GF1 Raw and Lightroom

Godfrey said:

Lightroom v2.6 final is now released and supports all current Micro-FourThirds bodies. I just downloaded and installed it, have been testing v2.6RC for weeks with few if any problems.

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. . . I've taken a brief look at SillyPix since receiving my GF1 earlier this week and think that it's probably not for me. Been considering LR but I'm also interested in DxO optics as well. The optimized camera/lens presets look very intertesting to me but the price is such that I'd like to know more before making a decision. The buzz in a lot of forums is that all the mFT cameras and lenses will be supported pretty soon. Anyone have any hands-on experience with the DxO Optics Pro program and maybe an opinion on how it compares with LightRoom as well?

sacundim said:

You don't need Photoshop experience to work with Lightroom—they're almost completely different programs. Lightroom is very easy compared to Photoshop, too. Photoshop's interface is based around open-ended image transformation operations that the user combines in non-obvious ways to achieve any result that they can conceive. Lightroom is more narrowly tailored to common photographic tasks.

Having used both Lightroom and Silkypix, I'd say you'd be more productive after switching to Lightroom. Lightroom is just faster and easier to use, and gives you quicker feedback on your adjustments, which means you can work faster.

I don't care how technically good of a RAW converter Silkypix or any other niche RAW conversion is. A good user interface means I can get better results because I can work better.

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--I have never used RAW although having a K10 and looking close at both GF1 & Kx know I should be using it to realize the full potential of their capabilities. This is because in the past I was saving space and too busy taking pictures and not patient enough to take the time to post process other than cropping and resizing or minor PP of jpegs.

I have Printshop Prophoto by Broderlbund or ACDSEE for my photo management but when this season Photoshop Elements appeared at half price after rebates I decided to jump but no salesman was able to give me a clue what its raw capabilities are if any or descriptions or reviews in magazines mention its overstuffed with features and the software box give little description. Then I read this thread indicating that I would be better getting a more expensive Lightroom if I wanted to work with any newer GF1 or Kx raw files?

I simply want the most basic RAW and simple conversion to realize the higher resolution and be able to tweak the IQ without destroying the original copy. Maybe the software that came with my K10 is all I need for my purposes but don't remember any being provided?

I have heard of many freebe RAW converters and would any of them serve my purposes as don't want an expensive software that may just sit on the self. Initially I read some post references to the beta version of Lightroom being available for free testing but assumed that meant you had to have a prior verision to use or good only for limited time frame?

Many thanks for any suggestions given.

safaridon

Model Mike said:

Well loolking at the screenshot, I need a little more convincing. Even judged purely as a RAW developer, the UI seems somewhat lacking.

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Due to a lack of time I didn't do my usual, well-labelled screenshot - I thought most fotogs would have enough imagination to realise that there was more than I could show in a static SS.

Just to help you along, though (even though I know you aren't the least bit interested, but other innocent beginners might be ;-) ) I will point out that as you select each of the 8 major items in the left side upper panel, the adjustment controls provided open up below, where the sliders you mis-mentioned in the next "quote" appear.

Model Mike said:

• Why is it necessary to have three sliders affecting contrast (Contrast, Contrast Centre, and Gamma)?

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Gulp...I count 4. ;-)

What's wrong with you ??

Everyone I know wants to be able to affect as many parameters as possible, in their own way. Those variations work at different levels. They give great control over image processing.

Model Mike said:

• Where is the tonal response curve? Essential to make any sense of the tonal controls, yet apparently not displayed on the same screen (if at all)?

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Why should it be? I never use it.

It's actually available via the 4th icon down the bottom (you know, the one that looks like a ...wait for it...tone curve!). I guess they have put some things which are seldom used out of the way, to reduce clutter.

As for your other belligerent questions, why don't you download your own trial copy and work it out for yourself? You don't need to, of course, we all know that!!

--
Cheers and all the best ;-)

Trevor G

http://www.computerwyse.com

I have no clue what I'm doing but can tell you I like SP better then PS for adjusting my images. Not sure how to use most of it and I can do more with PS but I too like the flow and hope to learn more as I go. I've never tried LR so don't know if I'd like it better.

