topic Re: DPP on multi core CPU in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

DPP on multi core CPU

cjjthomp — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 22:13:12 GMT

This is my first post, so may be a bit ragged:

I'm using a Canon 60D with a Microscope objective and Stackshot rail to do focus stacking. I frequently end up with 100 or more CR2 files to be converted to JPEG and this takes about 25 minutes on my current system. If I mess something up and have to repeat, it gets a bit tedious.

Task manager tells me that DPP is using all four cores of my CPU at essentially 100% for this process, so that's my bottleneck and I'm considering buying a more powerful system to speed things up, namely an Intel I7 8700K based desktop. (Current system is a 4-core I5, 4 years old)

My question is: Will DPP use all 12 threads of the 8700K? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks in advance,

jeff

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

Waddizzle — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:25:10 GMT

@cjjthomp wrote:
Hi
This is my first post, so may be a bit ragged:
I'm using a Canon 60D with a Microscope objective and Stackshot rail to do focus stacking. I frequently end up with 100 or more CR2 files to be converted to JPEG and this takes about 25 minutes on my current system. If I mess something up and have to repeat, it gets a bit tedious.
Task manager tells me that DPP is using all four cores of my CPU at essentially 100% for this process, so that's my bottleneck and I'm considering buying a more powerful system to speed things up, namely an Intel I7 8700K based desktop. (Current system is a 4-core I5, 4 years old)
My question is: Will DPP use all 12 threads of the 8700K? Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks in advance,

jeff

I suggest that you get a system that includes an nVidia graphics card, at least 4GB. I use a gaming computer with 500GB SSD, and a 1TB conventional drive. It smokes through converting RAW to JPEGs at a rate of one 20-30MB RAW file every ten seconds, or about 5-6 per minute.

Having a separate graphics card, with its’ own video memory, instead of sharing system memory with video memory, is crucial to letting DPP run at its’ full potential. I also recommend having at least 8 GB of system RAM, preferably at least 16 GB of RAM.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

RobertTheFat — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 02:22:29 GMT

@Waddizzle wrote:
@cjjthomp wrote:
Hi
This is my first post, so may be a bit ragged:
I'm using a Canon 60D with a Microscope objective and Stackshot rail to do focus stacking. I frequently end up with 100 or more CR2 files to be converted to JPEG and this takes about 25 minutes on my current system. If I mess something up and have to repeat, it gets a bit tedious.
Task manager tells me that DPP is using all four cores of my CPU at essentially 100% for this process, so that's my bottleneck and I'm considering buying a more powerful system to speed things up, namely an Intel I7 8700K based desktop. (Current system is a 4-core I5, 4 years old)
My question is: Will DPP use all 12 threads of the 8700K? Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks in advance,

jeff
I suggest that you get a system that includes an nVidia graphics card, at least 4GB. I use a gaming computer with 500GB SSD, and a 1TB conventional drive. It smokes through converting RAW to JPEGs at a rate of one 20-30MB RAW file every ten seconds, or about 5-6 per minute.

Having a separate graphics card, with its’ own video memory, instead of sharing system memory with video memory, is crucial to letting DPP run at its’ full potential. I also recommend having at least 8 GB of system RAM, preferably at least 16 GB of RAM.

Why does the graphics card have any impact on the conversion from RAW to JPEG? The image isn't displayed during that operation.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

cjjthomp — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 03:48:10 GMT

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm getting about the same 5 to 6 raw conversons per second with my current system, so between 15 and 20 minutes for a stack of 100 raws. The thing is, that stack of 100 raws is effectively 1 final picture, not 100 finished products.

I have the "use graphics processor" option checked but I'm not sure what difference that makes. My real concern is that some programs will only use up to four cores, while I'd be paying for 6 in the 8700K. I'm also unsure whether DPP will make use of the hyper-threading technology in the 8700K. This stuff all costs hard cash dollars and I don't want to spend it for no advantage.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

cjjthomp — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 05:38:49 GMT

Update: To follow up on Bob's remark, I ran a test with 100 raw conversions, first with "Use graphics processor" checked, then unchecked (after a restart). No significant difference in time (about 20 minutes), Task Manager shows all 4 cores right up to the lid, the GPU idling in both cases. Memory usage is about 4GB out of my total of 8GB.

Jeff

Calgary, Canada

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

RobertTheFat — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 06:34:33 GMT

cjjthomp wrote:
Update: To follow up on Bob's remark, I ran a test with 100 raw conversions, first with "Use graphics processor" checked, then unchecked (after a restart). No significant difference in time (about 20 minutes), Task Manager shows all 4 cores right up to the lid, the GPU idling in both cases. Memory usage is about 4GB out of my total of 8GB.

