RAW file format

[handicap18]

The best way for me to get around this issue is to NOT change the file names. My RAW files and JPEG files have the same file name. This way I know which one's haven't been converted and what needs to be moved/copied from one hard drive to another.

That being said, IIRC, Windows has a RAW viewer for Window's Explorer. I remember using it with my last computer.

 

[10dedfish]

You can use Picasa from Google, they allow you to view and modify RAW pictures. You can also use Raw Therapee, which is free as well, and it allows you to modify the shots much more than Picasa.

Matt

 

[ukcatfan]

What about Pentax Photo Browser that came with your camera? I have never used it much, but it might work for your needs.

 

[Groucho]

Irfanview can view your raw PEF files if you also download the optional plug-ins for it. That's the easiest solution I've found for quick-n-dirty raw viewing.

For viewing a bunch at a time, Kevin's suggestion is probably best - use the Pentax Photo Browser. You can also check their web site to see if there's a newer version than you got on CD.

 

[revrob]

I shot the gymnasium pictures I posted about in RAW. A very helpful DISer posted a link to an explanation of some of the things that you can do to process RAW, and now I'm anxious to get started. But I have a problem. I can't figure out how to open the files. This is what I've done.

1. I installed the canon digital photo professional which does allow me to open the cr2 files and do a few things. However, it doesn't to seem to have all of the options that I saw in the video that was posted. One of the things for certain that I don't find is the option of "fill flash". I'm guessing that this program just doesn't have all of the edit capabilities that another editing program may have?

2. I can't open the cr2 files in photoshop elements 6.0. I searched the internet and found several things that said that I needed to download a "dng converter" from adobe. My understanding is that this is a stand alone program that works outside of PSE, and that I should convert the cr2 files to dng files and then the dng file would open in PSE. So, I download the dng converter. When I try to convert, I keep getting a message that "the source folder does not contain any supported camera raw files." The cr2 files ARE there. I can see them. I can open them in the canon software. But for some reason I can't convert them to dng so that I can open in PSE.

I'd love to be able to work with these pictures, but after several hours of trying to figure out how to even open them, I'm afraid that I'm doomed to jpgs for the rest of my life. Can anyone help?

 

[jann1033]

are you using windows? if so which? my elements ( 5) automatically opens any raw files in camera raw. if you don't have this downloaded already you can do it here http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4365 with 5 at least they would open as cr files. maybe you have the canon software set up as default somewhere if it is popping up when you are using elements? i always used the camera raw( before i got lightroom) as i feel it did a better job

 

[revrob]

I have the 5.3 version downloaded in PSE.

I wonder if it is possible that it doesn't support my camera rather than the file type? (I have the new canon t1i). I would think that if it supports cr2 files, it would work, but this is the only thing I can figure out. Maybe it just hasn't caught up with my camera?

 

[VVFF]

http://dng4ps2.googlecode.com/files/dng4ps2-0.2.3-beta20.exe

Try this program. It converter my CHDK .CRW files to .dng perfectly on my last trip when I forgot to turn on the internal ability to write to .dng. Just tell it where the .crw files are and then tell it where to create the .dng files.

 

[Frantasmic]

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0/0300002160/01/dpp3.6-w-en.pdf


Here's a link to your RAW conversion software user manual from canon

 

[GrillMouster]

Go to Adobe's site and look for updates to your version of PhotoShop Elements (PSE). You'll definitely want the most current version of Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) listed on the site for your version of PSE. Read the installation instructions; I think you'll have to overwrite the copy of ACR already in your program folder with the updated version that you'll download. Again, read the installation instructions, check Adobe's help site and forums if you need additional help.

PSE does support CR2 files, but not all CR2 files are the same. Different Canon cameras have slightly different CR2 files. Therefore, it's possible that even with the last version of ACR, your version of PSE may not support CR2 files from your camera if its a new model. Adobe is busy updating the latest version of their software, so they can't always go back and issue updates for all previous versions every time a new camera comes out. So, your options may be to buy an upgrade to a newer version of PSE or download Adobe's DNG Converter. The DNG Converter is a standalone application. Get the latest version, which support your camera, to convert the CR2 files to DNG files. Once those files have been converted to DNG, your PSE can read them.

 

[revrob]

I did alll of the above, and I keep getting the same messages. I dug around a bit more on the adobe forums and found this (in summary):

If the camera has not been released, it cannot be supported by any existing version of ACR.


Once the camera is released (actually on the shelves) you can count on the ACR Team doing its best to incorporate it in a future release of ACR, which is updated from three to four times per year. Such a future release of ACR would be supported only in the current version of Photoshop. The corresponding version of the stand-alone DNG Converter, which is always released in tandem with ACR, will also support the camera. DNG files can be opened in ACR 2.4 and later versions.

and this

Steven, support for the Canon 500D (i.e., T1i) is planned for the next dot release (i.e., free update) of Camera Raw and the DNG Converter. If you have CS3 only (not CS4), then you will only need the DNG Converter. It is a standalone application and does not require the Camera Raw 5.x plug-in to function.




