RAW coming up as a thumbnail

[Wiggly]

Ok so when I open my RAW files up in Gimp 2.6.. it shows up as virtually a thumbnail. It comes in literally as a 2 inch square at "100% zoom". When I bring it up to fill the screen it takes like 800% and it looks like an 8 bit video game. Why is this happening?

 

[sam_rowlands]

I suspect that this might be because GIMP doesn't yet fully support the RAW format from your camera. In the mean time try using the RAW software that comes with your camera. IMHO the BEST software for converting RAW files IS the software that comes with your camera, I've seen so many generic converters (even expensive ones) produce poor results.

 

[Inst!nct]

or adobe lightroom, that does a good job of it.. but i guess thats expensive.. umm im out of ideas

 

[sam_rowlands]

or adobe lightroom, that does a good job of it.. but i guess thats expensive.. umm im out of ideas

You can try the open source dcraw, a precompiled binary can be found Pukkita's Digital Darkroom Corner

 

[Goontz]

I agree that it sounds like your RAW format is simply not submitted, so GIMP really is just opening the embedded JPG thumbnail file. If you don't want to spend any more money on editing programs, definitely give the software that came with your camera a shot.

 

[Wiggly]

wait i thought the whole point of shooting raw was to not lose detail especially for PPing. if thats true, then wouldn't it just save me time to shoot in JPG instead? since I have to convert it neway to do any PPing?

 

[benlonghair]

UFRaw integrates with GIMP and does a fine job of converting RAW files. I use it to convert NEF files, but I'm pretty sure it works for the vast majority of RAW files.

 

[Goontz]

wait i thought the whole point of shooting raw was to not lose detail especially for PPing. if thats true, then wouldn't it just save me time to shoot in JPG instead? since I have to convert it neway to do any PPing?

You're correct that RAW gives more editing power. As far as the conversion, it would depend on what you're converting to. If you convert to .TIFF or another RAW format that is readable by whatever program you're using, then you're not losing anything by doing that, editing, then converting to JPG once your edits are done. If you're converting RAW to JPG and then editing, you might as well just shoot in JPG.

 

[sam_rowlands]

wait i thought the whole point of shooting raw was to not lose detail especially for PPing. if thats true, then wouldn't it just save me time to shoot in JPG instead? since I have to convert it neway to do any PPing?

The difference being is that WHEN you convert the RAW to a JPEG, TIF, PPM or whatever floats your boat, you can adjust settings like white balance, exposure, contrast, noise reduction & sharpness with a FAR greater level of detail than you can once it's already and JPEG, TIF, PPM...

Basically it allows for more control over the final JPEG, TIF...