Jeff
Calgary, Canada

As I ponder the issue, I can think of several reasons why I'd be more surprised if the program didn't use all available cores than if it did. Without going into too much gory (and entirely speculative) detail, I'll just point out that in the "Batch Process" command each conversion is, in principle, an independent (and approximately identical) task that can be queued to the operating system and handed off to any core that becomes available. These tasks will compete against each other for processor time, obviously, but they shouldn't threaten to freeze the machine, because they will be queued as background tasks. I might even hazard a guess that the reason the "Convert & Save" command can handle only one file at a time is that it operates at foreground priority. So I don't think I'd hesitate to buy the more powerful machine, with some confidence that I were getting my money's worth.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

Waddizzle — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 08:08:21 GMT

@RobertTheFat wrote:

Why does the graphics card have any impact on the conversion from RAW to JPEG? The image isn't displayed during that operation.

Different instruction set. I would draw a comparison to having a CPU that can only perform binary adds to one that can perform BCD adds.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

Waddizzle — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 08:10:42 GMT

@cjjthomp wrote:
Update: To follow up on Bob's remark, I ran a test with 100 raw conversions, first with "Use graphics processor" checked, then unchecked (after a restart). No significant difference in time (about 20 minutes), Task Manager shows all 4 cores right up to the lid, the GPU idling in both cases. Memory usage is about 4GB out of my total of 8GB.

Jeff
Calgary, Canada

Checking the box in DPP is almost meaningless if do not have a GPU, or enable it.

Did you also check to see if the graphics card is enabled to allow DPP to use the graphics CPU?

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

Ray-uk — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 11:42:33 GMT

@Waddizzle wrote:
Checking the box in DPP is almost meaningless if do not have a GPU, or enable it.

Did you also check to see if the graphics card is enabled to allow DPP to use the graphics CPU?

Before I had a suitable card the enable box was greyed out and couldn't be checked.

The only place I have found to enable DPP in the NVidia control panel is on the 3D section, it seems to work but I can't see the relevance, DPP isn't 3D, at least mine isn't. Have you enabled it in some other way.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

jrhoffman75 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 11:50:25 GMT

Use graphics card is selected in DPP Preferences; but it only affects image display.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

ebiggs1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 14:47:37 GMT

I have a Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7700 CPU @ 3.60GHz, 3600 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical with 16 MB of RAM and a GeForce GT 1030 video card.

I had a job I just did for Union Station in KC with 66 shots in it. It took Lightroom 2 1/2 minutes to convert all CR2's to jpg for delivery.

At the same time I had email active and FB and Canon Forum. Just sayin'!

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

cjjthomp — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:32:13 GMT

That's the kind of speed up I'm trying for - a bit more than 5 times as fast as my current system. Now I have a good solid excuse for buying a new toy.

Thanks for all the inputt,

jeff

Calgary, Canada

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

ebiggs1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:38:24 GMT

It would be hard for a pro in business to have that slow of a routine or machine and/or software whichever it is. I would have several thousand on a busy weekend.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

cjjthomp — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:43:27 GMT

Rats. Just re-read your post. You used Lightroom. Lightroom converts raw to JPEG about 7 times faster than DPP on my system but for all my efforts, I've not been able to get Lightroom's output to look as good as DPP's. The difference is most obvious when using the MP-E 65mm macro lens at high magnification. DPP's Digital Lens Optimization makes a significant improvement.

Jeff

Calgary, Canada

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

ebiggs1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:51:20 GMT

" I've not been able to get Lightroom's output to look as good as DPP's"

I would suggest you learn how to use LR better. All pro shops use LR for a reason. Make sure your ACR is up to date, too.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

ebiggs1 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:54:43 GMT

Just checked, LR has the MP-E 65mm f2.8 lens correction. That should not be the problem.

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

cjjthomp — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:58:57 GMT

I suspect you're right - I'm missing something in Lightroom. I use Lightroom for everything except the raw conversions for these deep focus stacks.

I probably should mention that I'm a hobbyist, not a pro.

Jeff

Calgary, Canada

Re: DPP on multi core CPU

cheuh — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 22:22:45 GMT

I just ran a test on 3 CPUs with the same CR2 file with the same setting:

AMD Althlon 1095T 8G RAM with GTX570 - 32.21 seconds

Intel I5 3570K 16G RAM with integrate graphic - 22.54 seconds

ASUS G75VX gaming laptop with Intel I7 3630QM, 12G or RAM - 20 seconds

I always thought that the i5 running at 3.4 Ghz is always faster than the i7 3630QM at 2.4 GHz. Seems DPP is really using the hyperthreading. This is done using DPP 4.7.21.

Maybe time to ugrade to a Ryzen 7 X2800 when it comes! Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of Windows 10 so it unlikely going to happen...

The Nividia graphics cards (CUBA and no AMD graphic cards) only accelerates preview and the actual conversion is done by the CPU. It is in the documentation somehwere I read.