Canon CS2 Converts & Save to JPG in Canon DPP software suite

[sbronsge]

After opening a Canon RAW image (15MB .cr2/RAW format) into the free Canon Digital Photo Professional 3.6, which was created with my Canon EOS 500D, I optimize the image sharpness, saturation etc. After all the edition work the image looks incredible sharp. Now I save this CR2 file with all the corrections applied in the same Cr2 format, in such a way that other software recognizes the change.
What currently happens is that the Canon software seems to save the configuration / editing values, but it does not change the photo itself.
Via this way Canon wants you to be able to revert to the original image. Sounds good, but Other software like Photoshop / different sort of viewers do not recognize my changes..

Now because of this drawback, I try Convert and Save the CS2 file into JPG, Tif, Tiff... A good workaround for me, no issue. But unfortunately the output file is less sharp and detailed compared with the Cr2 file. Of course would you say, thats the difference between a RAW and JPG or Tiff format, but even when I zoomed out the 15Megapixel Cr2 image, and compare it with the 16bit tiff, its very easy to recognize the difference in sharpness and details. In fact the JPG and Tiff file just dont look sharp, even when I use quality = 10 / no compression and dPi on 350 at least...

Ive tried importing the original CR2 file into Photoshop CS4 to try the editing work over there, but the original CR2 Raw file looks crap, lots of pixels etc. Im currently reading about Import filters for Photoshop CS4 since I really dont understand why the Canon Digital Photoshop shows me a very detailed an sharp RAW image, and the Photoshop CS4 showed me a blurred version with a lot of pixels. This happens even without starting to edit the image in both software packages!!!

Anyone with an idea how to save the editing changes in DPP to the CR2 so that other programs recognize this? In fact I want to save my changes in a CS2 file to use this in a viewer like the Ifran Viewer.
Currently I believe that Photoshop is not going to help me, unless I find the appropiate import filter. Ive tried opening and editing the CR2 file in the latest photoshop, but it never came even close to the image quality in DPP. Perhaps im still missing the correct filter that seems autmatically enabled in DPP.

 

[Deckard]

Hi there. Unfortunately the edits you make to a CR2 file in DPP can be read by DPP only, not Photoshop/Camera Raw or Lightroom etc.

Your best bet is to "convert & save" or "batch process" your files as Tiffs from DPP if you wish to make further edits in PS, I can't quite see why your converted files would be less sharp than the Raws, that's certainly not my experience. Just be aware that to fully judge sharpness in DPP you need to be viewing at 100% magnification.

 

[petersmart]

I also wanted to keep the edits to a RAW file, to use them in Dynamic Photo HDR, but like yourself found it was impossible to export the edited files.

Now I convert to TIFF files first.

But I set the sharpness to 0 then sharpen the TIFF files after "De-Noising" them.

If you sharpen them first you also sharpen the noise.

 

[sbronsge]

I also wanted to keep the edits to a RAW file, to use them in Dynamic Photo HDR, but like yourself found it was impossible to export the edited files.

Now I convert to TIFF files first.

But I set the sharpness to 0 then sharpen the TIFF files after "De-Noising" them.

If you sharpen them first you also sharpen the noise.

Yes Peter this was a very usefull tip, that I also used yesterday on my testings.

I fist used the luminance noise filter, that filters out almost all noise from the picture. Then I press Apply in DPP. After this I sharpen the photo. Perhaps it is even worth to try the export to Photoshop immediately after using the luminance noise filter in DPP, to see if we can remove the little noise that was left behind. After this the new "smart sharpen" tool from PS CS4 is able to help to sharpen the whole picture.

However im a bit disappointed that the export to PS CS4 seems to be a must regarding to noise / sharpening. Maybe this is why they created export functionality in DPP, for futher editings in PS.