SO, it looks like, basically, that this camera is not supported in ACR or the converter yet. I guess I need to be patient.

 

[VVFF]

I did alll of the above, and I keep getting the same messages. I dug around a bit more on the adobe forums and found this (in summary):

If the camera has not been released, it cannot be supported by any existing version of ACR.


Once the camera is released (actually on the shelves) you can count on the ACR Team doing its best to incorporate it in a future release of ACR, which is updated from three to four times per year. Such a future release of ACR would be supported only in the current version of Photoshop. The corresponding version of the stand-alone DNG Converter, which is always released in tandem with ACR, will also support the camera. DNG files can be opened in ACR 2.4 and later versions.

and this

Steven, support for the Canon 500D (i.e., T1i) is planned for the next dot release (i.e., free update) of Camera Raw and the DNG Converter. If you have CS3 only (not CS4), then you will only need the DNG Converter. It is a standalone application and does not require the Camera Raw 5.x plug-in to function.




SO, it looks like, basically, that this camera is not supported in ACR or the converter yet. I guess I need to be patient.

Upload the file to www.mediafire.com and I can attempt to convert it to a usable format for you. Feel free to PM me.

 

[handicap18]

The camera should have come with its own software. Just use that for now till you can find something better. You wont be able to do everything, but should be able to work with the files a little bit and get some converted to JPEG.

 

[jann1033]

I have the 5.3 version downloaded in PSE.

I wonder if it is possible that it doesn't support my camera rather than the file type? (I have the new canon t1i). I would think that if it supports cr2 files, it would work, but this is the only thing I can figure out. Maybe it just hasn't caught up with my camera?

well that makes sense you should be able to edit and then convert to jpg with dpp then use elements to adjust the levels / brightness /shadows some to compensate for a lack of fill flash. you wouldn't use much of the fill anyway, it makes the shadows look funny if you use more than a little bit( imo)

 

[ColleenG]

So what is shooting in RAW? How is it different from JPG?

 

[ukcatfan]

The camera does not make decisions such as white balance, saturation, sharpness, etc. You do that in the RAW processing process, which gives you more control on the final product. It also allows for more exposure correction than JPG because there is much more data there. The downside is that you have to process every picture. You cannot just post a RAW picture to share it, print it, or anything like that. One of the last steps in the process is usually converting to JPG. The RAW file itself will never change though. It is sort of a digital negative.

 

[MICKEY88]

The downside is that you have to process every picture. You cannot just post a RAW picture to share it, print it, or anything like that. One of the last steps in the process is usually converting to JPG.

this is quite true, but don't let it scare you from shooting raw, it's not bad at all if you develop a good workflow.

although you shoot raw the file still contains the info for your camera settings at that time,

I shoot raw, my workflow is as follows.

upload raw files/batch process to jeg with my sony software, {using camera settings this yields the same results as if I shot jpeg}/view jpegs and any that I am not satisfied with I open the raw file and process it, replacing the jpeg from the batch processing..

this takes very little time, the benefit is if I have a shot with extreme lighting conditions I have the raw file to work with..


about 1.5 years ago I shot jpeg only. I was quite content with my results and thought it was pointless to shoot raw, then I shot a sweet 16 party, I arrived at the location early to check out the room, and get a good idea of lighting conditions, it was basically like shooting in a very dark nightclub, the walls and ceiling were black, the only lighting was colored stage lighting.. I didn't like the looks of my test shots, so I decided that I would shoot raw/jpeg.

after the party I uploaded to my pc, I opened the folder of jpegs and started to work on a few pics, I was not happy with the results I was getting nor the difficulty of getting a good looking picture,

so I thought Ok now is the time to learn about raw, I opened the raw folder, and quickly learned that by having all the extra data, it was much easier to process the pics and get good results. that was the last time I shot jpeg..I've been shooting raw only ever since and have been so much happier with the end results..

 

[jann1033]

particularly the points pertaining to the fact that our camera's histograms etc see in jpg
http://www.digitalphotopro.com/technique/camera-technique/exposing-for-raw.html

 

[ukcatfan]

this is quite true, but don't let it scare you from shooting raw, it's not bad at all if you develop a good workflow.

Yeah, once you get a feel for RAW, you can basically set up a default that is pretty much the same thing as the camera's JPGs. I often process all the shots in this basic setting to make the wife happy with quick results. I then go back to edit them to my taste. Be aware that RAW does take some computing power as well. If your pc is say five years old and you have a 12MP DSLR, it might choke trying to process RAW.

that was the last time I shot jpeg..I've been shooting raw only ever since and have been so much happier with the end results..

I didn't realize this. I knew we would eventually corrupt you.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I always think of RAW as the ingredients and JPG as the cake. It's a bit more work when you start with the ingredients, but you can tailor the cake much more to your liking. You have a lot less flexibility once it is baked. And the really cool thing about RAW is that you can bake the same cake over and over in many different ways until you get it to taste just the way you want it.