How to revert raw files to their native state (ACR)?

[elliotn]

Hi

I'm confused. I have a folder of Nikon raw files that I've extensively worked-up in ACR. I now want to send these raw files to someone else, so that they can work them up from scratch - i.e. I want to send them the native raws, without any of my adjustments.

I thought this would be as simple as trashing the xmp files, but I've done that and the files still open in ACR with my settings.

As a test, I've tried sending the folder of nefs to a different computer, but again, the nefs open up in ACR with my settings. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

 

[SterlingBjorndahl]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

 

[BrownieVet]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

 

[myotisone]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

The metadata, including the instructions on how ACR should edit the file, was written to the Raw file by Photo Mechanic, not ACR.

ACR writes its editing instructions to an external XMP side car file and doesn't change the raw file.

Photo mechanic can be set to copy and synch the information from the sidecar file into the raw file, which is what happened here.

As you will have read in other posts in this thread, TIFF based raw files, such as NEFs, are designed to have metadata embedded in them.

Adobe and Capture One have decided not to do this. But some programs like Photo Mechanic and iMatch can write metadata into the raw file if you set them up that way.

This doesn't affect the image data, and can be reversed by Photo mechanic (and iMatch), which is what the OP has now done.

The reason for reversing the action was because the OP wanted to send the raws to someone without any embedded editing information.

Graham

 

[knickerhawk]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

The metadata, including the instructions on how ACR should edit the file, was written to the Raw file by Photo Mechanic, not ACR.

ACR writes its editing instructions to an external XMP side car file and doesn't change the raw file.

Photo mechanic can be set to copy and synch the information from the sidecar file into the raw file, which is what happened here.

As you will have read in other posts in this thread, TIFF based raw files, such as NEFs, are designed to have metadata embedded in them.

Adobe and Capture One have decided not to do this. But some programs like Photo Mechanic and iMatch can write metadata into the raw file if you set them up that way.

This doesn't affect the image data, and can be reversed by Photo mechanic (and iMatch), which is what the OP has now done.

The reason for reversing the action was because the OP wanted to send the raws to someone without any embedded editing information.

Graham

I would also assume that the settings are easily reversible in ACR itself simply by selecting "Reset to Default". After all, ACR is indeed "non-destructive". It doesn't touch the original raw data.

 

[elliotn]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

The metadata, including the instructions on how ACR should edit the file, was written to the Raw file by Photo Mechanic, not ACR.

ACR writes its editing instructions to an external XMP side car file and doesn't change the raw file.

Photo mechanic can be set to copy and synch the information from the sidecar file into the raw file, which is what happened here.

As you will have read in other posts in this thread, TIFF based raw files, such as NEFs, are designed to have metadata embedded in them.

Adobe and Capture One have decided not to do this. But some programs like Photo Mechanic and iMatch can write metadata into the raw file if you set them up that way.

This doesn't affect the image data, and can be reversed by Photo mechanic (and iMatch), which is what the OP has now done.

The reason for reversing the action was because the OP wanted to send the raws to someone without any embedded editing information.

Graham

I would also assume that the settings are easily reversible in ACR itself simply by selecting "Reset to Default". After all, ACR is indeed "non-destructive". It doesn't touch the original raw data.

Yes and no. Doing this will reset the settings, but the settings will only be maintained with the presence of the xmp sidecar file that ACR creates. If I were to send the nef to my client without this sidecar file, then the client will see the previously edited file (because Photo Mechanic has embedded those ACR edits into the nef itself).

 

[knickerhawk]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

The metadata, including the instructions on how ACR should edit the file, was written to the Raw file by Photo Mechanic, not ACR.

ACR writes its editing instructions to an external XMP side car file and doesn't change the raw file.

Photo mechanic can be set to copy and synch the information from the sidecar file into the raw file, which is what happened here.

As you will have read in other posts in this thread, TIFF based raw files, such as NEFs, are designed to have metadata embedded in them.

Adobe and Capture One have decided not to do this. But some programs like Photo Mechanic and iMatch can write metadata into the raw file if you set them up that way.

This doesn't affect the image data, and can be reversed by Photo mechanic (and iMatch), which is what the OP has now done.

The reason for reversing the action was because the OP wanted to send the raws to someone without any embedded editing information.

