropping files on the window still copies them straight into Capture. Browsing is instant after the first visit: every session image is decoded once into a preview of the Preview image size (Settings ▸ Image), kept in the session's cache and shown at display resolution, with the neighbouring images prefetched; thumbnails come from the same previews, and the full image is decoded only when you zoom in past the preview or export. Missing previews of the collection are generated in the background after a scan or import; the browser shows "Generating previews 12 of 104" with a stop button meanwhile, like Capture One. Learn camera looks from the imported files (on by default) learns, right after the copy, every film simulation / picture style on the card that has no profile yet from the cameras' own JPEG previews, so the images open with the look they were shot in.

Browse in the grid or list on the right; ← → step through images, 0–5 set the rating.

Select several images (⌘ / ⇧-click or ⌘A) to see them side by side in the viewer. ⇧↩ marks the key image, which always stays in view.

3. Develop

Start in Develop: check RAW Develop, set Exposure & White Balance, and straighten or crop with the cursor tools in the top bar.

Then shape tone (Tone tab), colour (Color tab) and film character (Film tab). Every change renders instantly; ⌘Z undoes.

Try a look from the Looks tab as a starting point, and save your own with New Look.

4. Copy to other images

Copy the adjustments with ⇧⌘C (or ⌃⇧C), select other images and apply with ⇧⌘V (or ⌃⇧V). Crops and rotation stay per image.

5. Export

Open Export (⇧⌘E), tick one or more recipes, check the location and naming, and press Export. ⌘D exports the selection straight away with the active recipes.