I guess I just don't get RAW..

[CanonLaw]

This RAW stuff is getting me confused....but i want to make it work because I want to get the best out of my camera.

This is how I used to do things. I would take a JPG picture, put it in photoshop and mess with it till it looked good to me. Now, I take some RAW images and put them in either DP Pro or RAWessentials to convert them to TIFF and then import them into Photoshop 7 (not CS). When i convert them as 8-bit+EXIF i can manipulate the colors and things in PS, but i cant if i convert them to 16-bit. Also, the images are 18megs at 8bit!!!

I hear people talking on here how they dont edit with photoshop, they just use the RAW software so that way they can then delete the TIFFs or something.... I dont know, its late, and im tired....

Hopefully ill figure this out soon...

[CanonLaw]

ALSO....

should i keep the RAW file if i have converted them to TIFF???

[Rigrider]

If you want any sort of archive of your images ALWAYS keep your RAW files. It's the origional image. Adobe actually has a FREE program that will convert your CRW files (the Canon Raw format) into what they're calling a DNG or Digital Negitive. The idea here is that while in a few years Canon (and or other companies) may change thier file format, Adobe will always suport DNG. Sorry for the ramble, back to your other question.
I'm not entirely sure about the software you're using to convert your Raw files, as I exclusively use Adobe's Camera Raw that comes with CS2. I do know that there was a plug-in for Camera Raw for Photoshop 7, that may now be free. Check with adobe. It would be the predisesor to what's now included with CS, and I love using it.

Hope this helped a little anyway.

L8r,

[Jesper]

Support for 16 bit per channel images is much more limited in Photoshop 7 than in Photoshop CS or CS2. So, many functions that work on 8 bit images do not work on 16 bit images in PS7.

If it's important to you to be able to work with 16 bit images, it would be a good idea to upgrade to Photoshop CS2. Working with RAW files is also much easier in CS/CS2, because you can open them directly in Photoshop (don't need to convert them to TIFF with a different program first).

As far as I know, Camera RAW version 1.x which worked with PS7 is no longer available (Adobe doesn't sell it and also doesn't give it away for free). Adobe wants you to upgrade to CS or CS2 if you want Camera RAW...

And yes, keep your original RAW files in a safe place, so that you can always start over with what you got from the camera.

[CanonLaw]

Thank you....I guess I will have to work on getting CS2....*GULP*
probably costs more than my camera.... :(

[Rigrider]

Oh sorry, forgot that bit. The thing with 16 bit is that, if you do most of your "editing" in Camera Raw first, there really isn't much need for it. Don't get me wrong, 16 bit is great for keeping image information (though as Jesper said, not heavily supported in PS 7) but if you do you hard editing in Raw, then there's really no reason to have that much info in you Tiff or PSD or whatever.

Sorry, Rambling....

[aam1234]

I don't see a reason to convert to Tiff, unless it's a very special photo. You can convert to jpeg straight from your raw conversion software.

[PhotosGuy]

I hear people talking on here how they dont edit with photoshop, they just use the RAW software so that way they can then delete the TIFFs or something.... I dont know, its late, and im tired....
Hopefully ill figure this out soon... That was me. I said that I USUALLY don't have to edit much on MOST images, & then I probably won't save the tiffs. If I do more complex post processing like this (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82876), I do save the tiffs.
I'll always save & back-up save the GOOD RAW files.
When you're wide awake, get RSE & learn how to use it. ;)

[CanonLaw]

I have RSE, and it seems like a cool program. Is the proper procedure to work with it in RSE and then convert if you like? What I have been doing is straight converting to TIFF...not changing anything in the RAW software...then working on it in PS7....which leads me to another question...

If I am working on an image i converted to TIFF in PS7, is that "post processing" or is post-processing only done with the RAW software?

[jfrancho]

The whole point of shooting RAW is to alter the settings before you create the image file.

[tzalman]

Maybe I can help dispel some of the fog.
First off, anything you do to a file to alter it after moving it from the camera to a computer is "post-processing." This said, when you shoot Raw there will be two main stages to your post-processing, first creating an image file (Jpg, Tif, Psd, Png, etc.) on the basis of the data in the Raw file (commonly called "converting" it although this is a misnomer since the Raw is not changed but merely acts as the source of information neccessary for the creation of a whole new file) and second any alterations afterwards made to that image file. The data in the Raw file is encoded in 12 bit notation. It can be the source of a 16 bit Tif (by adding four zeros) in which case no data is lost and you gain the added advantage of being able to do any second stage editing in 16 bit depth. If the Raw is used as the source of an 8 bit image file there will be a loss of data - which may or may not be significant - however, since any editing done at the time of the conversion will still be done in 12 bit depth, the effect of the subsequent data loss can be minimized by doing as much of the editing as possible in the first (conversion) stage. Finally, it should be noted that the final product will almost inevitably be 8 bit either because it is a Jpg for posting or storage or reduced from 16 to 8 bit by the printer driver.
Elie