I never had to....AND NOW I'M LOST

02/01/2005 04:27:46 PM · #1

ok so i got the D70 having never worked with a raw image and now i want to start shooting in raw the trubble is...(and feel free to laugh at my incompidents).....i no noda about raw images i get it into CS and i look at it and its all chunky (right) so i think thats the way its suposed to be, and i go about my editing....then i save it as a .jpg thinking it will then taken on the 300dpi 3008x2000 size that my camera can shoot at....

Well i am wrong

and this proves the point about me not ever touching a raw file.

how can i get my inage to have the clairty that the 2nd place 1 in "best of 04" has, That was taken in raw and apears bright and clean.

i really must be missing something here but no matter how hard i try, i miss it time and time again if anybody can give me a breff step by step or at lest point me in the right direction i will be much apricative....

thanx to all who can help

_bran(i feel really, really, really dumb right now)do_

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 16:31:42.

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Nikon

02/01/2005 04:33:29 PM · #2

You are on a path to true discovery and heartache for awhile. It has taken me nearly 5 months to even start getting a handle on the 'digital darkroom' You now must learn CS and it's functions to do to the picture what the automatic processing used to do (and you WILL do it better - in time.)

Start with: Kelby's 'The Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers' or Deke McClelland's 'Adobe Photoshop CS One-on-One' They walk you right through the digital workflow and will greatly increase your satisfaction with RAW photos from the first few chapters.

Node

Nikon D300

02/01/2005 04:37:56 PM · #3

Do you have Nikon Capture? If not you should look at getting it, you can download it as a free trial for 1 month I seem to remember.

Some one hopefully can post a link for you.

02/01/2005 04:40:29 PM · #4

Originally posted by fotodude:

how can i get my inage to have the clairty that the 2nd place 1 in "best of 04" has, That was taken in raw and apears bright and clean.

= 2nd place of 04

This one feels like it has been shot with a sharp macro lens has a nice contrast and good looking dof. So it was good to start with. The only advantage of shooting that in RAW seems to be the ability to set a very cool whitebalance. Resample and use unsharp mask to finish it off.

The thing with RAW is: learning what each setting does. Read about it and experiment a lot. Process the same photo with different settings each time. What are the results, remember that.
RAW is not a magical tool that makes a dull photo shine.

02/01/2005 04:40:36 PM · #5

thanx Arcanist...i will go get 1 of those too asap.

but in the mean time r u telling me there is no imediate way to correct the chunky raw picture i have now....?

if that is the case i am sad not discuraged but sad....

if there is any further info from any1 i am a willing ear.....

02/01/2005 04:40:47 PM · #6

Don't need Nikon Capture if you have PScs. Just download the Raw converter and go for it right in PS.

02/01/2005 04:43:07 PM · #7

And here's where you start for free:
//luminous-landscape.com/reviews/software/camera-raw.shtml

02/01/2005 04:46:39 PM · #8

Originally posted by Azrifel:

RAW is not a magical tool that makes a dull photo shine.

i understand that what i meant by "clairty" was the due drops are not made up of little pixelsted boxes i just wantt my raw image to be clear and not pixels as it apears...

true there are many factors to that image but from what i see of my raw files if he had just posted the un cahnged raw u would not be able to see the web...i mean it is really chunky...

i have the converter for the raw image in PS it comes with the camera but still it doesn't make thing sharp.

02/01/2005 04:51:21 PM · #9

Originally posted by fotodude:

Originally posted by Azrifel:
RAW is not a magical tool that makes a dull photo shine.

i understand that what i meant by "clairty" was the due drops are not made up of little pixelsted boxes i just wantt my raw image to be clear and not pixels as it apears...

true there are many factors to that image but from what i see of my raw files if he had just posted the un cahnged raw u would not be able to see the web...i mean it is really chunky...

i have the converter for the raw image in PS it comes with the camera but still it doesn't make thing sharp.

In my experience a RAW file looks just like the jpeg file before I start to work on it. If you get something pixelized I think that the converter is doing something wrong. Did you get the latest RAW conversion Photoshop plugin (Adobe Camera RAW or something, I don't have it so I don't know) from Adobe?

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 16:52:00.

02/01/2005 04:53:30 PM · #10

Here is a link:

//www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/cameraraw.html

02/01/2005 04:54:19 PM · #11

Originally posted by Azrifel:

Originally posted by fotodude:

Originally posted by Azrifel:
RAW is not a magical tool that makes a dull photo shine.

i understand that what i meant by "clairty" was the due drops are not made up of little pixelsted boxes i just wantt my raw image to be clear and not pixels as it apears...

true there are many factors to that image but from what i see of my raw files if he had just posted the un cahnged raw u would not be able to see the web...i mean it is really chunky...

i have the converter for the raw image in PS it comes with the camera but still it doesn't make thing sharp.

In my experience a RAW file looks just like the jpeg file before I start to work on it. If you get something pixelized I think that the converter is doing something wrong. Did you get the latest RAW conversion Photoshop plugin (Adobe Camera RAW or something, I don't have it so I don't know) from Adobe?

nope i've just got the 1 from Nikon comes on the softwhere it has a plug-in for NEF

02/01/2005 04:58:46 PM · #12

Originally posted by fotodude:

nope i've just got the 1 from Nikon comes on the softwhere it has a plug-in for NEF

Hmm, I fear I can't help you with that. I only have PS 6.0 and Nikon Capture.
Is there a way to open the raw file without the Nikon plugin. When you have an updated camera raw you should be able to open it with that. How does it look then?