Graham

I would also assume that the settings are easily reversible in ACR itself simply by selecting "Reset to Default". After all, ACR is indeed "non-destructive". It doesn't touch the original raw data.

Yes and no. Doing this will reset the settings, but the settings will only be maintained with the presence of the xmp sidecar file that ACR creates. If I were to send the nef to my client without this sidecar file, then the client will see the previously edited file (because Photo Mechanic has embedded those ACR edits into the nef itself).

I don't see why. As the PM software engineer replied to you in the forum, PM will keep the raw file sync'd with the sidecar (assuming there's a sidecar to begin with). If you save the raw file in ACR fwith it reset to default settings, then the XMP sidecar should reflect that and PM should sync that sidecar change into the raw file XMP settings. What am I missing here?

 

[elliotn]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

The metadata, including the instructions on how ACR should edit the file, was written to the Raw file by Photo Mechanic, not ACR.

ACR writes its editing instructions to an external XMP side car file and doesn't change the raw file.

Photo mechanic can be set to copy and synch the information from the sidecar file into the raw file, which is what happened here.

As you will have read in other posts in this thread, TIFF based raw files, such as NEFs, are designed to have metadata embedded in them.

Adobe and Capture One have decided not to do this. But some programs like Photo Mechanic and iMatch can write metadata into the raw file if you set them up that way.

This doesn't affect the image data, and can be reversed by Photo mechanic (and iMatch), which is what the OP has now done.

The reason for reversing the action was because the OP wanted to send the raws to someone without any embedded editing information.

Graham

I would also assume that the settings are easily reversible in ACR itself simply by selecting "Reset to Default". After all, ACR is indeed "non-destructive". It doesn't touch the original raw data.

Yes and no. Doing this will reset the settings, but the settings will only be maintained with the presence of the xmp sidecar file that ACR creates. If I were to send the nef to my client without this sidecar file, then the client will see the previously edited file (because Photo Mechanic has embedded those ACR edits into the nef itself).

I don't see why.

Well I followed your suggestions and that's how it is.

As the PM software engineer replied to you in the forum, PM will keep the raw file sync'd with the sidecar (assuming there's a sidecar to begin with).

I didn't bring the nef back into PM after resetting to defaults in ACR. My tests suggests that PM will only sync the sidecar back into the embedded xmp when changes are made to the nef within PM (e.g. a change to star/color ratings). So it's fiddly.

If you save the raw file in ACR fwith it reset to default settings, then the XMP sidecar should reflect that and PM should sync that sidecar change into the raw file XMP settings. What am I missing here?

That PM doesn't sync automatically. And that it's probably best (and easiest) to use PM's 'Revert TIFF-based RAW to original' tool, as I never intended the xmp to be embedded in the nef itself.

Also, I would be reverting to my defaults. That's not what I want. I want a virgin raw file, with no ACR settings, default or otherwise.

 

[knickerhawk]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

The metadata, including the instructions on how ACR should edit the file, was written to the Raw file by Photo Mechanic, not ACR.

ACR writes its editing instructions to an external XMP side car file and doesn't change the raw file.

Photo mechanic can be set to copy and synch the information from the sidecar file into the raw file, which is what happened here.

As you will have read in other posts in this thread, TIFF based raw files, such as NEFs, are designed to have metadata embedded in them.

Adobe and Capture One have decided not to do this. But some programs like Photo Mechanic and iMatch can write metadata into the raw file if you set them up that way.

This doesn't affect the image data, and can be reversed by Photo mechanic (and iMatch), which is what the OP has now done.

The reason for reversing the action was because the OP wanted to send the raws to someone without any embedded editing information.

Graham

I would also assume that the settings are easily reversible in ACR itself simply by selecting "Reset to Default". After all, ACR is indeed "non-destructive". It doesn't touch the original raw data.

Yes and no. Doing this will reset the settings, but the settings will only be maintained with the presence of the xmp sidecar file that ACR creates. If I were to send the nef to my client without this sidecar file, then the client will see the previously edited file (because Photo Mechanic has embedded those ACR edits into the nef itself).

I don't see why.

Well I followed your suggestions and that's how it is.