As far as the multiple tone adjustments I was playing with those last night with a friend and was able to drastically improve a low light indoor shot taken with the 20mm by tweaking them all a bit.
--
It's easier to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.

safaridon said:

--I have never used RAW although having a K10 and looking close at both GF1 & Kx know I should be using it to realize the full potential of their capabilities.

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Maybe with the Pentax K10 - it is recognised by Pentax enthusuasts as well as dpreview as having poor quality JPGs out of the camera. It performs much better with RAW development.

But that is a very old camera, and the Panasonic G series is regarded as having very good JPGs straight out of the camera.

safaridon said:

I simply want the most basic RAW and simple conversion to realize the higher resolution and be able to tweak the IQ without destroying the original copy.

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Silkypix is provided free with every Panasonic which shoots RAW. This free version is also available as a free download at the Silkypix site, and you can try it out without buying a camera, even, by downloading one of the many compatible Panasonic RAW image files available on the net.

http://www.isl.co.jp/SILKYPIX/english/p/support/download/

safaridon said:

Maybe the software that came with my K10 is all I need for my purposes but don't remember any being provided ?

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That is Silkypix also, but only for Pentax images. You don't remember the CD they supplied with your camera?

I hope to have a Silkypix "primer" up and running over the Christmas-New Year period, to help folk like you along. It is so easy to use, but you seldom need it with RAW images with the good quality JPGs you will get from a G series Panasonic.

And the best thing about Silkypix is that it works the same "magic" on JPGs, too.

--
Cheers

Trevor G

http://www.computerwyse.com

Trevor G said:

Just to help you along, though (even though I know you aren't the least bit interested, but other innocent beginners might be ;-) )

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Trevor, you're right in that I'm not going to switch form LR, mainly because I'm heavily invested in time and effort, but if my points help you to justify Silkypix to beginners, then that's great. It's a cheaper package and clearly there are people like yourself who get on with it fine.

I think it's valid to point out the differences with LR. Hopefully those starting from scratch will now be minded to try out both before committing.

Trevor G said:

As for your other belligerent questions, why don't you download your own trial copy and work it out for yourself? You don't need to, of course, we all know that!!

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I'm sorry you felt my question was beligerent. I can assure you it was not the intention.

Trevor G said:

Cheers and all the best ;-)

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Ditto

--
Mike
http://flickr.com/rc-soar

JWsPhotos said:

PS: Perhaps someone else could chime in on whether or not the GF1 is in ACR yet. I do not have this camera (yet)

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Camera Raw 4.6/Lightroom 2.6 support all current Micro-FourThirds bodies.

However, Photoshop Elements only supports the "basic" mode operation in Camera Raw. To use any of the advanced features, you need Photoshop CS4.

--
Godfrey
http://godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com

Godfrey said:

... To use any of the advanced features, you need Photoshop CS4.

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... or Lightroom.

--
cheerios from the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland
http://www.michael.shaffer.net/albums.html

rare wolf said:

Godfrey said:

... To use any of the advanced features, you need Photoshop CS4.

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... or Lightroom.

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Lightroom does not use the Camera Raw plug-in. It is self-contained.
--
Godfrey
http://godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com

Is there lens correction in LR? I'm talking about E-P1, which is what I have but I assume the principle would apply to the G series Pans also. My understanding is you can enter these parameters, but you have to work them out yourself. Is that correct?

Michael

Terreve said:

Is there lens correction in LR? I'm talking about E-P1, which is what I have but I assume the principle would apply to the G series Pans also. My understanding is you can enter these parameters, but you have to work them out yourself. Is that correct?

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Both Lightroom and Camera Raw process .RW2 and .ORF files, and converted DNG files from those originals, as the manufacturers intended, using whatever lens correction metadata a particular lens/body combination injects into the raw file. This is an automatic process and not able to be defeated by manual control.

Not all lens and body combinations inject the same metadata. For instance, the Panasonic lenses deliver both chromatic aberration and rectilinear distortion corrections to the body, but Olympus bodies only inject the rectilinear correction data.
--
Godfrey
http://godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com

Greetings from MN! I don't have a PC to check this on, but I heard over on the Mac forum that PSE for Mac has the full ACR (Shows up as Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6), while PSE for PC had the more limited version. No idea if this is correct, however . . .

[happy Festivus, by the way!]