RAW file format

[We-Luv-Disney]

You can look at the thumbnails with windows explorer. You have to download windows RAW viewer for XP. Go to the Microsoft website and do a search for the RAW viewer. I think it dose support thumbs viewing for your camera.

 

[DVC Jen]

Download the software that came with the camera. It's easy to use and you won't have any issues then.

 

[orchjoe]

I figured out to download the Raw Plugin for photoshop CS.... I didn't like the development feature of it so I decided to try Lightroom..

I was pleasantly surprised

Since I am still in college I get an education discount on it

Its only $99 bucks for me to buy. I think that is what I am going to use to process.

 

[DVC Jen]

I figured out to download the Raw Plugin for photoshop CS.... I didn't like the development feature of it so I decided to try Lightroom..

I was pleasantly surprised

Since I am still in college I get an education discount on it

Its only $99 bucks for me to buy. I think that is what I am going to use to process.

I am hoping to get Lightroom for Christmas. DH is going back for his MBA starting next month - so he can get a fantastic discount on it as well.

 

[Groucho]

Regardless of what software you use to process the photos, IMHO it's still best to manually copy (or move) the files to your PC yourself, rather than letting any photo software do it for you.

 

[mabas9395]

Regardless of what software you use to process the photos, IMHO it's still best to manually copy (or move) the files to your PC yourself, rather than letting any photo software do it for you.

I'm curious why that is? I have been using Lightroom have not had any problems. What are the risks/issues?

 

[Groucho]

It's a control thing. *I* want to take care of moving the photos where *I* want to put them, not where Lightroom (or any other program) wants to put them. I also would prefer to clear out the memory cards as quickly and easily as possible, then import them into Lightroom at my leisure. With my DL photos (and re-doing my WDW photos), I'll import 100-200 at a time and process just those. This helps make it more manageable to me. Yes, I could look at just a day at a time or whatever, but I bristle whenever a program wants to tell ME how to manage MY hard drive or how to empty MY memory cards.

 

[orchjoe]

Maybe it's just me but now that I switched to shooting in RAW it seems like the picture is grainy compared to when its shot in jpg mode ???

I'm shooting with a Canon XTI.

I can post some pictures if needed.

 

[orchjoe]

Would a different colorspace be the root of this problem... I just switched to the adobeRGB

 

[orchjoe]

I think I figured it out... I was shooting today with my ISO at 1600
(I was in the sunlight none the less).


Can someone please give me a mini tutorial on ISO? Mark B maybe?

 

[ukcatfan]

Would a different colorspace be the root of this problem... I just switched to the adobeRGB

That would not make any sense to me. Is your RAW processing program doing some auto processing? There would not be any noise reduction running on the RAW image and that might make it look a little grainy, but I doubt you would notice it. I would seriously consider the program being the cause.

Kevin

 

[SWDopey]

Your camera does automatically apply some level of noise reduction to jpegs, which is not applied to raw files. In your raw converter (Lightroom, right?), you do have noise reduction sliders you can play with.

Easy rule of thumb - lower the ISO number, the less noise you'll have.

Rough figures for you:
Outside, bright sunshine, 100 or 200 ISO.
Outside, dull and overcase, 200 or 400 depending on the shutter speed.
Inside, use flash, 200 or 400, 800 if you must.
Inside, natural light, 800 or 1600 but it will be noisy so consider something like Noise Ninja when you're post processing.

 

[SWDopey]

There was a bug in LR 1.0 which caused some problems copying off memory cards, with it missing images, so the even the engineers were suggesting copying manually and then importing. We do appear to have sorted it in the last release, and there have been no further reports of problems.

That said, I'd agree with Groucho, I like control too! I have since gone back to allowing LR to import directly off the cards, but into my specified location.

 

[richard_andmel]

I am having the same problem with RAW from my Fugi S6500. I have gone onto Fuji's site and downloaded the file they told me to and installed, and still no luck. They use .raf as a file extension when I upload from my camera and Fuji's own software won't recognize it. I am a little angry about this. I found a program on the web I could download to convert them, but it costs $40 and I am checking out my other options first.

The files are on my computer, and I can see the thumbnail of them but not open them. I plan on calling Fuji to start with. Any other ideas what might be helpful?

 

[Groucho]

ISO is the sensitivity of the sensor, just like the sensitivity (or the "speed") of film - like the way you'd buy 100-speed film, 200-speed film, etc. Each doubling of the number means that it's twice as sensitive - 200 is twice as sensitive as 100, 400 is twice as 200, etc... basic math.

Like SWDopey said, higher sensitivity means more noise in the image. Usually with a DSLR, 800 is pretty safe - there might be a little noise but it's pretty mild. I generally leave ISO on Auto all the time except if I'm in a darker area where I know I'll need more - and when I go back to more brightness, I go back to Auto. On my DSLR, I can set the range of Auto, by default it's 200-800 and that's where I leave it.

The only other time I set it manually is when doing tripod shooting, where I'm usually not concerned about the length of the shutter, so I'll set it to ISO 200 for the lowest noise possible and let a slower shutter make up the difference in the quantity of light.

 

[richard_andmel]

I am having a problem with RAW from my Fugi S6500. After shooting in RAW and uploading the files on my computer, I can see the thumbnail of them but not open them. Fuji uses .raf as a file extension and Fuji's own software won't recognize it. I have gone onto Fuji's site and downloaded the file they told me to and installed, and still no luck.

I found a program on the web I could download to convert them, but it costs $40 and I don't want to buy it till I am sure there is no other option.

I plan on calling Fuji to start with. Any other ideas what might be helpful? Does anyone else have the S6500 and have experience of this?

Thanks,
Mel

 

[YEKCIM]

You may want to give S7RAW a shot. I've never used it, but understand it works well. Not sure if Picasa will handle Fuji RAW files, but it might be worth a try, as well.

~YEKCIM

 

[Lizziejane]

I've had my 40D for a month or so but this morning was the first time I shot some RAW. When I tried to upload to Lightroom, it gave me an error message saying the files were damaged or unsupported. I tried again with a different memory card in case that was the problem. Same thing. I tried to upload the files on a different computer, same thing.

I took some shots with my XTi in RAW and they load fine, so the problem is obviously the 40D. Any suggestions? I feel sick to my stomach at the thought of my camera being faulty.

 

[dcg0317]

What version of Lightroom are you using? The older version dose not support Canon 40d raw files, you have to upgrade Lightroom to 1.2 version. Here's the link it's a free upgrade, or Open Lightroom click on the Help tab go down list and click on "Check for updates"
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=3728

 

[Lizziejane]

Thank you!! I was having a minor heart attack here!