RAW need help please - DPChallenge Forums

03/04/2005 02:31:21 PM · #1

Took a few images using RAW last night for the first time. Finally figured out how to get them off the memory stick, had to use Zoom Browser....what next. Can I open them in ps7, do I need to change them into something else .....ahhhh, what do I do!!!!!

They're not particularly interesting images even, just wanted to learn about RAW.

thanks
sue

03/04/2005 02:34:03 PM · #2

You need a "RAW converter". The software supplied witht eh 300D should do that, but it's not great stuff. Adobe photoshop CS supports RAW conversion using "ACR" or Adobe Camera Raw. That's one of the better converters out there. Others that are good inlude Bibble and Capture One.

03/04/2005 02:38:02 PM · #3

When I click on the image in ZoomB it says that the image needs to be converted into a temp file, do I want to continue. Do I click 'yes' there, how do I get the image into ps7 to work on it.

Sorry bout the dumb Q's!

03/04/2005 02:46:17 PM · #4

Your ultimate output from the conversion should be a JPG file, which of course PS will open without issues. As far as how to get there with the Canon software, I have never poked around with the Canon converter software, since I have CS.

Edit:
OK, here's the answer... yes, click on "YES" when it asks if you want to convert to a temporary file. Now you will (after a wait) see the image come up and you will have some image conversion controls and a "save as" button. That should allow you to save as TIF, JPG, or (heaven forbid!) BMP.

Message edited by author 2005-03-04 14:52:50.

03/04/2005 02:50:34 PM · #5

Found the manual!! Have converted them into TIFF to work on and can open that in ps :))

Thanks Kirbic :)

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

03/04/2005 02:52:44 PM · #6

when converting them to TIFF......16 bits or 8 bits? And what are bits?

dr rick

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

03/04/2005 02:56:31 PM · #7

Use the FileViewer Utility to convert RAW to JPG or TIFF. If you like the ZoomBrowser interface, select some photos, click "View & Modify", then "Process RAW Images". That will start the FileViewer Utility on the selected photos.

As kirbic said, it isn't the greatest, but the price is right. If you get serious about using RAW, you should investigate the alternative converters.

Mick

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/04/2005 02:59:15 PM · #8

I use the 'Canon Digital Camera File Viewer' utility software that came with my 10D. You can use it to adjust several parameters, such as exposure, white balance, contrast, etc., before converting the RAW image. I normally convert the RAW image to a 16bit TIFF for editing in Photoshop. If you don't have the FileViewer utility, you can download it at Canon's web site. The latest version is 1.3.2.11.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/04/2005 03:03:19 PM · #9

Originally posted by suemack:

when converting them to TIFF......16 bits or 8 bits? And what are bits?

Bits are the basic units of information storage. One bit is either a "1" or a "0". For most work, 8 bits is fine. 8-bit (per channel) images are capable of storing 256 levels in each of three color channels. 16-bit (per channel) images store 65,536 levels per channel. In real terms, the penalty for 16-bit is much larger file sizes and greater memory requirements. The real-world benefits are not so great that they justify 16-bit in all but the most critical applications.
Do make sure that when you convert from RAW that the resulting image doens't have blown highlights. Keep your RAW originals so you can re-convert if you find you want ot try different conversion settings. With RAW, you can recover some highlights that would be irrevocably blown if you had captured straight to JPG.
After playing with ZoomBrowser momentarily, I'd highly recommend that you check out some of the better RAW converters. You may even want to check out the trial version of Photoshop CS.

Plexxoid

Canon EOS-30D

03/04/2005 03:04:19 PM · #10

Go get DPP! I would never ever shoot RAW if it weren't for DPP. You can get it off of canoneos.comcanoneos.com

03/04/2005 03:14:53 PM · #11

Thanks guys!! Do you adjust the white balance, exposure etc before converting?

I've got the Canon software File Viewer Utility.

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

03/04/2005 03:21:52 PM · #12

Originally posted by suemack:

Thanks guys!! Do you adjust the white balance, exposure etc before converting?

I've got the Canon software File Viewer Utility.

