Capture One Pro 7 Sessions? How to import from existing folders?

[J. Paul]

Hello all,
I am new to Capture One and I just purchased Capture One Pro 7.  I am very proficient with Lightroom and I have been using it since its inception.  I have decided (initially anyway) is to use sessions instead of a catalog.  What I am wanting to do is bring- in/import a few raw files from an existing folder and process them to get a feel for the software.  For the life of me I can't figure out how to do this and I know it is something simple I have overlooked.  In Lightroom I just import the files and leave them in their existing folder and I am ready to go to work.  I have watched every Capture One tutorial I can find and I have watched (still watching) the Lula Guide to Capture One Pro 7 (which are excellent by the way).  Can someone shed some light on this for me?  I know at some point.....if I don't throw in the towel, my workflow will change and I will import images via card reader but for now just want to keep it simple.
Thanks,
J. Paul

[makaphoto]

You don't have to physically import your images to be able to work on them.
Just open the Library (you may have to expand it by clicking on the triangle beside). The whole file system on your computer will show up there to browse. You'll be able to access all the images of your system and work with them. I like to keep them where I put them initially, as I want to maintain my own file system. Be aware though that if you shove images around to different folders, to do this inside CaptureOne. Thus all the internal CO1 work files will be moved together with the image and the link stays intact.

[J. Paul]

Thanks makaphoto!  This is very helpful.  I am getting there slowly.
Regards,
J. Paul

[hubell]

I would strongly encourage you to NOT use Sessions and, instead, just import your images that you want to work on in C1 7 into a C1 7 Catalog that you sort of run side by side with your Lightroom Catalog. Be sure to check the box that allows you to leave the files in their original locations. I use LR 5 as my primary catalog/ asset manager and use C1 as an alternative raw processor for certain files where it does a better job than LR. This is not ideal in some ways, as you really need to move files around only in LR if you want to maintain the integrity of the LR Catalog. After I work on a file in C1 7 and I am ready to process it, I export a 16 bit TIFF to the same folder as the original raw and with a file name that indicates it was converted in C1. I then have to remember to import that 16 bit TIFF into my LR Catalog.
With Sessions, C1 dictates your file organization, not you. It's an anachronisitic vestige of C1's original role as a software tool for tethered capture for Phase digital backs.

[J. Paul]

Hcubell,
Your suggestion may just be the ticket!  This looks like a good option for me as I will probably end up using CO Pro 7 in the same way.
Thanks,
J. Paul

[Miles Flint]

I would strongly encourage you to NOT use Sessions and, instead, just import your images that you want to work on in C1 7 into a C1 7 Catalog that you sort of run side by side with your Lightroom Catalog. Be sure to check the box that allows you to leave the files in their original locations. I use LR 5 as my primary catalog/ asset manager and use C1 as an alternative raw processor for certain files where it does a better job than LR. This is not ideal in some ways, as you really need to move files around only in LR if you want to maintain the integrity of the LR Catalog. After I work on a file in C1 7 and I am ready to process it, I export a 16 bit TIFF to the same folder as the original raw and with a file name that indicates it was converted in C1. I then have to remember to import that 16 bit TIFF into my LR Catalog.
With Sessions, C1 dictates your file organization, not you. It's an anachronisitic vestige of C1's original role as a software tool for tethered capture for Phase digital backs.

Yes but beware of Catalogs in C1 if you want to port from one machine to another - laptop to desktop for instance.  If the files in the Catalog are 'referenced' i.e. left in the original location and not imported into the catalog then the catalog won't work on the second machine.  If you import the images into a Session or a Catalog then it's simple to transfer either to another machine.

I'm not sure I understand the comment that C1 dictates your file organisation.   Perhaps I've missed the point but I don't find C1's file organisation to be a constraint.  Exporting as a TIFF from C1 and then importing in LR makes sense if that's what you want to do.

You can also import LR catalogs into C1 though I haven't needed  to try this.

Six of one and half a dozen of another but I have found you lose portability between machines if you reference files in their existing locations rather than importing them into a Session or Catalog.