Questions about D-30 RAW Conversion

Bodyworks said:

Bill,
i own a D30 for about 8 month now. I have a huge website, where i
publish my photos. I always make RAW-Files and convert them as high
quality jpeg's (95% compression) with BreezeBrowser, because Canons
Zoombrowser has too much overhead and is poorly slow.
There is nearly no difference between the RAWs and the JPGs. The
jpg-prints come out excellent as well.
You can take a look at my albums:

http://www.wdw.de/digipix/fotos.html

Kind Regards

Bodyworks

--
Best Regards

Bodyworks

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BillCat said:

I had just been looking at your birds, which came out really well.
I forwarded that link to my mother and my wife. The birds seem to
know that they are having their photos taken.

Wow, you have a lot of photos, and they look good too.

I have the BreezeBrower demo but it seems to look the same as the
Canon V2 converter output. I'm not as worried about speed.

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BillCat said:

I'll be getting a D-30 soon (wahoo!) and thought that I'd ask how
people convert their RAW files for the best quality. I want to be
ready to process my images for highest quality as soon as I get the
camera.

1) There is a program called the PowerShovel for the G2 that
converts RAW files. The Canon RAW converter seems to do image
clean up. With the PowerShovel you can disable the image clean up
and sharpening, which is neat. Does anyone know of a program like
the PowerShovel which will work with the D-30?

I downloaded the BreezeBrowser, but the linear TIFFs look the same
as Canon V2 RAW converter. I think that it and the YarcPlus must
use some Canon software.

2) I suppose that the usual method to process RAWs would be to
produce a 16 bit linear TIFF then to adjust it in PhotoShop. I
just downloaded LinearSharpen, which is neat. I'm waiting for
Colin Walker to finish his D-30 Velvia like action which I'd assume
would be my favorite. What other actions do people use that are
good?

3) If there is anything else that I'm missing in RAW conversion?

Thanks in advance,
Bill

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John Davis said:

http://www.pictureflow.com/index.html

It is, IMHO, a better converter, with some unique proprietary image
artifact cleaning filters.

John

BillCat said:

I'll be getting a D-30 soon (wahoo!) and thought that I'd ask how
people convert their RAW files for the best quality. I want to be
ready to process my images for highest quality as soon as I get the
camera.

1) There is a program called the PowerShovel for the G2 that
converts RAW files. The Canon RAW converter seems to do image
clean up. With the PowerShovel you can disable the image clean up
and sharpening, which is neat. Does anyone know of a program like
the PowerShovel which will work with the D-30?

I downloaded the BreezeBrowser, but the linear TIFFs look the same
as Canon V2 RAW converter. I think that it and the YarcPlus must
use some Canon software.

2) I suppose that the usual method to process RAWs would be to
produce a 16 bit linear TIFF then to adjust it in PhotoShop. I
just downloaded LinearSharpen, which is neat. I'm waiting for
Colin Walker to finish his D-30 Velvia like action which I'd assume
would be my favorite. What other actions do people use that are
good?

3) If there is anything else that I'm missing in RAW conversion?

Thanks in advance,
Bill

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BillCat said:

Actually I'm trying to get my RAW image unchanged as little as
possible from it's origional state. I'd like to bypass whatever
image cleanup is done by the Canon software and see more what the
output really is, then I can process it myself the way I want.

Bill

John Davis said:

http://www.pictureflow.com/index.html

It is, IMHO, a better converter, with some unique proprietary image
artifact cleaning filters.

John

BillCat said:

I'll be getting a D-30 soon (wahoo!) and thought that I'd ask how
people convert their RAW files for the best quality. I want to be
ready to process my images for highest quality as soon as I get the
camera.

1) There is a program called the PowerShovel for the G2 that
converts RAW files. The Canon RAW converter seems to do image
clean up. With the PowerShovel you can disable the image clean up
and sharpening, which is neat. Does anyone know of a program like
the PowerShovel which will work with the D-30?

I downloaded the BreezeBrowser, but the linear TIFFs look the same
as Canon V2 RAW converter. I think that it and the YarcPlus must
use some Canon software.

