Working with Process Recipes

Benefits of using process recipes

As Capture One works non-destructively, the application never alters the original image files in any way. When images are required in the various sizes, formats and color spaces to send to a client, or to publish on the web or send to a printing service, Capture One creates new files from the originals and applies all the saved settings and adjustments during processing, that you can use time and time again.

You can specify JPEG, TIFF, PNG, DNG or PSD file formats, set new image dimensions, convert color spaces and embed profiles, add output sharpening, and include metadata, such as EXIF data, Keywords and IPTC data. Capture One can also rename and group images into a sub folder hierarchy within the parent or root folder using the semi-automated dynamic locations feature.

Although you can use the Export Variant command to process image variants, available from the main menu or contextual menu (Ctrl/right-click), this option is limited to a single recipe. This is fine when all of the variants selected for export are to be processed, for example, into the same file format, or you want them to have the same color space, or group of keywords, but if you require different settings, you have to alter the recipe each time. Not only is this time-consuming when working with a high volume of image variants, it is also error-prone.

When adopting Capture One Pro’s Output tools instead, you have the option to use Process Recipes. These are groups of pre-configured output settings, or presets, that you can select for various requirements. Process Recipes not only allow you to customize and save your most frequently used settings, but by selecting one or more of these recipes from the list, you can simultaneously process multiple copies of the same image or selection of images, according to your needs. For example, the same image or group of images can be simultaneously processed in different formats, sizes or color spaces. It is as simple as adding checkmarks to the appropriate recipes, and clicking Process.

The Recipes in the Output inspector also have a few extra features over the Recipe option in the Export panel. As well as watermarking using graphics files or the built-in text editor, when selecting the PSD file format there is the ability to share images with watermarks, annotations and transparency overlays as individual layers, while any cropping applied can also be saved as a path.

Note you can export or process managed image files directly but, with referenced files, Capture One must have access to the originals.

Process image variants using recipes

Capture One is supplied with several presets called Process Recipes for processing and exporting image variants, using common file formats, sizes and profiles. From the Output Tool Tab you can select one or more of the presets from the list in Process Recipes dialog, or specify other settings in the Process Recipe tool, located directly beneath. Note, selecting settings in the Process Recipe tool overrides the selection in the Process Recipes dialog.

1. Go to the Output Tool Tab.
2. Select the image variants for processing from the browser.
3. In Process Recipes, checkmark the required recipe(s) for the selected variants. Selecting multiple recipes will simultaneously process and export new files with those recipe settings applied (Capture One Pro only).
4. From the Process Summary tool, press Process.
5. Processing can be stopped at any time, then edited and re-started from the Batch Tool Tab.    

Process multiple file formats simultaneously Pro

Capture One can process and export an image variant or variants in multiple file formats, image sizes and color spaces, with or without a watermark, keywords or sharpening, all at the same time. Each recipe selected will create a new image file with the specified settings applied.

1. Go to Output Tool Tab.
2. Select the image variants in need of processing.
3. Go to the Process Recipes tool and checkmark the relevant recipes in the list.
4. From the Process Summary tool, click on the Process button.

Verifying recipe settings

Before exporting images using the recipes displayed in the Process Recipes tool, you can view the settings to check they are suitable for the intended purpose. When using Capture One there are several predefined recipes listed in the Process Recipes dialog. If you suspect they’re not all showing, click on the tool’s Action menu (…) > Add recipe > and select the recipe from the list, or long-click on the + (plus) icon to reveal the list and select the recipe directly. The recipe will be added to the list in the dialog.

1. Click on the desired recipe from the list shown in the Process Recipes tool; the selected recipe will be highlighted with an orange bar (turns silver colored, when clicking outside the dialog).
2. Check the settings below in the Process Recipe tool correspond with the highlighted recipe. All the settings apply, including those located under each tab.
3. Verify and amend incorrect settings. For example, the highlighted recipe states JPEG 80% Quality Full Size (Adobe RGB),yet under the Basic tab, the Format field shows TIFF. To update the recipe, alter the Format field to JPEG, set the Quality slider to 80%, confirm the ICC Profile selected is Adobe RGB, and Scale is set to Fixed 100%. Settings are automatically saved.