As the PM software engineer replied to you in the forum, PM will keep the raw file sync'd with the sidecar (assuming there's a sidecar to begin with).

I didn't bring the nef back into PM after resetting to defaults in ACR. My tests suggests that PM will only sync the sidecar back into the embedded xmp when changes are made to the nef within PM (e.g. a change to star/color ratings). So it's fiddly.

Amen to that! So this is true even if you use PM to launch the reset raw into ACR? If so, I'd say that's bad coding by PM or false advertising about syncing.

If you save the raw file in ACR fwith it reset to default settings, then the XMP sidecar should reflect that and PM should sync that sidecar change into the raw file XMP settings. What am I missing here?

That PM doesn't sync automatically. And that it's probably best (and easiest) to use PM's 'Revert TIFF-based RAW to original' tool, as I never intended the xmp to be embedded in the nef itself.

Also, I would be reverting to my defaults. That's not what I want. I want a virigin raw file.

I agree that for your specific immediate need, the "Revert TIFF..." option in PM makes more sense. I was just addressing the general point about the non-destructive nature of ACR. Also, you can of course easily enough revert the default setting for ACR back to the Adobe defaults rather than your own.

 

[elliotn]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

The metadata, including the instructions on how ACR should edit the file, was written to the Raw file by Photo Mechanic, not ACR.

ACR writes its editing instructions to an external XMP side car file and doesn't change the raw file.

Photo mechanic can be set to copy and synch the information from the sidecar file into the raw file, which is what happened here.

As you will have read in other posts in this thread, TIFF based raw files, such as NEFs, are designed to have metadata embedded in them.

Adobe and Capture One have decided not to do this. But some programs like Photo Mechanic and iMatch can write metadata into the raw file if you set them up that way.

This doesn't affect the image data, and can be reversed by Photo mechanic (and iMatch), which is what the OP has now done.

The reason for reversing the action was because the OP wanted to send the raws to someone without any embedded editing information.

Graham

I would also assume that the settings are easily reversible in ACR itself simply by selecting "Reset to Default". After all, ACR is indeed "non-destructive". It doesn't touch the original raw data.

Yes and no. Doing this will reset the settings, but the settings will only be maintained with the presence of the xmp sidecar file that ACR creates. If I were to send the nef to my client without this sidecar file, then the client will see the previously edited file (because Photo Mechanic has embedded those ACR edits into the nef itself).

I don't see why.

Well I followed your suggestions and that's how it is.

As the PM software engineer replied to you in the forum, PM will keep the raw file sync'd with the sidecar (assuming there's a sidecar to begin with).

I didn't bring the nef back into PM after resetting to defaults in ACR. My tests suggests that PM will only sync the sidecar back into the embedded xmp when changes are made to the nef within PM (e.g. a change to star/color ratings). So it's fiddly.

Amen to that! So this is true even if you use PM to launch the reset raw into ACR? If so, I'd say that's bad coding by PM or false advertising about syncing.

Yes - even when you launch through PM.

If you save the raw file in ACR fwith it reset to default settings, then the XMP sidecar should reflect that and PM should sync that sidecar change into the raw file XMP settings. What am I missing here?

That PM doesn't sync automatically. And that it's probably best (and easiest) to use PM's 'Revert TIFF-based RAW to original' tool, as I never intended the xmp to be embedded in the nef itself.

Also, I would be reverting to my defaults. That's not what I want. I want a virigin raw file.

I agree that for your specific immediate need, the "Revert TIFF..." option in PM makes more sense. I was just addressing the general point about the non-destructive nature of ACR. Also, you can of course easily enough revert the default setting for ACR back to the Adobe defaults rather than your own.

Yes - but I want the file to open according to my client's defaults.

 

[BrownieVet]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

The metadata, including the instructions on how ACR should edit the file, was written to the Raw file by Photo Mechanic, not ACR.

ACR writes its editing instructions to an external XMP side car file and doesn't change the raw file.

Photo mechanic can be set to copy and synch the information from the sidecar file into the raw file, which is what happened here.

As you will have read in other posts in this thread, TIFF based raw files, such as NEFs, are designed to have metadata embedded in them.

Adobe and Capture One have decided not to do this. But some programs like Photo Mechanic and iMatch can write metadata into the raw file if you set them up that way.

