I'm turning to RAW but.....

Bambi'sThumper

Bambi'sThumper

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Name
Jenny
Edit My Images
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I am looking into starting to shoot in RAW, the prospect terrifies me but only because I'm still understanding it and I think I'm getting and its making me want convert.
Anyway my problem is, editing from RAW, I have a canon 450D and have just purchased Adobe PS Element 4 - I cant afford higher right now - will I be able to edit RAW files in Elements 4, or do I have to get Lightroom aswell?
If I do need Lightroom as well, will I be able to run an older version with my camera? Only because I cant afford the newer version.

Thanks
 
hi
When you purchased your 450d, did it come with the Canon software (not sure if you purchased new or second hand).
if it did, why not try Canon's "Digital Photo Professional" (DPP) software?
I use this all the time for my RAW conversions.
hope this helps
 
goinggreynow said:
hi
When you purchased your 450d, did it come with the Canon software (not sure if you purchased new or second hand).
if it did, why not try Canon's "Digital Photo Professional" (DPP) software?
I use this all the time for my RAW conversions.
hope this helps
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I agree, Canon DPP is the best RAW converter for any Canon camera and it's very easy to use. Convert to jpeg or tiff and then process in which ever software you like. With the latest version of DPP you can do HDR.
 
killwilly said:
Convert to jpeg or tiff and then process in which ever software you like. With the latest version of DPP you can do HDR.
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Doesn't that defeat the object of shooting RAW though if all you are going to do is convert to JPEG and THEN process your images?
 
Pookeyhead said:
Doesn't that defeat the object of shooting RAW though if all you are going to do is convert to JPEG and THEN process your images?
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This is what I was thinking, maybe I am wrong:shrug:
 
I have just looked as I started on elements 8 and it worked perfectly for RAW but i just cannot find the disc or you could have had it.

I will keep looking.

Surely someone has an older copy they could give Jenny that they are no longer using and its just collecting dust on a shelf somewhere
 
SpikeK6 said:
This is what I was thinking, maybe I am wrong:shrug:
Click to expand...
You are right.

The conversion to JPEG is the last thing you do in a RAW workflow.

16 bit TIFF is better, but you then can't play about with the basic settings again as you have "half developed" the image (converting to TIFF from raw fixes colour balance which can be non-linear for example).
 
I did get it second hand and it didnt come with the canon software disk, that was 1 of the 2 things I didnt get, that and the manual.
As I said I'm still getting used to understanding RAW so half of what has been said I have no clue about! Sorry!
But yes I do agree wouldnt just converting it to jpg defeat the purpose if what I want to do with raw? I take it once I have edited the Raw file I can save the edited version as a jpg but keep the orginal RAW incase I want to edit more?
Photoscape has a RAW converter but I guess thats not for editing?
 
Bambi'sThumper said:
I take it once I have edited the Raw file I can save the edited version as a jpg but keep the orginal RAW incase I want to edit more?
Click to expand...

Exactly. I do all my basic editing in lightroom... things like levels, curves, contrast, white balance.. global changes... maybe simple spot removal etc... then export as a 16bit TIFF. I then may, depending on what I'm doing, carry on in Photoshop. I use PS for actual retouching, airbrushing, composite work ... anything complex as Lightroom isn't designed for that. I save this work as a 16bit TIFF as a master copy.

Saving a JPEG as a COPY, would be the very last stage in my workflow, and only if it was intended for online use, otherwise I'd keep it as a TIFF.
 
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SpikeK6 said:
I have just looked as I started on elements 8 and it worked perfectly for RAW but i just cannot find the disc or you could have had it.

I will keep looking.

Surely someone has an older copy they could give Jenny that they are no longer using and its just collecting dust on a shelf somewhere
Click to expand...

Thank you very much.
If anyone else has one and would be willing to "gift" it to me I would be very very grateful.
I bought 4 to start practicing editing again as photoscape really isnt cutting it but now realising it may not do what I need it to.
Thanks
 
Does the DDP software only allow you to convert or can you edit too? As I dont want to shot RAW then convert then edit, I want to be able to shot RAW and edit RAW then convert. I think I have a program that allows me to convert raw files just not the editing part. Sorry if I'm not understanding.
 
