Edit images offline with Capture One Pro

Image editing without access to the original files can be a challenge, but with Capture One Pro, you have the ability to effectively evaluate and edit your images offline. This feature is particularly useful when you don't always have all storage media with you. You can still tag your images with metadata and make adjustments even if the hard drive they are on is not connected. In this guide, you will learn how to make the most of Capture One Pro's offline feature.

Key takeaways

Capture One Pro allows you to edit images even when the original storage media is not connected. You can work with metadata, evaluate images, and make adjustments such as setting white balance without issues. Unfortunately, edited images cannot be exported as JPEG or in other formats while the original files are offline. Once you reconnect the media, access to the original files will be restored.

Step-by-step guide

First, it's important that you navigate the user interface of Capture One Pro. Start the program and open the library where you can manage your imported images.

Begin by accessing an external storage medium where your images are saved. If everything is connected correctly, you should see the corresponding drive letter in the folder view. Here, you can browse the folder structure and select the desired images.

Now that you have access to the folder with your images, perform some basic edits while the USB drive or external hard drive is connected. Zoom into the images and start editing. Here, you can adjust everything to your liking.

But what happens if you remove the USB drive? Capture One Pro immediately notifies you that you are offline. You will see a corresponding message at the top, and question marks will appear in the image browser. This indicates that the software cannot find the original images.

Despite this notice, you can still work with your images. You can rate them, add keywords, and adjust metadata without continuous access to the original files.

Before you start editing, make sure you have set the preview size. This can be done through "Edit" and then "Preferences". The default size is usually set at 2560 pixels. You can adjust this size to optimize the view.

Let's say you want to set the white balance. Select the relevant image, go to the color section, and click on the pipette. This allows you to select a neutral area in the image to correctly adjust the white balance.

Once you have made your adjustments, everything is saved in the images even if the original files are offline. You can continue to zoom in on the image and make further changes. However, note that you cannot export this revised version as long as the original image is not present.

If you now try to export the edited image as a JPEG, Capture One will display an error message. This is because you cannot access the original file.

To regain access to your image, you need to reconnect the USB drive or storage medium. Make sure the "offline" notice and question marks disappear once the connection is established.

Now you can export the image without issues. Choose a suitable output folder on your computer and click "Process". You will see that the image is successfully saved as a JPEG.

This is the great advantage of this feature: Even without the original files, you can review, edit, and adjust your images. When you reconnect your external hard drive or USB stick, it's easy to export the results in different formats.

Summary

With Capture One Pro, you can edit images at any time, even without the storage media connected. You have the option to make adjustments and edit metadata. However, exporting edited images is only possible once the original files are back online.