Microsoft Camera Codec Pack

[pstanar]

Today Microsoft released new version (16.0.0652.0621) of Camera Codec Pack for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 and Vista. I suspect it is not wise to install it while FPV Codec Pack is installed.

Axel, are you going to spend some time comparing the two? Is there any benefit with going with one over the other (I'm staying with FPV, of course)?

[Axel]

As a general rule, you should definitely not install more than one codec for any particular file format. Both the FastPictureViewer Codec Pack and the Microsoft Camera Codec Pack are fully uninstallable and must be uninstalled (and the computer restarted) before installing the other, or any other similar codec for that matter.

To make any comparison valid the system's thumbnail cache should be cleared before switching codec packs, using the built-in Disk Cleanup utility (after uninstalling but before rebooting). From my initial observations, the FastPictureViewer Codec Pack is still the speed king by a wide margin (most strikingly in Windows Photo Viewer, perhaps 3 to 5 times faster) and the FPV Codec Pack supports far more brands and models than Microsoft's, including all the latest cameras.

Both are listed as "Tested and Recommended" by the Microsoft Research team behind the Image Composite Editor.

[DrTeeth]

The only thing stopping me buying FPV, is that knowing my luck, it would appear on BdJ a week later, LOL.

Seriously, buying it now. Could you please let me know if there are changelogs for the frequent (thanks) builds?

Regards

Guy

[Axel]

No more BdJ and the like for me, thanks. There is a succint change log on the Codec Pack web page and another on FPV Pro's download page. You'll find them if you scroll down far enough.

[DrTeeth]

Thanks Axel.

Bought a licence a few days ago.

Regards

Guy

[Chemop]

After getting the on screen message that DNGs and ORFs were not catered for I installed the Windows Camera Codec Pack on my Windows 7 64 bit PC as the first move - but then found DNGs were still not included, so I then purchased and installed the FPV codec as well, but this resulted in most of the meta data being excluded from the detail screen. I then uninstalled FPV and found that both DNGs and ORFs were again not included. I reinstalled the WCCP, so I am now covered for ORFs but not DNGs, nor for that matter PSDs (which would be nice to have). I have the purchased FPV codec available but it is not installed. Please advise what I should do to cover everything and still have the detailed meta data data showing. Thanks.

[Axel]

You should not install two products supposed to do the same thing, and there is nothing the Microsoft Camera Codec Pack does that is not done better by the FastPictureViewer Codec Pack: we support more metadata items and far more camera models and raw formats than Microsoft's, including all latest cameras on the market.

The FastPictureViewer Codec Pack is not going to do much good if it's not installed and there is no metadata being excluded by our product: we are the ones that actually exposes all of it to Explorer and Windows Search, unlike Microsoft's products and even some manufacturer's codecs (e.g. Canon)... You probably had the MS product installed and got confused about which one was used

[Chemop]

Thanks for the info. I'll uninstall the WCCP. Regards Peter

[Axel]

When we ran our own tests to compare the two products we always uninstalled one, then restarted the computer, then installed the other, cleared the thumbnail cache, then restarted the computer again. This way we made sure there was no left-over from one product when testing the other one, as it's easy to get confused when there is no indication whatsoever regarding which product is actually used. The results were published on our blog.

[sckpsn]

Is there a way to tell which codec package (MS or FPV) is installed?

Is the MS Camera Codec Pack pushed through Windows Update or does one have to download it manually from MS?

Thanks.