Why Export Your Data?
Your shooting logs, stock records, and equipment library represent years of careful documentation. Exporting this data as CSV files serves several important purposes:
- Backup: Having a local copy of your data protects you against unexpected service interruptions or account issues.
- Analysis: CSV files can be opened in spreadsheet applications like Excel, Numbers, or Google Sheets, where you can build custom charts, calculate statistics, or filter data in ways that go beyond what any app provides.
- Migration: If you ever want to move your data to a different tool or build your own system, a CSV export gives you a clean, portable starting point.
- Sharing: You can share a CSV with a collaborator, assistant, or archivist who does not have a Latent account.
Latent treats your data as yours. The CSV export feature exists so you always have full access to what you have built.
Note: CSV export is available on the Light, Pro, and Admin plans. It is not available on the Free plan.
What Can Be Exported
Latent supports CSV export for the following six tables:
| Table | Description |
|---|---|
| cameras | Your registered camera bodies |
| lenses | Your registered lenses |
| films | Your film brand library |
| labs | Your registered development labs |
| stocks | Your film stock records |
| shooting_logs | Your shooting log entries |
Each table can be exported individually, or you can export all tables at once.
How to Export
To export data, navigate to the Settings page and find the Data Export section.
- Select the table you want to export, or choose to export all tables.
- Click the Export button. Your browser will download a
.csvfile immediately.
The exported file uses UTF-8 encoding (with BOM) and comma separation, which is compatible with virtually all spreadsheet applications.
Important Notes
- Image files are not included in CSV exports. Only image URLs are exported.
- Large datasets may take a few seconds to generate.
Understanding the CSV Format
Each CSV file begins with a header row that names each column. The data rows follow immediately after. There are no blank rows or extra formatting — the files are clean and easy to process programmatically.
Date fields use the ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD), which sorts correctly when used in spreadsheets and is recognized by most data tools.
Text fields that contain commas are enclosed in quotation marks to prevent parsing errors. If a field is empty, the corresponding cell in the CSV will be empty rather than containing a placeholder value.
Recommended Backup Practice
For photographers who use Latent as their primary archive, a regular export schedule provides peace of mind. A practical approach:
- Monthly exports: Export your shooting logs and film stocks at the end of each month and save the files in a cloud storage folder (such as iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox) organized by year.
- After major data entry sessions: If you spend time adding a large batch of records, export immediately afterward to capture the new state.
- Before making significant changes: Before deleting old records or reorganizing your data, export first so you have a snapshot of the previous state.
Storing your CSV exports alongside your scan files creates a complete offline archive: the images themselves and the metadata that describes them, in formats that will remain readable regardless of what happens to any specific app or service.
Opening CSV Files
Most operating systems will open a CSV file in the default spreadsheet application when you double-click it. If the file does not open correctly — for example, if all the data appears in a single column — import it manually:
- In Excel: Use File -> Import and select "Comma" as the delimiter.
- In Google Sheets: Use File -> Import, upload the CSV, and choose "Comma" as the separator type.
- In Numbers: Open Numbers, drag the CSV file into the window, and it should parse automatically.
Once the data is in a spreadsheet, you can sort by any column, create pivot tables, build charts, or apply formulas to gain insights that go beyond what Latent's built-in analytics provide.
Your data belongs to you. Regular CSV exports ensure that it always will. The stocks and shooting logs you export come from the records you build in stock management, so keeping that workflow up to date ensures your exports are complete and accurate.