Proofing recipes

Capture One can also soft-proof the selected recipe, thereby revealing any scaling, compression, or sharpening artifacts on-screen prior to output. By adjusting the settings with the proof mode enabled, you can see the real-time effect on-screen of individual selections, such as the effect of down-sampling when resizing images for the Web.

1. Select the image variant in the browser that want you to proof the settings for. 
2. Highlight the recipe (or create a new recipe) from the list in the Process Recipes dialog, located under the Output Tool tab.
3. Go the Process Recipe tool, and under the various tabs select the processing settings, including the image size, profile, and output sharpening, where applicable.
4. Click on the Show Recipe Proofing (glasses) icon in the main tool bar, or from the main menu, select View>Show Recipe Proofing.
5. All the recipe settings applied to the image variant will be visible on screen for evaluation.

Creating process recipes Pro

Capture One Pro offers a number of predefined process presets, or Process Recipes, when exporting images. However, if the process settings don’t meet your needs exactly, you can update the existing recipe or create your own. When you modify a built-in recipe, the original is not permanently altered, nor can it be deleted. The original can be restored from the menu available from the New Recipe button (+ icon) in the Process Recipes foot bar. Note, multiple recipes are only available in Capture One Pro or Capture One DB. Only steps 4 to 7 are relevant with Capture One Express (for Sony).

1. Go to the Output Tool Tab.
2. In Process Recipes tool click on the New Recipe (+ icon) in the foot-bar using a short press. An untitled recipe will be added to the list. The new recipe is based on the full-size TIFF (Adobe RGB) 8-bit preset. Alternatively, highlight a recipe to copy, click on the tool’s Action button (… icon) and select Duplicate Recipe.     
3. Click on the new recipe and rename it. A descriptive name using the format, size and color space is recommended. Warning! Clicking on the - (minus) icon will remove the recipe from the list, and, if it’s a newly created recipe, it will be permanently deleted .
4. From the Process Recipe tool’s Basic tab, choose the desired file format from the Format drop-down menu. See more on file formats.
5. Select the appropriate output profile from the  ICC Profile drop-down menu. The choice of color space depends on the final purpose of the image file (e.g, sRGB for Web use, Adobe RGB for print).
6. Specify the required resolution in Resolution field and from the Scale drop-down menu, either select the default Fixed 100% to use the resolution to resize the image (keeping the native pixel count unchanged), or select the print dimensions independently to resample the image. If not resizing images for the Web or to print, you can leave the setting to the defaults.
7. Select a compatible application from the Open With drop-down menu to automatically open and view a processed image. For example, Phase One Media Pro, or Adobe Photoshop. This option is not recommended if multiple images are processed in one batch.
8. From the File tab, select the output destination from the Root Folder drop-down menu. Select from the original image folder, another folder of your choice, or select Output Location to defer to the Output Location tool.
9. From the Adjustments tab, choose from the sharpening options as desired. 
10. From the Metadata tab checkmark the options for including ratings, copyright, GPS, EXIF data and manage keywords from the drop-down menu.
11. From the Watermark tab, choose whether or not add a watermark to exported images.
12. Every setting is saved and will be available next time the recipe is selected.

Resetting recipe settings

You can reset the recipe's output settings using the tool’s reset option. Warning! This resets the recipe to the default output settings (i.e., Full Size, 8-bit TIFF (Adobe RGB)). You will likely need to re-enter the appropriate output settings to match the related recipe listed above in Process Recipes panel.

1. Navigate to the Output inspector.
2. Go to the Process Recipe tool.
3. Click-on the Action button (… icon) in the tool’s title bar. A two-option menu opens.
4. Click on Reset Tool. Warning! This resets the recipe to the default output settings (i.e., Full Size, 8-bit TIFF (Adobe RGB)).
5. Re-enter the appropriate output settings to match the related recipe listed above in Process Recipes panel.

Process summary warning

The Process Summary dialog provides an overview of all the chosen settings for an image variant, or variants, before processing. This includes the processed image size, file name, file format and predicted file size. Any red highlighted figures are there as a warning that something will not be processed as expected. Check the highlighted figures and make the necessary alterations (e.g. change the dimensions), before pressing the Process button.