EOS 50D Picture editing workflow advice (1 Viewer)

[Epsomsalt]

Hi, I recently upgraded from a 400D to a 50D and whilst I can see a marked improvement in the results, I am finding the post shoot editing a complete pain in the proverbial. I have always used Photoshop for my image editing - I usually shoot in RAW. I have Photoshop CS2 which does not have camera raw support for the EOS 50D.

I find using DPP and then sending the TIFF over to PS a complete pain - I can't even save the edited Tiff as a Jpeg unless I 'save for web!' - how do others process RAW images from the EOS50D? Must I upgrade to CS4 or is there an alternative?

I guess I have become comfortable / familiar with using PS CS2 and having now to involve 'DPP' is just slowing my post shoot processing down too much.

Any suggestions welcomed.

 

[Adey Baker]

I've not tried it lately so can't remember precisely how it works but you can download a free program from Adobe that will convert your Raw files (including batch-processing) to DNG format which will open in CS2.

 

[QuantumTiger]

I don't have a 50D but I do use DPP. My version of photoshop does not offer the JPG option on the 'save as' menu if the image is in 16bit mode. However it's relatively simple to convert to 8 bits/Channel and then save as JPG.

Usually I convert to TIFF in DPP. Then do noise reduction (via noise ninja plugin), levels, crop, resize, convert to 8bits/channel, and USM. Doesn't take very long really - although when I first started shooting in RAW I did find it a bit of a pain.

 

[hollis_f]

how do others process RAW images from the EOS50D? Must I upgrade to CS4 or is there an alternative?

I, and thousands of others, really like Lightroom for raw processing. I've found that I hardly need to use CS3 any more. But, if you do want to do more processing in Photoshop, it's quite siimple to pass on the processed image to CS2.

I'd recommend downloading the trial version and giving it a week or so (the way it works - especially using 'Import' instead of 'Open' - can take some getting used to).

As for saving the tiff files in CS2 - make sure you convert them to 8-bit from 16-bit first. Then you can save them as jpeg.

 

[Roy C]

I find using DPP and then sending the TIFF over to PS a complete pain - I can't even save the edited Tiff as a Jpeg unless I 'save for web!' - how do others process RAW images from the EOS50D? Must I upgrade to CS4 or is there an alternative?

I guess I have become comfortable / familiar with using PS CS2 and having now to involve 'DPP' is just slowing my post shoot processing down too much.

Any suggestions welcomed.

Why do you find sending the tiff to CS2 a pain it is a one click operation .eg.
from DPP - Tools > transfer to photoshop (or Alt + P).

Remember that a tiff is a 16 bit file so before saving a tiff as a jpeg in CS2 you have to convert to a 8 bit file - again this is a simple operation in CS2 .e.g. Image >Mode > 8 bits/channel.

 

[Mono]

This is the link for the DNG Converter. This will convert your RAWs into DNG files which can be edited in Photoshop CS2.

 

[Stephen Fletcher]

Why do you find sending the tiff to CS2 a pain it is a one click operation .eg.
from DPP - Tools > transfer to photoshop (or Alt + P).

Remember that a tiff is a 16 bit file so before saving a tiff as a jpeg in CS2 you have to convert to a 8 bit file - again this is a simple operation in CS2 .e.g. Image >Mode > 8 bits/channel.

You can select in DPP what you want the file to be saved as, 16 bit tiff, 8 bit tiff, jpg, 16 bit tiff and jpg, or 8 bit tiff and jpg.

 

[Roy C]

You can select in DPP what you want the file to be saved as, 16 bit tiff, 8 bit tiff, jpg, 16 bit tiff and jpg, or 8 bit tiff and jpg.

Yep, you are right but from the OP's comment about not being able to 'save as' a jpeg I assumed he was converting to a 16 bit Tiff.

 

[Epsomsalt]

Yes Roy you are correct. I did not know about having to convert from 16bit to 8bit tiff - the mist slowly clears!

Frank, thanks I will give Lightroom a try.

Thanks to all who have helped.

Chris

 

[Nikon Kid]

Now you know me ready to get shot down, But if you are only using the image for the web, is there really any difference in the finished image DPP raw to jpg or DPP raw to tiff to jpg.

 

[Vernon Barker]

I also have converted to Lightroom and only use CS3 for the cloning tool and converting for web.

 

[Roy C]

Now you know me ready to get shot down, But if you are only using the image for the web, is there really any difference in the finished image DPP raw to jpg or DPP raw to tiff to jpg.

Depends if you are going to do any more editing after converting in DPP. I do most of my editing in CS2 after the Raw has been converted and find it better to work with a 16 bit tiff. It is only after I have done all my tweaks in CS2 that I finally convert to a jpeg.

 

[Chris Galvin]

I also have converted to Lightroom and only use CS3 for the cloning tool and converting for web.

Wow, that is a really expensive clone tool that you have there Vernon!

 

[Vernon Barker]

Thats because I started with CS3 and changed to Lightroom later.

Wouldn't go back to CS3 because of several factors but mainly the library function in LR