In DPP - Dust Delete & stamp question

Have several CR2 files with bits of dust. I can use the Dust Delete data and stamp tool in DPP to remove them. In the Stamp tool window, they go away but in the 'main' edit window, they still show in the image. OK, I understand about 'metadata' and all, but how do I, or even CAN I, save the CR2 raw file so I can pass it to an HDR program and have the spots gone? If I save the original raw file and and send it to an HDR program, it still has the spots. The only time the spots seem to actually go is when I "Convert and Save" to a JPG file, and they then are not in the JPG, which is good.

I guess my question is, how do I save a raw file with the stamp/dust delete processing in effect and retain the raw form?

Thanks very much in advance.

Not possible. You are asking to modify the RAW data. DPP doesn't do this and it's better so.
I don't think people like a converter that modify the raw data.

A better solution would be that the developers of your HDR software add the ability to read the info saved by DPP about dust in the raw file and then apply their own treatment to remove it, but this is another story...

By the way, latest version of DPP can do HDR...

Like was said, you can't "overwrite" the Raw data. Using "Save" just saves the "metadata" which contains the "editing info" but is only "readable" by the Canon software. As you have noted, "Convert and Save" (or Batch process) is the only way to make the edits "visible" to the "outside" apps and viewers, using an image file.

It should be said that you are not limited to converting to a jpeg. In fact, for editing purposes,, it is generally preferable to convert to a tiff because the tiff doesn't have the jpeg compression applied and so will have more latitude/quality in further processing in an app such as Photoshop/Elements. You do have choices for tiffs: they range from 16-bit tiffs which include the Exif info, producing large files but with the highest quality, or you can drop the exif, or you can get smaller files with 8-bit tiffs. They lose some of the editing "latitude" from the 8-bit compression, but are still better than jpegs (with the added compression) and for many editing tasks an 8-bit tiff could be fine.

As to HDR software, well, I'd say it depends on how much edting/processing you will want to do. For a "simple" job, in fact a jpeg could suffice, but for anything that requires processing I'd suggest at least an 8-bit tiff.

And, I'd agree with the suggestion that you check out the DPP HDR tool, for some simple jobs it could be a quick/simple approach!

Thanks, both of you - that's pretty much what I figured but I wanted to run it past the experts just in case. I may check out the HDR ability in DPP - I know it's there but I've never played with it..

I use DPP to set WB, stamp, & etc. then PSE 10 for more editing, if needed. You can Save As 16 bit TIF but when you try to edit in PSE 10 it requires you to convert to 8 bit TIF. I do not know if there is an advantage to saving 16 bit TIF and letting your program (PSE 10 in my case) convert to 8 bit or if you may as well Save As 8 bit Tif. Anyone know?

GilBean