2015 RAW conversion POTN poll

It has been a few years since I initiated a poll into the RAW conversion software in use by folks.
https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1134​710&page=2

Things have evolved a bit in the marketplace (such as Apple's announced discontinuation of upgrades for Aperture, in favor of a new program in development), so I thought it would be worthwhile to update the profile on RAW conversion software in use among POTN members. I have added the ability to indicate your intention to change programs, or to stay with the program (and upgrades). Please use only ONE vote for the program choice, and use other votes only for indication of your intention to switch or remain with same program.

I will add some clarification to my vote: Currently I use LR 6 (perpetual license), but I recently bought a new computer and with it received an offer for a 20% discount on the first year of the Adobe CC Photographers Package. The offer is good until Dec. 31, 2015, so it is likely that close to that date I will switch to the subscription version.

Vote for lightroom, and click "I am happy with this program and plan to upgrade" would be my guess.

On the other hand I see your point as "creative Cloud" appears to be seperate from Lightroom vote.. hmm.

Capture One here....highlight recovery is just awesome. I have shots with blown out highlights (maybe by 1 stop+) because the subject is wearing white and he has darker skin. The highlight recovery is horrible under CS6 and Nikon ViewNX. No details but just the brightness is reduced. With Capture One, it could recover the folds in the fabric. And the software is designed to mimicking the film look too.

Adobe keeps changing its licensing schemes, and it is hard to design something to keep up with all the twists and turns of Adobe's chameleon marketing.
I listed in the poll the PROGRAM without reference to the licensing structure. The CSn vs. CC was not so much as licensing distinction as much as 'older' vs. 'current' differentiation of Photoshop

• If you go from LR to the photographer combo (LR+Photoshop), if you simply keep using LR (not discontinue use of LR), it is 'happy with program, will upgrade'.
  
• If you are using LR, but switch to the photographer combo (LR+Photoshop) and will largely discontinue use of LR in favor of Photoshop CC ACR, then 'intend to switch' is your choice.
  

I use Adobe Raw from CS5 for my 40D shots. It doesn't support the 7Dii file format. I used Canon's camera raw for these, but I don't like the sharpening algorithms. Maybe I was doing something wrong, but it was putting needle-like artifacts in detailed texture areas like grass. I learned just today that the related term is texture acutance. It's lousy at that. So I tried a trial of Phase One Capture Pro, which I quite like. I'm saving up the pennies to buy it. Adobe's subscription model is something I would never consider.

As a RAW processor I use LR, currently 4.4, but would like to upgrade to CC soon. I also use PSCS5 along with Bridge, but not ACR. On top of that I have the full CS3 Master Suite installed, including both Bridge and PS. At the moment I am OK with the older versions of Indesign and Premier, the two components that I use mostly.

As far as upgrades go I am likely to use the full CC Suite initially, as my daughter qualifies for EDU pricing. Unfortunately it seems that as a student you can only make use of the EDU pricing for one year, which as at the moment she has at least a couple more years in full time education in front of her is disappointing. What a student starting a three year arts course is supposed to do in years two and three I don't know. Once the EDU runs out I guess I will just go back to using CS3 and the Photographer's bundle.

Alan

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I voted "Other RAW converter".
I use iPhoto exclusively.
I got a new Apple iMac, and I presume it has Photos on it instead of iPhoto...so I expect I will soon be using both Photos (on the new iMac) and iPhoto (on the old iMac).

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I would guess that most responses are based on "do I take a picture or...do I create an image".

CS6 Bridge.

chauncey wrote in post #17751522
I would guess that most responses are based on "do I take a picture or...do I create an image".

Or another way the responses could be based would be, "do I create the image with the camera, or do I create the image with both the camera and the computer".

chauncey wrote in post #17751522
I would guess that most responses are based on "do I take a picture or...do I create an image".

Tom Reichner wrote in post #17752856
Or another way the responses could be based would be, "do I create the image with the camera, or do I create the image with both the camera and the computer".

A somewhat different view on things is

1. compose in camera
   
2. OPTIMIZE the shot with a couple local adjustments and overall ones (like Contrast, White Balance/tint, sharpening,
   Fill, etc.)
   
3. after that it might be construed that any more work might be altering the photo to the point it is 'made in post processing'
   

Currently have three software to edit RAW files, though mainly use LR6 as my main editor

The others are CS6 (if I want to be far too experimental with RAW editing) and Canon's own DPP

joedlh wrote in post #17746563
I use Adobe Raw from CS5 for my 40D shots. It doesn't support the 7Dii file format. I used Canon's camera raw for these, but I don't like the sharpening algorithms. Maybe I was doing something wrong, but it was putting needle-like artifacts in detailed texture areas like grass. I learned just today that the related term is texture acutance. It's lousy at that. So I tried a trial of Phase One Capture Pro, which I quite like. I'm saving up the pennies to buy it. Adobe's subscription model is something I would never consider.

i use adobe DNG converter on my 70D shots, in order to allow me to use CS4 version of adobe Raw with those files that aren't normally supported in .cr2...i would assume you could do the same thing with your 7DII raws...it does add another step to the whole process but allows you to work with programs you are used to


personally i still use adobe camera raw, i downloaded lightroom trial, but couldn't really get into it, and felt it wasn't as good and easy to get the results i wanted...although i am still thinking of purchasing it, and giving it more time seeing how many people are happy with it makes me think i need to buy it and grab a book on it, like i did with my earlier software purchases

DreDaze wrote in post #17753435
personally i still use adobe camera raw, i downloaded lightroom trial, but couldn't really get into it, and felt it wasn't as good and easy to get the results i wanted...although i am still thinking of purchasing it, and giving it more time seeing how many people are happy with it makes me think i need to buy it and grab a book on it, like i did with my earlier software purchases

Simply as a RAW processor it is the same as the equivalent version of ACR, with a couple of minor exceptions. For example LR allows you to have multiple complete copies (Virtual Copies) of an original file, that are all visible in the library at the same time. So you can have say a colour and monochrome version, as well as specific differing versions for say differing printer papers, sizes etc. Although ACR lets you have Snapshots, they only allow you to see one version at a time, and they each wipe out the history timeline too.

The big advantage of LR is all the other integrated stuff, as well as the Library module for managing you images, you have lots of options for producing final output. I have to say that personally I much prefer printing from LR than I do from PS, although you do need to do some reading to get the most from it, just like you do any other piece of advanced software.

Alan