Media Pro becomes Media Pro

So. It’s finally happened. (Microsoft) Expression Media, ex iView Media Pro, is no more, and PhaseOne MediaPro 1 is with us. And in theory - or it least, in marketingspeak - the integration of Media Pro and CaptureOne, which I wished for at least as far back as 2005, is here to.

Well sort of.  This is what we actually have:

BEFORE

Expression Media ... or is it MediaPro ?

AFTER

MediaPro ... or is it Expression Media ?

So the difference is… the panels are dark grey instead of light grey, the colours are a taste to be acquired, to be polite, and the icons are nearly invisible. Excellent.

The much trumpeted CaptureOne “integration” is at lipstick-on-a-pig level, and apart from that very little has changed, although if you take a look at the product forum, you might conclude that an impressive range of exciting new bugs has been inserted.

In itself this is hugely disappointing, but on the plus side, the product is at least being developed, and by a focused and far more appropriate owner than Microsoft. I think we’ll have to wait and see what Phase One manage to do over the coming months. If release 1 is a stable (cough) baseline which they will then build on with frequent updates and bug fixes, including some significant new features, fine. If on the other hand they think they’re done here, and can sit back for two years and then release another facelift, well then it’s RIP.

As far as I’m concerned, I would like these features:

- reworked and easily application-interchangeable hierarchical keywording

- proper integration with Capture One, not whitewash

- support for versions, stacks, whatever you call variations on a master image. ANY master image, including scans (this then helps with proper C1 integration

- options for UI colour scheme