~Most Preferred Online Photo Editors~

OhioGuy

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We've all heard of Photoshop and many other image editing software but since I've been out of the photography world for a while I'd like to understand who uses online editors and why. Are there quality FREE sites out there and if so, please provide a link.

My main focus will be working with RAW images.

Thank you!
 
I have older versions of Lightroom and Photoshop that (so far) have worked just fine for me. I also have a copy of Gimp but haven't really used it much. I suppose Gimp, in combination of Nikon's ViewNX will be my alternates if my current batch Adobe stuff stops working for me.
 
Krita is mostly geared to natural media and painting, however, it should have everything you basically will need for photography, without all the suckiness of GIMP.

Gimp 3 should start to be usable, and for all the planning they've done on Gimp 3, it better be! They've been talking about this project for ten years!

As for RAW processing, I think the best option would be Lightzone. It's a bit different from other RAW processors, but on the free side of things, it's your best bet in terms of function.
 
I use Photoshop and don't edit/post process a lot, but I'm a longtime film photographer so when I shoot digitally I'm usually getting what I want in camera for the most part. My camera (the digital one that is) is DNG so it automatically produces a Raw and a JPEG from that (which I don't actually use too often). I sometimes may crop a little, or brighten up an image for printing, especially if I was in low/mixed light.

I've heard good things about Lightroom, and Gimp seems to be an option that works for a lot of people.
 
Are there quality FREE sites out there and if so, please provide a link.

My main focus will be working with RAW images.

Thank you!

Free online photo editors exist for JPEG files, but not for RAW files. This isn't free: Online Raw Converter | Develop and Convert CR2/NEF/ARW/ORF/PEF/RAF/DNG online and I wouldn't mess with it if it was.

If you're processing raw files you're going to have to install software. There are good free editors you can download. Unpop mentioned LightZone which is very good. Raw Therapee is excellent as is DarkTable.

Joe
 
Is it really necessary to work with RAW images these days due to the advancement in camera technology? I'm curious who works with RAW files still and what the benefits are. Thanks.
 
Is it really necessary to work with RAW images these days due to the advancement in camera technology? I'm curious who works with RAW files still and what the benefits are. Thanks.

yes. jpg format effective removes all the "advancements in camera technology"

It's like trying to watch or 3d movie without 3d glasses, or trying to print a 3d object with an inkjet printer.

I use Polarr Online Photo Editor if I want a LR style editor online.
I use Pixlr Editor if I want a PS style editor online.
 
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Is it really necessary to work with RAW images these days due to the advancement in camera technology?

Yes, if you want a better result than the mediocre product of automated processing.

I'm curious who works with RAW files still and what the benefits are. Thanks.

I work with raw files. Shooting raw permits me to:
1. Optimize sensor exposure.
2. Adapt processing to variations in natural light conditions.
3. Tailor the final image to my taste and intended expression while minimizing processing damage.
4. Retain maximum data and print that data to state-of-the-art wide gamut printers.

Joe
 
Is it really necessary to work with RAW images these days due to the advancement in camera technology? I'm curious who works with RAW files still and what the benefits are. Thanks.
LOL !!!!!!!

That reminds me of my father when I told him I'm a C++ programmer, he asked if I still have to declare the types of variables. For he much prefered high level LISP-like programming languages that dont require you to do so. But without low level programming languages (aka "portable machine code") like C/C++, its not possible to get maximum performance out of a computer. Which is what EVERYBODY wants, maximum performance out of their computer. For example, just check out how game reviews complain if the graphics performance of a niche game is not as good as that of top games. So, naturally: yes, one declares types of variables in C/C++.

If you shoot in JPEG, you throw away large parts of the recorded data and you cant change much about the final image anymore since you discarded so much. You also will be limited to 8 bit in the final output, while 10 bit devices are already available.

Good cameras like all Nikons DSLRs allow you to story lossy RAW with reduced bits (only 12 instead of the full 14).

I dont know statistics, but most serious photographers I know about use RAW. The only exceptions I know about are Fuji X shooters (because many think that the Fuji JPEG engine is excellent, while all Raw editing software for x-trans is disappointing and cant produce the same level of quality in the final JPEG as the cameras) and Ken Rockwell.
 
I dont know statistics, but most serious photographers I know about use RAW. The only exceptions I know about are Fuji X shooters (because many think that the Fuji JPEG engine is excellent, while all Raw editing software for x-trans is disappointing and cant produce the same level of quality in the final JPEG as the cameras) and Ken Rockwell.

Hold on there. I'm a Fuji X shooter. I'll agree that the JPEG engine is pretty good and better than most. It's not better than me. And as for the raw converters and X-Trans, yes the X-Trans CFA is trickier than a Bayer array and notably Adobe (along with a few others) don't handle it very well, but there are plenty of other raw converters that handle X-Trans just fine. Mostly it's an Adobe problem. Here's an RAF not converted using Adobe.

Joe

coffin.jpg
 
Well, if vehicles can park for us nothing is impossible! :) In all seriousness, thanks for the explanation on the RAW topic. Great elevator talk!
 
From Ken Rockwell..... ? Why does Ken say shooting in RAW is basically pointless? Am I missing something here?

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"I use JPEG basic.

To set this, use:

MENU > CAMERA > Image quality > JPEG basic.

This selects the kind of file (raw, JPG or both), and the size of the JPG file (FINE, NORMAL or BASIC).

I always use JPG, never raw. (see JPG vs. Raw.)

BASIC JPG looks the same as NORMAL It also makes a file half the size of Normal, which speeds up everything and saves space on my hard drives and backup CDs.

I never use FINE; it looks the same as NORMAL and wastes space twice as much space again. Feel free to use any settings you like; that's why they're here, but JPEG Basic look the same as the others ans takes up much less file space."

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From Ken Rockwell..... ? Why does Ken say shooting in RAW is basically pointless? Am I missing something here?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I use JPEG basic.

To set this, use:

MENU > CAMERA > Image quality > JPEG basic.

This selects the kind of file (raw, JPG or both), and the size of the JPG file (FINE, NORMAL or BASIC).

I always use JPG, never raw. (see JPG vs. Raw.)

BASIC JPG looks the same as NORMAL It also makes a file half the size of Normal, which speeds up everything and saves space on my hard drives and backup CDs.

I never use FINE; it looks the same as NORMAL and wastes space twice as much space again. Feel free to use any settings you like; that's why they're here, but JPEG Basic look the same as the others ans takes up much less file space."

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Missing something? It's more a case of you're failing to dismiss something: Ken Rockwell.

The internet contains a huge amount of both information and disinformation. It can get tricky at times telling one from the other.

Joe
 

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