This doesn't affect the image data, and can be reversed by Photo mechanic (and iMatch), which is what the OP has now done.

The reason for reversing the action was because the OP wanted to send the raws to someone without any embedded editing information.

Graham

 

[Mario M. Westphal]

(...)

My initial ACR edits will be saved to a sidecar file. But if I then make any changes in Photo Mechanic (star ratings etc), those ACR edits will be embedded in the raw file. If I then make further edits In ACR, those will be written to the sidecar file. And so at.that point I have two different edit instructions - the initial edit baked into the raw file, whlist the secondary edit is stored in the sidecar file.

Adobe just sticks to the standard (which they helped to define).
XMP data for RAW files goes into the external XMP sidecar files. That's how all their products do it. That said, there are some issues with keyword synchronization sometimes (always an issue with all the apps out there) and modified EXIF/GPS data in the XMP is not also updated in the native EXIF/GPS data in the RAW, though. Which means that the EXIF/GPS in the RAW not longer matches the corresponding info in the XMP. Which can lead to another bunch of problems if you mix applications and platforms. Sigh.

 

[myotisone]

I would also assume that the settings are easily reversible in ACR itself simply by selecting "Reset to Default". After all, ACR is indeed "non-destructive". It doesn't touch the original raw data.

Yes, it's just the edit instructions that PM embeds in the raw, so once opened in ACR, you could just reset these edits.

The OP however, didn't want his edit instructions embedded in the NEF, and to remove them he needed to use Photo Mechanic (which had put them there in the first place).

Graham

 

[SterlingBjorndahl]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

Look, if you use the Adobe products, try it for yourself. If you don't use them, why do you care so much?

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

How should I know the answer to that?

 

[BrownieVet]

Based on every post I read in this forum, it seems to me that ACR is destructive editor,
IS IT?

No. It's very easy to revert to the original raw image(s), especially if you're using Adobe Bridge as well as ACR/Photoshop.

Regards,
Sterling
--
Lens Grit

First, why there there a need to reversed whatever changes was there made to the original raw file? Anything made to the original is DESTRUCTIVE.

Look, if you use the Adobe products, try it for yourself. If you don't use them, why do you care so much?

I was a BETA-TESTER of PS

NEXT , why has majority of those who responded not able to do your claim?

How should I know the answer to that?

Stop making statement you cannot defend.

 

[myotisone]

Is this a general question asking about reasons for using Photo Mechanic, a question to the OP as to why he is using Photo Mechanic, or asking why Photo Mechanic was needed to fix the OPs problem.

Graham

 

[BrownieVet]

Re: Why do you NEED Photo Mechanic (a 3rd party)?

Is this a general question asking about reasons for using Photo Mechanic, a question to the OP as to why he is using Photo Mechanic, or asking why Photo Mechanic was needed to fix the OPs problem.

Graham

Paraphrasing BRUCE LEE:
I do not fear anybody who practice 10,000 different kicks once.
I fear the person who practice ONE kick 10,000 times.

 

[myotisone]

Re: Why do you NEED Photo Mechanic (a 3rd party)?

Is this a general question asking about reasons for using Photo Mechanic, a question to the OP as to why he is using Photo Mechanic, or asking why Photo Mechanic was needed to fix the OPs problem.

Graham

Paraphrasing BRUCE LEE:
I do not fear anybody who practice 10,000 different kicks once.
I fear the person who practice ONE kick 10,000 times.

I'm none the wiser to knowing exactly what your question is, but in summary.

Photo Mechanic is an industry standard in press and sports photography for the very rapid ingesting of files from cards, culling, captioning, keywording and uploading to agencies. It also has a range of tools that make it a "very fast" general purpose photo file management tool for any user.

It's speed of operation, and flexibility to automate captioning, file naming etc has also made it popular with event photographers, wildlife photographers and anyone who might need to work with large numbers of files.

It has no processing tools and is usually used in conjunction with ACR and until recently had no database, but the new version has a database option.

The only people that probably "need" Photo Mechanic are those in press and sports photography, but the overall speed and power of PM makes it useful for many other users.

 

[SterlingBjorndahl]

I was a BETA-TESTER of PS

And you're clearly a very wise, calm, and mature person.