You can edit in DPP but it is limiting compared to photoshop lightroom etc.

Only thing I use DPP for is to convert files or to look at them and delete the crap before I take note of file number and got to photoshop with the ones I want to edit properly.
 
Bambi'sThumper said:
Does the DDP software only allow you to convert or can you edit too? As I dont want to shot RAW then convert then edit, I want to be able to shot RAW and edit RAW then convert. I think I have a program that allows me to convert raw files just not the editing part. Sorry if I'm not understanding.
Click to expand...

Yes it does.

Further to the earlier links the one on the Canon site is only an updater, it just brings DPP up to the latest version, if you don't have it installed it doesn't work.

But you can download an old version here: http://www.cdifoto.com/dpp.php and then use the Canon link above to update it.
 
I've downloaded that Rawtherapee and seems quite good (its free so am happy) - I had a play on a non-RAW photo and quite liked it, not what its for but hey ho! I will try to shoot some RAW later as I've talk my boyfriend into sitting to pose for me! We shall see how I get on, I will post the results here and you see what you think.
 
My laptop runs windows.
I just grabbed the cat and got him to sit for a moment and took some shoots with RAW and edited through the rawtherapee and the results seem quite good (considering this was my first ever raw shoot and edit. My Mum is really happy with them & I am rather happy with them as well. Let me know what you think, but dont be too harsh - it was my first go! :). Only prob Im finding a lot of noise in the photos shooting through raw?

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Bambi'sThumper said:
nly prob Im finding a lot of noise in the photos shooting through raw?
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If you are shooting at high ISO then there will be more noise in the image the higher you go.

With the camera producing the Jpeg it would have added some noise reduction, though a fixed amount, at higher ISOs. With the Raw processing software, you have to add the noise reduction, but you can tailor it, if needed, to each image. But then you are relying on the quality of the noise reduction in the software you are using. I know recent versions of Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw have very good noise reduction, other software, I not so sure. :shrug:

Imho Lightroom and ACR are the best RAW processing, but also editing software. ACR is expensive, because it is part of Photoshop CS which is £650ish. Lightroom is less than £100. Photoshop Elements has a cut down version of the ACR plugin, plus the ability for pixel level editing for around £60.

Whatever software you get, be it free or paid for, you have to learn what it can do, and you don't do that straight away, but you generally get more options with premium software.
 
I had the ISO on auto but it whacked it up to 800 when I looked at the image details. So I will select it myself next time and will look at tutorials.
When I get some pennies together I will purchase something better but right now free is my only way forward unfortunately!
Thank you
 
SpikeK6 said:
Only thing I use DPP for is to convert files or to look at them and delete the crap before I take note of file number and got to photoshop with the ones I want to edit properly.
Click to expand...

Why not just preview the images in Adobe Bridge? :shrug:

It gives you a preview, and then opens either the RAW or Jpeg in ACR, or opens the Jpeg directly into Photoshop.
 
Jenny,

PM me your address. I have a copy of Lightroom 3 that came free with a camera I bought. I don't need the license and it should work fine with the 450D. It's not upgradeable to LR4, but it will get you into a proper raw workflow with your camera.
 
There is also another program that is free to down load called Gimp, its very much like photoshop only free.

This might help you too till funds allow.

I could not find my photoshop it must have got thrown out when I moved house
 
arad85 said:
Why? What does it do better than LR?
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Well, there's one thing that DPP does better than LR. It's much, much better than LR at reading and applying the in-camera settings for things like sharpness, noise-reduction, etc. That's because LR can't do that at all. This can make DPP a better introduction to raw processing, because the starting point for each image is what the user would have got if shooting jpeg.

However, apart from that I'd have to agree that LR does beat it everywhere else.
 
hollis_f said:
It's much, much better than LR at reading and applying the in-camera settings for things like sharpness, noise-reduction, etc. That's because LR can't do that at all.
Click to expand...
This is all very true and a good point.

BTW Bambi'sThumper: LR3 will be in the post to you today.
 
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