Software for raw. (1 Viewer)

[Neil-T]

Hi all, after a year of bird photography and only shooting in Large jpeg, I want to start shooting in raw and doing a bit of post processing. My kit is a 50D, 50-500 bigma and 180 sigma macro. Obviously I have the software that comes with the camera, which is ok for some things, but what do you recommend for a newbie advancing into raw. I like to keep it fairly simple and user friendly. I have been using ACDSee and photoshop elements basic version and the Canon software to post process most of my images. Thanks. Neil.

 

[postcardcv]

I'd recommend starting out with DPP (the RAW software you'll have got with the camera), it's easy to use and does the job well. I've no doubt that there are better bits of RAW software out there but I'm still happily using DPP and will do until I can justfy paying out for CS3/4

 

[njlarsen]

If you have photoshop elements (I am not familiar with a basic version?), then you should be able to use the ACR which comes with it; I think it is the same ACR that is included in photoshop CS.

If you have ACDSee, you are no doubt familiar with them offering a pro version that also includes a raw converter. I have the basic version and never use their editing functions, so I don't know how well it would work.

Niels

 

[QuantumTiger]

I'd also go with DPP. I use an older version of Elements and generally I have found that DPP does a better job with the colour balance than the Elements RAW converter.

 

[Neil-T]

Thanks guys, I will try DPP first and see how I get on with it. Neil.

 

[macshark]

DPP is pretty good, especially after Canon added the highlights/shadows recovery controls in the latest version.

 

[JohnZ]

Raw Therapee ?

 

[Boy George]

DPP is pretty good, especially after Canon added the highlights/shadows recovery controls in the latest version.

Macshark,

By which I take it you mean the "Highlight Alert" and "Shadow Alert"? I ask as I am unsure as to whether I am missing something else in DPP! I use version 3.6.1.0.
Indeed, these are most valuable tools that I use all the time.

Regards

Adrian

 

[Roy C]

Macshark,

By which I take it you mean the "Highlight Alert" and "Shadow Alert"? I ask as I am unsure as to whether I am missing something else in DPP! I use version 3.6.1.0.
Indeed, these are most valuable tools that I use all the time.

Regards

Adrian

I think he is talking about the highlight and shadow sliders that were new in v 3.6.1.0. and not the alerts which are accessible from the view menu.
I use DPP as my preferred raw converter but must admit I am not that impressed with these new sliders - I much prefer to do these adjustments in CS.

 

[Nikon Kid]

I also go with DPP, I am now getting to understand you don't need to alter much if the image was taken correctly in the 1st place. I have found after experimenting alot, in DPP if I need to trim I do this 1st then I use both sharpen sliders in DPP 1st the RGB then Raw, then I convert and save and resize to 900x600 keeping the EXIF flie in the image, then open up Adobe Elements 6 and check the all levels if I like them I use them, then go to unsharp mask and again adjust the sharpness then save as, and post on the web.

Thats been working for me, Good luck with your images, don't overwork them.

 

[torpid dormouse]

The raw converter in Photoshop Elements 7 is excellent but I use DPP as a browser. PS7 cost me about £35.

 

[cabaldwin]

I've been using Adobe Lightroom 2.1 for a couple of months now and like it a whole lot more than Apple Aperture. I haven't tried the Canon DPP though. I figure I'd demo the big guns' software first.

Not sure how the others work but I like that Lightroom does not make any changes to your RAW files. It stores all the "Develop" settings for each image in its catalog/database and you simply output a tiff or jpeg for whatever purpose you want. Now that I understand the benefits of that non-destructive editing it really freaks me out when other software asks me to save my file. I never want to save changes over my original RAW file, yet that seems to be what some other apps ask you to do.

It's taken some time to learn it, but it was a fun learning curve, and the basics come fairly easily. So, if you have access to it, or can afford it, I recommend it highly.

 

[farmdogfan]

DPP+1.
regards per