questions about RAW and archiving images to CDROM

[photorealm]

I shot 98 RAW images on a 256MB CF card and now want to
download them al to my computer. If I use the default method,
which is to plug in the camera and select Photoshop (since I have
already tired of, and uninstalled, ZoomBrowser), I get the
window with thumbnails and I can select a batch at a time and
download them, but the software selects the C: drive (my smallest
one) as the places it temporarily caches them until I save them
in Photoshop. How do I tell the software to cache them to a
different drive so I can grab more than 10 at once?

Another thing...I undestand RAW is the best quality, and I can see
that when I open images I took time in creating. I see that in the
TWAIN software I can Adjust RAW Parameters. Is there a way to
adjust RAW parameters, other than the TWAIN software? Is
there a plug-in for Photoshop that will do that? Is there an EXIF
data reading plugin for Photoshop?

Last thing...if I am archiving my RAW images off CF to disk or
CDROM and want to save the most data, highest quality master
possible, do I download the RAW through TWAIN and then
save as PSD or TIFF or what?

Francesco

[oops]

When I get home with a camera full of pics, my first job is to unload the G1 and protect my files. I shoot only RAW and have also given up on Zoombrowser; I use the Breeze free downloader, instead. You can select where the program will deposit your images, like a cd or zip drive, before you begin the download.

I prefer to save to cd in RAW and consider this my master file. I then copy from cd to hard drive those images worth converting to tiff or jpg and do all manipulation from my C: drive to protect my original RAW file stored on the CD. I can then copy any changes and conversions to the CD as a different file name.

I am also using the Breeze Browser (not free but cheap) to view and convert my RAW images with whitepoint modifications, etc. It will do at least as much as Photoshop in this regard. You can then use Photoshop on the converted image for the real work and final product.

There are as many ways as users, though, and would love to hear some variations.

[photorealm]

So Breeze can read the EXIF info, and can modify the RAW settings like the Canon driver? I can't see where Photoshop itself can modify RAW settings.

If I import a RAW, after tweaking, into Photoshop and save as a PSD, is that equivalent to an unmodified RAW?

Francesco

[Amedee]

If I import a RAW, after tweaking, into Photoshop and save as a PSD, is that equivalent to an unmodified RAW?

In quality: Yes
In Quantity: Much bigger ;) (Raw File = Approx 2MB, PSD = around 10MB at least)

More seriously, you should keep the RAW file, since it allows you to apply the base modifiers (white balance, ...) without loosing quality.

[oops]

"So Breeze can read the EXIF info, and can modify the RAW settings like the Canon driver? I can't see where Photoshop itself can modify RAW settings. "

Breeze downloader saves your EXIF info as a .txt file that can be built into a database by photo #, etc. It has more info than I can use at present about each shot. If you have 20 pics in the camera, Downloader will report 40 (The .txt file being the "tag" file.) I guess this is right but there are many more on this forum more proficient than myself on this. Forget the Canon driver for this, because it "tags" to either Zoombrowzer or Photoshop which, for me, are either too weak or too "proprietary".

Download the BreezeBrowzer and try it for a time. The only limit is 20 images at a time in a given directory. But by all means get the free Breeze Downloader so you can take control of what comes out of your camera.

[dbookbinder]

I've been using BreezeBrowser for a while, too, and it's been worth the price ($30 or $35). The developer seems committed to continuing to improve it and has already come out with two improved releases in the month or so I've owned the software.

- David

[Charlie Schumacher]

Can't you simply use a CDR burner program and copy the files from the Microdrive to a cd? Is there an advantage to using Breeze to download?

[dbookbinder]

You can certainly just copy your images from microdrive or compactflash to a CD-ROM. The advantages of the Breezebrowser/Downloader combo are that you can preview the files and delete the ones you don't want, batch rename the files, batch convert them from RAW to TIFF or JPEG (and can modify the RAW settings in the process), rotate them, save and restore EXIF information, and generate HTML slideshows. If you don't need to do any of these things, then you might as well just copy the files to CD.

Breezebrowser has a free trial version and Downloader is free, so you can see if they offer you any advantages without risking anything.

- David

[Eric F.]

I have recently started to use the YARC coupled with YARC SHELL. NOTE: I was unable to use this program untill someone shared the YARC SHELL program.

This seems to be a excellent Free downloader which converts from RAW to TIFF or JPEG. The Yarc Shell has a preview.

The proceedure that I have found to best is to transfer the files that I want to keep in RAW from card to desktop file. Once the file has some photos in it, I then burn them on cd. This way I can use the photos now in TIFF or JPEG. If I want to start over again, I have the RAW file in archive.