2) I suppose that the usual method to process RAWs would be to
produce a 16 bit linear TIFF then to adjust it in PhotoShop. I
just downloaded LinearSharpen, which is neat. I'm waiting for
Colin Walker to finish his D-30 Velvia like action which I'd assume
would be my favorite. What other actions do people use that are
good?

3) If there is anything else that I'm missing in RAW conversion?

Thanks in advance,
Bill

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John Davis said:

http://www.pictureflow.com/index.html

It is, IMHO, a better converter, with some unique proprietary image
artifact cleaning filters.

John

BillCat said:

I'll be getting a D-30 soon (wahoo!) and thought that I'd ask how
people convert their RAW files for the best quality. I want to be
ready to process my images for highest quality as soon as I get the
camera.

1) There is a program called the PowerShovel for the G2 that
converts RAW files. The Canon RAW converter seems to do image
clean up. With the PowerShovel you can disable the image clean up
and sharpening, which is neat. Does anyone know of a program like
the PowerShovel which will work with the D-30?

I downloaded the BreezeBrowser, but the linear TIFFs look the same
as Canon V2 RAW converter. I think that it and the YarcPlus must
use some Canon software.

2) I suppose that the usual method to process RAWs would be to
produce a 16 bit linear TIFF then to adjust it in PhotoShop. I
just downloaded LinearSharpen, which is neat. I'm waiting for
Colin Walker to finish his D-30 Velvia like action which I'd assume
would be my favorite. What other actions do people use that are
good?

3) If there is anything else that I'm missing in RAW conversion?

Thanks in advance,
Bill

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Danny said:

Hi Bill ,

I'm not sure I understand your concern .
One way or another , you will have to transform your RAW files to
be able to use your images .
To transform your CRW files into non-linear 8bits/16bits or Jpeg
files you'll need to use a conversion software .
For Linear files , the best is to use - after your conversion
software - the actions of Fred or Pekka . And adjust with PS in
most cases .

Or do you mean something I didn't understand ?
Are other readers aware of something I don't know ?

Wheelie

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MichaelT said:

BillCat,

Please allow me to explain one small point.

You do NOT want to leave the RAW image alone. The Arrifact Removal
Filter(ARF) removes unwanted artifacts that are produced by the
D30. They are present in all D30 (and other camera) images, and
unless you get rid of them in the beginning (at conversion time)
they will plaugue you later on during any post processing that you
might do.

No serious Canon photographer chooses to turn off FCF for serious
work, simply because without it there are color artifacts in many
pictures. The same is true for ARF. I suggest that unless ARF is
used, you do not have the best quality possible and you post
proceesing potential possibilities will be more limited.

This may not be obvious unless your quality standards are the
highest. The artifacts are there, and they DO degrade your
pictures. Please check out the samples and examples at our web site.

On a D30 the artifacts are very subtle at ISO 100, become more
apparent at ISO 200 and 400. At 800 and 1600 the chroma noise
overwhelms the artifacts and so this is more difficult. So ARF is
most effective at ISO 100-400.

In the next and final beta release (due next week), we will have
AutoARF which selects between the 2 ARF modes automatcailly based
on ISO speed of each picture.

Also note that YarcPlus allow you to Assign a Color Profile of your
choice to the output TIFFS, to make life easier in Photoshop.

Because the ARF filter is highly tuned, it only works on NON-Linear
images right now, but we will offer a Linear version some time
soon. Right now we are concnetrating on finalizing the YarcPlus
official release due around May 1.

Until May 1 YarcPlus is free, so give it a try. After May 1, full
evaluation version is free, with Registration needed for full
operation.

Enjoy...

...and thanks to those of you that mentioned YarcPlus within this
thread. It is gratifying to know that our work has been useful.
--
Regards,

Michael Tapes
http://www.YarcPlus.com
http://www.michaeltapes.com

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VG said:

Even though in Beta, YARCPLUS is the convertor to check out. The
programmers are REAL people that listen to users and add useful
features that not only speed up your RAW conversion workflow, but
also allows almost unlimited conversion scenarios.
As to canned actions, being a new user you will find that the
actions can give you a baseline from which to draw knowledge that
you can tweak for yourself. Actions tend to be too generic for
every image situation but most users are happy with them. The fact
that most of the actions have gone through several revisions shows
that they are a work in progress and not a total solution.
HTH,
VG

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BillCat said:

I got the YARCPlus and installed it. It told me that it was a
limited time trial. They use the Canon software too, so it seems
to produce the same linear TIFFs.

