Supplied software

With the advent of the EOS-1Ds Canon has introduced a new stand-alone software application called the 'File Viewer Utility'. This application appears to be a development of the existing RAW Image Converter with support for all current Canon digital cameras (with RAW format support) and a few added features such as a histogram display. Also included is Remote Capture (not covered in this preview article).

File Viewer Utility features summary

Direct connection to the EOS-1Ds (via Firewire)

• Set camera owners name, date & time, format CF card
• Set personal functions (26)
• Program camera parameter sets (custom tone curves, sharpening, JPEG quality settings)
• Program personal white balance presets (PC-1, PC-2, PC-3)
• Browse, modify, erase and transfer images from CF card in camera

Browsing images (on camera or local folder)

• View as a thumbnail index (three sizes of thumbnail)
• View as full window preview
• Check / Un-check images
• Protect / Un-protect images
• Attach IPTC information
• Playback attached voice annotations
• Transfer images from CF card to local hard disk
• Re-save images into different formats (RAW to RAW, JPEG or TIFF)
• Display detailed exposure and camera settings information for each image
• Display histogram for image
• Display active AF areas for image
• Erase image(s)
• Set RAW parameters
  • Tone curve
  • White balance (including spot WB)
  • Sharpening
  • Exposure compensation (makes use of extra latitude in RAW files)
• Convert RAW image
  • Save as JPEG or TIFF (8 or 16 bit)

Main window

Thumbnail mode

After starting File Viewer Utility the main window is displayed. Window layout is straightforward enough, on the left we have the source folder selection, this can either be directly from the camera or from your local hard disk. Next is the main viewing pane which shows either thumbnails or a preview image and on the right is the information pane with a histogram and detailed exposure information. Selected thumbnails can be deleted, rotated, transferred, re-saved or marked as protected. If the thumbnails selected are RAW images you can also adjust RAW parameters either individually or as a group (see more below).

Once more Canon have stuck to the Kodak convention of giving their RAW files a TIF file extension (not the CRW extension used on the D30/D60).

Preview mode

Double click on an image from thumbnail mode (or change the view mode to 'Preview') and the selected image will be shown at one of three sizes (small, middle or large). All of the functions mentioned above for multiple or single thumbnails can be carried out on a single previewed image (such as rotation, protection, deletion etc.)

AF point display active

In single image preview mode you can also choose to display the AF points which were active at the time the shot was taken. In this case automatic AF point selection chose points around the little girl's face (image rotated 90 degrees).

Preferences

The preferences dialog is spread across two tabs (as shown below). It allows you to set various conversion settings:transfer bit depth (8 / 16), transfer JPEG (if shot as RAW+JPEG), transfer linear (no gamma correction / tone curve), enable / disable false color filter (moiré filter) and enable / disable false resolution filter.

RAW file manipulation

You can manipulate one image or a multiple selection of images, RAW images can have their white balance, colour matrix (colour space / balance), tone curve (note now a non-linear scale - much easier), sharpening and even 'digital exposure compensation' set before the image is either acquired or saved. Below is a composite image showing RAW specific adjustments.

RAW specific adjustments

IPTC

The File Viewer Utility software also supports IPTC (International Press and Telecommunications Council) information which can be embedded within / read from the images.