Do not use Capture One. Its broken …

One remark … I do not like Lightroom. So I am not gaslighting here … I am just annoyed by this broken mess.

This software is the attempt of making a RAW processor that Phase One the notoriously overpriced and technologically under developed camera producer is selling with their own devices and Fuji cameras.

I am using it for many many years now. First with my PhaseOne and now with my Fuji Medium Format camera because it was part of the package. So I was not willing to invest in an additional application that does not natively support my cameras. Also the color management is really good.

BUT this piece of software even in version 12 that I am using is still in a state of a pre-alpha that was assembled by a group of amateurs in a back yard garage somewhere in the nordics.

I am not talking about a plethora of other issues here like:

1. constant hangs and crashes
2. an incompetent support
3. an 80´s style unituitive, dysfunctional UI
4. mind blowingly complicated, broken and confusing processes
5. abysmal performance

but rather about the fact that this quite expensive application is still unable to provide a functional image explorer and associated management.

This program is just not working. Its utterly broken even after years of development. Its insane to sell software like this and ask nearly 400 Euros for it. I wonder if this company has a quality mangement in place. The level of dysfunctionality in this programme is mind blowing.

Why ?

1. Ever tried to import images with duplicate detection ? It takes ages to complete. 240 images take 20 min. to import which is not more than building a reference that should take 5 seconds. Who invents such an idiotic routine? Mindblowing … even Microsoft in WIndows can do better and they usually are the pinnacle of incompetence.
2. Rendering previews takes ages even on a NAND SDD with 7 GB Transfer rate. No idea why.
3. Bulk editing for rating, color tags etc. ? No … not working most of the time
4. If you host images on an external drive you need to relocate your folders whenever windows changes the drive letter. Which unfortunately happens all the time because Windows 11 is also still in a pre-alpha condition. This alone wastes so MUCH of your time.
5. If you need to do that be prepared to be patient while C1 takes its long long long while to re-iterate through all of the images … Always check the include existing adjustments. Sometimes it even works. Hopefully it manages to be back on track afterwards because … sometimes its not and you loose your work. Why is this possible ? Dont know …
6. During the process it sometimes detects the correct number of images but then starts to count backwards until it reaches 0 images … makes sense … counting properly is not for everyone
7. Be prepared that during this process it happens all the time that ALL your adjustments, including ratings are just gone … it is stunning that P1 apparently has no idea on how to save adjustments so that they can be reapplied irrelevant of the files location and state. I did not believe this to be possible.
8. Saving exported images to a folder and afterwards you find them in this folder ? Nope … even this does not work consistently …. the definition of processing what to where and who is confusing and complicated.
9. You can customize your tools palettes but items get randomly deleted and even basic palettes are constantly rendered empty. Like the filters where all in a sudden all filters are simply gone and you need to re-add the entire palette …

Now … the company, challenged like this will tell you that you do not have the latest version where everything is fine … certainly I can expect that when I pay money for a product its working when I buy it … not 40 iterations later.

Is this what you expect from a professional software ? No its what you expect when a bunch of wannabe developers and amateurs tries to create a software and then charges 400 ! Euros for it … stay clear.