Actually I'm trying to get my RAW image unchanged as little as
possible from it's origional state. I'd like to bypass whatever
image cleanup is done by the Canon software and see more what the
output really is, then I can process it myself the way I want.

Bill

--'Think Outside The Box.........Once you're in the box, it's too late.' http://home.attbi.com/~keylargographics

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BillCat said:

Hey Danny,

Well, my first concern is that there is some sharpening done to the
image during RAW conversion to a 16 bit TIFF file which can't be
turned off. Sharpening is a scarry thing and I'd like to see the
really unsharpened image.

Next I'm pretty sure that there is strong noise removal to the RAW
file during conversion and other stuff. Perhaps that's a good
thing, but I'd like to be able to get at the image as it really is.
It might be the case that I don't really want what I'm asking for!
Anyway, it'd be a nice option to have.

Bill

Click to expand...

BillCat said:

Well, my first concern is that there is some sharpening done to the
image during RAW conversion to a 16 bit TIFF file which can't be
turned off. Sharpening is a scarry thing and I'd like to see the
really unsharpened image.

Next I'm pretty sure that there is strong noise removal to the RAW
file during conversion and other stuff. Perhaps that's a good
thing, but I'd like to be able to get at the image as it really is.
It might be the case that I don't really want what I'm asking for!
Anyway, it'd be a nice option to have.

Bill

Danny said:

Hi Bill ,

I'm not sure I understand your concern .
One way or another , you will have to transform your RAW files to
be able to use your images .
To transform your CRW files into non-linear 8bits/16bits or Jpeg
files you'll need to use a conversion software .
For Linear files , the best is to use - after your conversion
software - the actions of Fred or Pekka . And adjust with PS in
most cases .

Or do you mean something I didn't understand ?
Are other readers aware of something I don't know ?

Wheelie

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Bogey said:

BillCat said:

I got the YARCPlus and installed it. It told me that it was a
limited time trial. They use the Canon software too, so it seems
to produce the same linear TIFFs.

Actually I'm trying to get my RAW image unchanged as little as
possible from it's origional state. I'd like to bypass whatever
image cleanup is done by the Canon software and see more what the
output really is, then I can process it myself the way I want.

Bill

Click to expand...

--
'Think Outside The Box.........Once you're in the box, it's too late.'

http://home.attbi.com/~keylargographics

Click to expand...

Danny said:

Hi Billy ,

Yes , it's possible to turn off the sharpening , contrast ,
saturation .
First , youn have the choice to select these settings in your camera .
Secondly , the RAW converters allow you to select ' as shot ' or set
these settings to low/normal/high .
My settings ( as a majority of users it seems ) are :
contrast : low
saturation : high
sharpness : low
All RAW converting programs ask you to make a choice .
So far I know about , it's not possible to leave everything blank
as , even ,
in the camera processing you need to make a choice .
The camera comes from the factory with all settings set to ' normal
' .
So far , YarcPlus offers the most complete palette of settings and the
best interface ( that's my personal opinion ) .
You can turn off every feature you don't like .... except to leave
everything to ' low ' and the WB to ' as shot ' .
Perhaps , the developpers can give more explanations and provide
much more in-depth information ?
But , as it is , thousands of users are happy with what is offered and
even using the Canon RAW converter will not allow you to disconnect
these functions and set them to .... nothing .
Why not to give a try to all and find the settings that fit YOU best ?
Believe me , there's a lot to experiment and find out .
After all , in traditional photography , you also need to choose
the type of film in accordance with the shoot and the light you use
.
Not to forget the personal ' touch ' of the lab , professional or
not , you gave your films to be developped and your negatives to be
printed !

Wheelie

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BillCat said:

images that I'll spend weeks working on just to get the way I want,
and I'd like to have a minimally processed image to start with.

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