Loss of focal detail when converting raw

[oswaler]

I'm using a G10 and shooting in Raw. I'm using the canon software (DPP) for WIndows to convert the Raws to Tiffs. When I look at the picture in the Raw form and put the generated Tiff next to it, the Tiff is noticeably softer (plus the color tones are very slightly different). I've tried converting to 8 and 16 bit Tiffs and played with the size of the generated file and the Tiff still comes out soft. By the way, I'm using Photoshop CS2 for Windows.

In another thread someone recommended the Adobe DNG converter. The Adobe website says DNG supports the G10, but when I showed it my CR2s it wouldn't open them.

Any suggestions?

Also, as a side question, Can you edit Raw files in Photoshop (meaning apply adjustment layers) or does the file always have to be converted to another format first?

Thanks - Eric

[michaelnel]

When I look at the picture in the Raw form and put the generated Tiff next to it, the Tiff is noticeably softer (plus the color tones are very slightly different).

I think that's because you aren't really looking at the RAW file, you are looking at the jpeg that is embedded in the RAW file. That jpeg has in-camera sharpening and color enhancing done to it.

The tiff file is what the RAW file actually looks like.

If you look at the .CR2 file with Adobe Camera Raw 5.2 or later, you are looking at the actual RAW data, and it always looks softer and colors more subdued too.

[oswaler]

That's interesting. I set the camera to capture both Raw and jpg. I put the raw image side by side with the jpg it captured from the same exposure, and the Raw is noticeably sharper than the jpg.