02/01/2005 05:07:51 PM · #13

-(bad shot but good demonstration of problem)

there see how it is all chunky...that is with the nikon plug-in i'm downloading the new PS 1 now but i don't think there will be a diffrence...

i don't know but i think there is something a "mask" maybe or something that has to be applied to it before it will become clear.

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 17:20:05.

02/01/2005 05:21:05 PM · #14

On my screen I see a smooth image, nothing specifically wrong with it besides a too warm whitebalance. Perhaps I do not have a good idea of what you mean by 'chunky', had to look the word up in a English-Dutch translation book.

If I had too work on the RAW I'd fix the whitebalance (cooler), stretch the levels to their edges, try to open up the shadows a bit (shadows and highlights tool in PS if I am not mistaken or a pull on the middle of the curves) and sharpen it up a bit for the preffered size.

This probably doesn't help you. :(

02/01/2005 05:25:33 PM · #15

well the new PS plug-in doesn't read it any diffrent.

i will post a .jpg version and maybe then the "chunky" affect will become appairent.

it is basicly very large pixels so large that they can be seen as pixels and not a smooth surface

are u looking at it on a monitor i am vewing on an LCD screen and i can see the pixels pretty well.

02/01/2005 05:31:42 PM · #16

When opening up in RAW, make sure that the SIZE is set high and at no less than 300dpi on the RAW dialogue. Then resize DOWN. This will stop what may be happening. I think you are opening the file in NKView, then editing in Nikon Editor and resaving at a much larger than expected size and that is resampling the file.

Of course, resetting WB and doing levels in PS is going to helpo a lot.

Took me a solid month of studying the RAW workflows to get an image that looked somewhat decent. Make sure you go by that link I put in above. It will lead you to other more valuable information about your new journey.

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 17:33:38.

02/01/2005 05:35:37 PM · #17

I'm looking at it on a 17" CRT, but to be clear: I only get a 587x640 image. When you post fullsize (3000x2000) stuff to your portfolio dpc changes the size and compression.

I hope you'll get this solved, I am going to bed now.

petrakka

02/01/2005 05:40:29 PM · #18

image looks fine to me....i cant see the chunkyness you are talking about. the only thing i can think of is that you are working with the thumnail jpeg that nikon uses with the raw files......but this picture you posed certainly isnt that.

02/01/2005 05:42:16 PM · #19

Originally posted by Arcanist:

i'm opening it up in PS but what i think is not happening is- the image may not be compressing to the full degree it is susposed to.

my jpg. files turn out great also the only thing that comes up when i open my raws in CS is the whitebal adjustment and the exposer adjustment.

i don't get any other windows....

thatx for your help Azrifel i am going to keep plugging away at this...

02/01/2005 05:44:19 PM · #20

-jpg. not from raw

OK I MUST BE MAD THE IMAGES LOOK OK WHEN I POST THEM BUT ON MY SCREAN IN PS THEY LOOK LIKE (RESPECTIVLY) CRAP!!! I DON'T GET IT

is there not susposed to be any slection when i open up a raw in CS other than the whit bal. and the 1s that come up with the nikon plug-in?

i must be out of my mind or could it be possible that my 15" mac. display is incapible of giving me such a large image.....?

i don't know any way if any1 has any other helpful tips of can answer my question i will check this thread a couple more times but as far as i can see i need to get a book and read it through 1ce or 2ce and then maybe there will be an answer....

or i am out of my mind

_brando_

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 18:01:46.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

02/01/2005 05:55:11 PM · #21

Yup, you need to reinstall the RAW plugin. You loaded Capture after PS Raw was installed and it overtook the dialogue.

Uninstalll capture and reinstall the PS Raw plugin from Adobe's site. That will correct the issue.

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

02/01/2005 06:01:59 PM · #22

Do not give up. RAW may be a bit of a learning curve, but the flexibility it gives you to work in the "digital darkroom" can not be overstated. My experience is in Canon RAW files but I could point you to a few recources that may be of some use.
The folks at digitaloutback have helped my workflow quite a bit. They talk about using the D70 with NikonCapture 4.1 here. I hope it helps.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

02/01/2005 06:04:54 PM · #23

Originally posted by Arcanist:

??????????????????????????

i don't have capture on my comp. i just grabed the plug-in of the nikon CD(then ejected it) i placed the plug-in in the proper folder and went on with my day.

what should i do it sounds like u have the answer but i'm not sure what u are saying happened..?

dacrazyrn

Nikon D300

02/01/2005 09:11:14 PM · #24

You HAVE to install the Adobe Camera RAW 2.4 version
Mac Here
Windows Here
This will give you alll the new settings....including the luminance smoothing and hue/color sliders, etc. Now you have to lern to use them. Get the book by Bruce Fraser-Real World Camera RAW with CS, it is amazing!
A point. Open your RAW files through the CS Browser. When one is openedlook down at the bottom. make sure you have the settings the way you want them. I have Adobe RGB/16bit/Normal size (3008x2000-larger if I know I am going to make a print of it) and I have 340ppi in there. WHat are yours set at?

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 21:18:46.