hasselbladdigitalforum.com

Main Board => Flexcolor, Phocus, and other software. => Topic started by: bdp on August 15, 2017, 02:09:28 PM

Title: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on August 15, 2017, 02:09:28 PM
I would love to know if it's just my setup or if everyone is plagued by laggy performance with Phocus lately. clicking between thumbnails, moving sliders etc all results in a delay and generally laggy performance. I'm sure this has been getting worse lately and I'm trying to troubleshoot without resorting to buying a new Mac.

Has anyone else noticed this? Is Phocus due for a performance-oriented re-write?

My setup is not new but is performance oriented - 2009 Mac Pro with 2 x quad core processors, 24GB RAM, fast SSD HDD (500MB/s read/write), AMD Radeon graphics card 3GB. So there shouldn't be any bottleneck there I would think.

Any tips to get Phocus being more responsive? I'm on 3.1.3 because 3.2 and later versions limit the WB to 9600K.

Ben
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: Dustbak on August 16, 2017, 03:42:05 AM
What monitor are you using? By any chance a 10 bit screen?
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on August 16, 2017, 08:07:32 AM
I have 3 monitors attached - 2 x Eizos and a cheap BenQ near the set for the stylist. Not sure if they are 10 bit but I can check - why do you ask?

Ben
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: NickT on August 16, 2017, 08:36:36 AM
Ben how often do you restart? My machines tend to run 24/7 (sleeping when not in use) but it does pay to restart every once in a while.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on August 16, 2017, 11:22:37 AM
Hi Nick, nearly never - I'm like and keep it on always. But I restarted yesterday because I had the same thought, but to no avail. Of course it's worse if I have lots of adjustment layers on pics, I think I just need more grunt.

Ben
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: NickT on August 16, 2017, 01:43:28 PM
I'm on an iMac i7 32Gig and Nvidia 4 Gig and don't see any issues. I am not however using adjustment layers in Phocus so maybe that's the difference?
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: Dustbak on August 16, 2017, 07:59:09 PM
The previous Phocus had performance issues with 10 bit screens (in combination with MacOS Sierra mostly). I use an Eizo Coloredge, a 10bit screen. With Phocus 3.1 I have enormous performance issues, this was an eventually known issue that has been resolved in the 10.12.4 update of Sierra.

Issues where with drawing the screen. Scrolling was something that went truly slow, I had beachballs with every move.

I was just going back over the conversations I had on this topic earlier this year. It was a MacOS issue to begin with solved with 10.12.4. Apparently HB was able to fix it a bit in 3.2 but the largest culprit ended up being MacOS and the way it draws the screen with 10bit screens.

You might want to check disconnecting the Eizo's and see if you have issues on the BenQ (I guess that is not a 10bit screen).
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on August 16, 2017, 09:46:46 PM
Hi Dustbak,

OK, thanks for that insight. I'm stuck on 3.1 until Hasselblad fix the WB upper limit in 3.2, if they even know about it. I'm also still on OSX 10.11.x. It's very frustrating having beachballs all the time and long delays switching between thumbnails. Seems to be a recent issue though, so I'll try to figure out what has changed in the last few weeks.

Nick - thanks, I'm tempted to upgrade my Mac but I was hoping to hold out for the iMac Pro, so I'll maybe try updating to Sierra first and that may change some issues. Hopefully it won't be too tedious and introduce problems like a lot of major OS updates...

Ben
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: NickT on August 17, 2017, 09:03:19 AM
Ben I finally upgraded my workstation to Sierra and it has been really solid, Phocus is certainly better behaved! BTW the next version of Phocus shows a big improvement in screen drawing and file processing, twice as fast on my machine.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: NickT on August 17, 2017, 09:08:21 AM
Quote from: bdp on August 16, 2017, 09:46:46 PM
Hi Dustbak,

OK, thanks for that insight. I'm stuck on 3.1 until Hasselblad fix the WB upper limit in 3.2, if they even know about it.

I've just reminded them about the WB limit.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on August 17, 2017, 09:14:54 AM
Thanks Nick!!
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: Simon Bran on August 18, 2017, 03:17:00 AM
Hi Ben,
if you have a 2009 mac pro it might not update to Sierra, mine is a 'early 2009' mac pro and was excluded from the update ( mid 2010 or newer according to the support page) so i'm stuck on 10.11.6  El Capitan.
but i'm using Phocus 3.22 , a Eizo monitor  and every thing is ok, (apart from the WB control)
Sooo ...... If hb sort the WB out in the next upgrade, you might be ok : -)
Simon.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on August 18, 2017, 08:00:52 AM
Hi Simon,

Thanks for the info. I'm surprised to hear my Mac may be too 'vintage' to upgrade - it still competes speed-wise with my brand new Macbook Pro so it doesn't 'feel' old. Another Apple ploy to force me to buy more hardware!!

