What is easiest RAW software to use?

[ken6217]

brucet wrote:

Just a comment!!

Why would you bother with Raw if you simply wanted to convert to Jpeg?

For me Raw offers me the opportunity to 'work' on a file. The Raw can also be filed away for future 'use'.

But to do a simple Raw to Jpeg seems a lot of work for something cameras can do well.

Just thinking out aloud.

regards

I was kinda thinking the same as well.

I know I have to get my hands dirty and do some work but to just go through the motions, the results wont be great.

Maybe I can find someone here in Manhattan that wants to sit with me for a couple of hours and charge me a rate for the tutoring. Hint, hint.

Ken

 

[v steffel]

I shoot raw with a Canon S90. I use QImage U. With QIU I download the files from the memory card. I get the raw file in one folder and jpgs in another. If I have to do a lot of work on a file I go to the raw. If the jpg is good or needs a little touching up then I use PS Elements. QImage is excellent for sharpening. I confess I haven't mastered many of QI's features outside of sharpening for printing.

 

[fulgacian]

I've been a fan of Bibble Pro (now Corel Aftershot, which I don't own), which includes the PerfectlyClear plug-in (also available for other apps).

PerfectlyClear is as easy as a click of the mouse and it does some kind of "magic". Then you can tweak the RAW to your likings.

 

[John McCormack]

I like AfterShot Pro - by Corel. Also, if you want an easy to learn and use RAW processor, give Helicon Filter 5.1 a try. It's a little-know gem of a program and you can use it free if you save in JPEG at 4MP or less. Go here

 

[Emphyrio2]

DxO is very easy to use and gives great default conversions.

JAH

 

[texascbx]

Photo Ninja is the best RAW converter out there now and it's probably the simplest to get really good results. Try out the demo.

 

[Robert J. Gonzalez]

For $50 more, you can get lightroom 4.

evandijken wrote:

Very easy to learn is Camera Raw.

Camera Raw is a plugin from Photoshop as wel Elements.

Elements is the cheapest way.

Eric

 

[Robert J. Gonzalez]

It's better not to apply presets during import because it interferes before and after comparisons.




Your preset become the "before"

Reilly Diefenbach wrote:


Reilly D's LR settings

Lightroom 4 is fast and easy once learned. Try the above settings using the "Camera Neutral" Preset, then add plus 10 vibrance and clarity, minus 8 black. "Enable lens profile" and "Remove Chromatic Aberration" should be clicked on. Once you have a typical picture dialed in to your satisfaction, save it as a preset to be applied to all your future imports.

I call it "rawpeg" because it all happens automatically on the input and you have a very beautiful picture with no fuss at all but with the ability to lift shadows massively and pull down highlights better than anything else on the market. The new brush tool can selectively adjust white balance, noise, etc. LR's output sharpening is excellent and easy to use.

 

[Reilly Diefenbach]

These are the low maintenance settings I use which produce a pleasing conversion for me 90% of the time using several Nikon bodies. I don't care about before and after on the basis of plain Camera Neutral, which is a bit too bland.

 

[rpacoma]

ken6217 wrote:

I have for many years taken jpeg images and now wanted to finally shoot RAW. On the other hand, I'm not super computer savvy and also not looking to spend a lot of time working on each image. Of course the more time you put into something the better it can be, but I'd like to strike a balance of converting from RAW but not needing a class to do so and it into be tedious.

I have a Nikon camera. What software is good and has an easy learning curve? Also will I have to then using something like Elements or Photoshop in addition afterwards.

Thanks,

Ken

Don't know if anyone mentioned it already, but I think ViewNX2 is pretty easy to use (and free!). Simple to make adjustments to picture mode, sharpness, brightness, etc. Also one thing I like is being able to select multiple photos and adjust all of them at the same time. I use ViewNX2 to edit photos that I don't really want to spend too much time on and if need be, I can use it to send photos to Capture NX2 (or any program of your choice) to do a bit more intensive editing.

 

[ken6217]

I don't see a lot of love for Capture NX2. Is this any good?
Ken

 

[rpacoma]

ken6217 wrote:

I don't see a lot of love for Capture NX2. Is this any good?
Ken

It has a bit of a learning curve and if you need to do more intensive image manipulation you'd still need photoshop or PSP. But the use of control points is the real reason I keep it; makes it dead simple to correct exposure or color (etc) on specific elements.

 

[Reilly Diefenbach]

Caveman, stay away from CNX2!

 

[alan996]

Snapseed or PhotoNinja

 

[Petruska]

ken6217 wrote:

I don't see a lot of love for Capture NX2. Is this any good?
Ken

I also use LR and Photoshop.

I shoot weddings, 95% of my editing is with NX2.

Shoot your Nikon with the Neutral Picture Control, load the RAW in NX2, crop, adjust the WB and exposure if needed, contrast (usually 20) and brightness (10 when printing), color booster (5), then sharpen with USM (66,5,4) and done....ready for print. Takes less than a minute or two. You can also use auto-process batching for the session.

Any other fancy stuff is then done LR or PS using the saved TIF from NX2.



Download the free trial of NX2, as you also can do for LR, PS, PSE, etc. See what you like.

Bob P.

 

[JHWJR]

I, too, love NX2. You can work your image there and its works really well. And don't get me started with U-Point. When I show it to most folks, they really envy that simplicity/power for selection of parts of the images to work on.

Oversimplified, but NX2 leaves your images where they are, like MS Word leaves your documents in their folders. I REALLY like this. As a result, though, there is a lot of bits being moved and it's slower than other software. Aperture and LR, by contrast, import your images the way your calendar app imports your contacts and appointments.... "somewhere" into one big file. Generally, the more images you import, the slower they tend to run and one corruption can cause lots of problems. But these programs can hustle as a result of their manipulation of the files.

Well done, Nikon (though true cloning would be a nice addition.) (Also, keystone correction please.)

 

[Valant]

I too use camera neutral and a vibrancy clarity boost with my nikons as a preset. One can create a preset of the "adobe" import settings in order to compare if need be or to start from the adobe standard. Import without any presets and make a preset of that.

By the way does the adobe standard create similar color for Nikon Canon, Pentax... and so on?

 

[rpacoma]

Easiest thing is to just visit the Capture NX2 website and take a look at some of the lessons.

http://www.capturenx.com/en/index.html