Camera RAW vs CS3

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Benbo

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Ben Temperton
Edit My Images
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Hi there,

One thing I have constantly wondered is how much should I process my raws in Camera RAW before using CS3? Would I be better off leaving all the sharpening/contrast/color levels stuff to CS3 where you can pick different aspects?

At the moment, I'm tweaking all the values in CameraRAW to get a reasonable shot, then opening that in CS3 to do the final PP.

But I'd like some feedback on what better photographers do as I feel that given CameraRAW affects the whole picture, some bits might get overcooked once they're processed again in CS3.

B&W is a prime example. Do you use CameraRAW to change the image to B&W before dodge & burn in CS3, or do you do the conversion in CS3 with layers?

Many thanks.
 
There are many different thoughts on this, the main idea seems to be, leave all sharpening to last.
That said, there is a three point sharpening technique plus many others.

I correct white balance, exposure, shadows, highlights and clarity when i process and this seems io be becoming the norm in my circle.

Depending what the file is like i might give it an initial sharpening but very rarely, it also depends on what output unit your using.

I convert to b&w using channel mixer plus layers so that i still have the colour information to play around with, also you can revert back to colour or change the picture easily.

Hope this helps
David
 
There are no camera processing setting on my D2Xs as I prefer to do it all in CS3 - so the raw is as raw as it comes

Most of my studio work is done via actions to minimise workflow, and these vary depending on the medium required

DD
 
doesnt that go for every camera whilst using raw Dave?
 
no probs, its a new one on me that you can process RAW images in-camera
 
With the latest ACR in CS3, I do everything possible in the RAW processor module (having made a set of DNG files to work with from the RAW ones - which as originals, I try not to touch at all if possible). this includes initial sharpening. At that stage I hit 'done' and go on to select any images that need further work in CS3 itself, including output sharpening when I am ready to output.

You could say that I use ACR almost as others would the develop module in Lightroom.

Anthony.
 
OK I use mainly Lightroom, but ACR in CS3 is virtually the same as the controls in LR.

The controls in Camera Raw are easier and in some respects more powerful than those in CS3. The sharpening option works mainly in the luminance channel so you don't sharpen the colour channels and introduce "speckle" The tone curve is a lot easier to use than that in Photoshop, plus you can make colour adjustments in the HSL panel. ( try lowering the blue luminance to improve blue skies)

Also if you've got a colour checker, you can can do a camera calibration, to help improve matters further.

To be honest the only reason I drop into PS is to retouch, when necessary, and if I need to soft proof, which you can't do in LR
 
surely it depends on the image. If not that much needs doing i do everything in camera raw, then just save as a jpeg. but if more needs doing to the image (such as filters, curves tweaking further) and i feel like being a lil' bit creative then i'll go on into photoshop. CS3 has the best b&w converter ever, so i use that instead of the convert to greyscale thing in camera raw.

in summary: it depends on what needs doing
 
Your PC (or Mac) and software are far more powerful than your camera. Shoot in RAW and use the detail in the files to be manipulated by CS3/Lightroom.

Your camera is designed to take photos how you expose them, your computer and software are designed to do the PP work.

Just MPO though....

Steve
 
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