Ben
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: NickT on August 22, 2017, 11:27:49 AM
Quote from: bdp on August 16, 2017, 09:46:46 PM
I'm stuck on 3.1 until Hasselblad fix the WB upper limit in 3.2, if they even know about it

This will be fixed next release.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on August 22, 2017, 03:11:11 PM
Thanks Nick!

Any other hints about upcoming changes or improvements you have heard about?

Ben
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: NickT on August 22, 2017, 07:48:37 PM
Ben I would tell you but I'd have to kill you (NDA)
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on August 22, 2017, 08:01:46 PM
Well at least we know something is coming  ;D
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on September 06, 2017, 01:20:13 PM
Well I got a new iMac and it has largely solved my issues.

Nick, can I ask you  - is it a known bug in the current version of Phocus that the ability to focus the camera while tethered is very flaky? It works for a few captures but then greys out. So annoying when critical focus is needed and the camera is up at ceiling height on a camera stand....

Ben

Edit:  I've worked out the '+' and '-' buttons only grey out when the mirror is up. So to change focus I can just flip the mirror back down and focus, then flip it up again. Never seen that one before....
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: NickT on September 06, 2017, 03:23:37 PM
I don't tend to remote focus Ben so I'll have a look and report back.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on September 06, 2017, 03:25:28 PM
Thanks Nick. I seem to have found a workaround. See my edited post above yours.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: Alex on September 07, 2017, 02:50:52 AM
Quote from: bdp on September 06, 2017, 01:20:13 PM
.. the ability to focus the camera while tethered is very flakey; It works for a few captures but then greys out.

This is intermittently occurring on the Windows version as well since 3.x.x - sometimes continuing to "press" the area of the greyed out button results in a shift in focus, sometimes nothing. At other times the buttons respond but nothing changes, then everything jerks forwards/backwards lots of steps.
Also sometimes when exiting the Live Video all the camera controls reset themselves with some settings becoming non accessible for a while.
Yes, agreed; when positioned in inaccessible places like up near the ceiling, it makes for a rather stressful and nerve racking day going up and down ladders.. not exactly confidence inspiring.

I'm currently considering using vers 2.8.x for less troublesome tethered shooting and then 3.x.x for processing for the near future.


Alex
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: fiatlux on September 14, 2017, 09:28:45 PM
Quote from: Simon Bran on August 18, 2017, 03:17:00 AMif you have a 2009 mac pro it might not update to Sierra, mine is a 'early 2009' mac pro and was excluded from the update ( mid 2010 or newer according to the support page) so i'm stuck on 10.11.6  El Capitan

There's an easy fix to that. MP 2009 and 2010 are identical hardware-wise, the only difference being the firmware (and the CPU and graphic cards options offered when new).

You can flash the MP 2010 on a 2009 machine, it is an easy one-time command in the command line (once fw is downloaded). I did it years ago on mine, happily run Sierra and am looking forward to High Sierra.

I think the details and necessary file are on netkas' forum.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on September 15, 2017, 07:57:37 AM
Interesting. Although academic for me now as I bought a new iMac. It is a bit better but I still think Phocus is sluggish compared to how responsive other imaging software is (such as Capture One).

Regarding High Sierra - I won't be touching that one! That new APFS file system is sure to cause all manner of pain and misery for a good 6 months or more after release.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on September 26, 2017, 11:32:33 PM
Well Phocus 3.3 just came out and it is much faster!

Amazing, just what I was after - little did I know Hasselblad were already working on it. Well done Hasselblad.

Ben
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: hugenoot on September 28, 2017, 07:25:44 AM
I use Phocus on a 2012 MacBook Pro Retina with 16Gb memory and High Sierra. The performance is terrible, and there are all sort of issues with freezing display and crashes 8 times today...
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: bdp on September 28, 2017, 09:02:19 AM
High Sierra has only been out for a few days - I wouldn't recommend installing it for 6 months or more. That could be your problem.
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: hugenoot on September 28, 2017, 10:05:45 PM
Quote from: bdp on September 28, 2017, 09:02:19 AM
High Sierra has only been out for a few days - I wouldn't recommend installing it for 6 months or more. That could be your problem.

I have beta-test High Sierra from the beginning with the previous version of Phocus. And also with Aperture and Lightroom. And never had the errors I have now...
Title: Re: Phocus performance issues - Mac version
Post by: Eric Borgström on September 29, 2017, 02:03:25 AM
Phocus 3.3 installed on my iiMac from late 2011 rundning High Sierra without a problem. It did crash several times as it has never done before upgrading, perhaps due to low memory, just having 16 GB. Chrash retorts sent to Apple that suposedly shares it with Hasselblad. Just unsaved work lost.
/Eric