Yep, you open it in the File Viewer utility, make the adjustments to WB, exposure, etc. and then "save as" to your target file type. So the WB and exposure changes are really being applied during the conversion from RAW to JPG or TIF.
With regard to WB, the software will "interpret" the RAW data based on the WB setting you used in-camera, but you can "override" it in conversion. The in-camera WB setting has no real effect on the recorded RAW data. That's one of the benefits of RAW, you don't really need to worry as much about as-shot WB being perfect.

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

03/04/2005 03:21:56 PM · #13

To echo what Plexxoid said, get Canon's DPP. It's a massive amount quicker than File Viewer Utility.

BTW. yes, adjust white balance, exposure etc. before converting.

dr rick

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

03/04/2005 03:26:16 PM · #14

Using 16 bits allows you to adjust levels and curves without much worry about posterization. But once you have the basic adjustments done, 16 bits doesn't really add anything. And not all Photoshop functions or other programs work in 16 bit mode, so you usually have to convert to 8 bits eventually. I use Capture One, which allows me to do the basic adjustments during the conversion, so I just save an 8 bit TIFF.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

03/04/2005 03:35:24 PM · #15

Thanks for all the advice, now I just need to go out and take some decent photos to work with.

plenty of room for improvement!! LOL

sue

Prof_Fate

03/04/2005 04:13:20 PM · #16

Originally posted by Plexxoid:

Go get DPP! I would never ever shoot RAW if it weren't for DPP. You can get it off of canoneos.comcanoneos.com

Amen! DPP is great.

I have not used Adobe RAW, a friend with a Nikon does. He loves it. From some of what i have read the Adobe converter is not as accurate as any converter form the camera manufacturer. Don't know how one can measure that, but Adobe had to 'crack' the CRW file to read it, while Canon designed it.

peecee

Canon EOS-5D

03/04/2005 04:40:03 PM · #17

I am just getting into shooting raw and to be honest a little confused here. I do not have any of the canon software installed and use a card reader via acdsee ( painfuly slow on crw) to upload my images. Not sure what software I need to install from the disc ( digital solutions ver.5 )that came with my camera. I prefer to use the card reader and then photoshop cs converter.
Is it recommended to change to the canon software?
By the way I can't find DPP on the link given earlier in this thread.
Hope I don't sound too dumb and look forward to some sound advice.
Thanks,
Paul.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

03/04/2005 05:01:52 PM · #18

Originally posted by peecee:

You should continue to use ACR in PS CS to do your conversions. it is one of the best converters out there. As to transferring from the card, I'm wondering why you are using ACDSEE as opposed to just using the operating system to transfer?
The speed of you cards and card reader will make a huge difference in how long it takes to transfer to the PC. A fast (10-12MB.s) 1GB card can be trasnferred in less than two minutes on the fastest card readers. Conversely, it can take tens of minutes on a slow USB 1.1 reader.

peecee

Canon EOS-5D

03/04/2005 05:09:47 PM · #19

Thanks Fritz,
I should have elaborated a little more, the actual uploading is acceptable speedwise, it is just the browsing of the crw files in acdsee that is slow, any suggestions as to the canon software being quicker or better ?
btw I found dpp on the link given and it appears it doesn't support the 10D or rebel yet!
Thanks for your input.
Paul.

Plexxoid

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/04/2005 05:11:21 PM · #20

Make sure it is DPP 1.5

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/04/2005 05:16:01 PM · #21

Originally posted by peecee:

Bibble makes it very quick to view and work with CRW files. I use both it and PS CS, depending on the number of files I need to work with. Most of the time now I do the work in Bibble, but if I need to fix CA, then I do it in PS CS.

03/04/2005 05:43:35 PM · #22

Ah, yes browsing speed. Again, Photoshop CS for me. It does take PS CS a little bit to generate the thumbs the first time it sees a newly-created group of files, but after that it is very quick.

Prof_Fate

03/04/2005 06:35:13 PM · #23

It is called the DP Updater 1.5 on the Canon site. It is the whole software package. You have have to update to the most current version other parts of the Canon suite.

DPP is very fast for viewing CRW or JPG files. It supports the Rebel.

I upload via a cheap card reader and USB 2.0 - my old sandisk 256 card is much slower than my new Sandisk 512. Both are the basic cards. I hear Ultra cards are faster.

here is a screenshot of the Canon menu i now have from getting the DPP and other miscalleanous updates.

SamT