Windows and RAW files

Hi

Until now I never used RAW, since I never did any editing.

The more I read about the 7D, the more I realize that the 7D max potential is in its RAW files.

Only problem, is that windows vista will not recognize them, the EOS software does see them, but not windows gallery.
Am I missing some codec or such?

Even Gimp doesn't see them.

PS: I am looking into getting LR4, but finding a CD version in my parts of Asia is proving to be very difficult.

The codec is here:
http://www.microsoft.c​om …oad/details.asp​x?id=26829

You need to DL the codec posted by tzalman and then your windows viewer and any other software should be able to read the images and you will then be able to view them and edit with LR and PS.

Honestly for me, it's RAW or nothing. I only shoot RAW because it allows you to bring out colors that JPEG would not be able to capture. It also allows you to play around with so many different sliders which make the image better in the long run.

Thanks for the very fast help.

But I am curious, I use some image style plug in right now. Sme a pretty good, but would it then be best to use neutral or faithful?

Hatallas wrote in post #16168877
Thanks for the very fast help.

But I am curious, I use some image style plug in right now. Sme a pretty good, but would it then be best to use neutral or faithful?

If you are shooting Raw, once you open it in your Raw processor the Picture Style is a matter of personal choice in your processing.

To clarify a bit: the in-camera Canon picture style is only used to produce an in-camera jpeg. This will influence your in-camera preview as well as your histogram, but the Raw data is not altered.

The Canon Raw processing software Digital Photo Professional (DPP) will "read" the Picture Style as well as the White Balance and other in-camera settings and will use them to initially "render" the Raw preview in your computer, but then you are free to change things around, while the original Raw data remains unchanged. Other Raw apps don't bother to read the Picture Style settings, they just allow you to start "from scratch" and apply any settings you wish. It's more common, though, for Raw software to read the White Balance "value" and apply it as the "as shot" White Balance although again you are free to change things around.

While this may seem initially a bit confusing or intimidating it's actually one of the big strengths of shooting Raw!

It is fun, though, and to me useful, to work with DPP when you are getting started with your Raw shooting and processing. You get a "jpeg-like" image as a "starting point" and then you are free to play creatively to improve that starting point!

It should be said, though, that there is a use for the in-camera Picture Style and that's when you are looking to optimize your exposure settings. I set mine to Neutral with Contrast and Saturation settings at -4. This is so that the Histogram and preview "blinkies" won't get messed up by the more intense settings of the "Standard" Picture Style!

As to what to use when you are passing on a shot to some other software, well, that's surely a matter of your personal taste and the particular image and what you are aiming to do with it, as well as any "particulars" about the software you are using! For example, some folks prefer to do things like sharpening and/or noise reduction in plug-ins rather than in their Raw processor.