Raw Image Editors

Nifty Fifty · Apr 17, 2011

Since I have received so much advice to start shooting RAW, I am going to start doing it now. My question is: what is a good RAW image editor?

I am a little confused because there seems to be a few different Adobe products for this like Photoshop, Lightroom, and Camera Raw. I know there are other ones out there too, but as for Adobe products, are any of these actually "better" for editing RAW images?

Any help is appreciated!

Bitter Jeweler · Apr 17, 2011

The software typically supplied with your camera isn't too shabby either.

KmH · Apr 17, 2011

Actually Photoshop and Lightroom both come with Camera Raw - also known as Adobe Camera Raw or ACR.

Photoshop CS5 comes with ACR 6 and the browser Bridge 4 and has a broad assortment of other editing tools and functions you don't get with Lightroom 3.

Lightroom 3's image editing function is also ACR 6. Lightroom's main function is database management or, Digital Asset Management (DAM).

Nifty Fifty · Apr 18, 2011

Thanks for the input guys! That helps me out a lot. I haven't even installed my Canon Software

j-dogg · Apr 18, 2011

Lightroom is the bomb, just make sure you got a PC that can keep up with it. It takes a little power to run it. It can bog down older machines.

KmH · Apr 19, 2011

Lightroom is an incomplete image editing solution.

MBrice83 · Apr 19, 2011

Lightroom 3 and Adobe Elements 9 works pretty good for me.

j-dogg · Apr 19, 2011

KmH said:
Lightroom is an incomplete image editing solution.

But it's a good start for someone just getting into RAW editing.

shufti · Apr 19, 2011

@j-dogg i know what you mean about power. But for me it was lack of RAM. Using 1GB it's hopelessly slow (to load intermediate levels of folders containing things i'm not concerned with). I stopped using it in preference for FastStone Image Viewer, which runs like sh*t off a shovel in comparison.

Overread · Apr 19, 2011

I can't remember where the test was, but there was one I read which compared a range of the leading option in RAW processing software and the general upshot was that they really didn't differ all that much in what they were capable of. There was some gain with some over others in select situations and one option was overall a little better; though as I recall it was also a stand alone package costing a few £/$100 and from what I saw in the test the gain wasn't worth the cost (certainly not to a beginner).

So whichever you go for its going to be more a case of learning to use the software to its best potential and also using its interface which will be the key points. An example from myself is that I enjoy and understand using the Adobe RAW editor with my elements 6, but can't for the life of me get used to using the canon software in the CDs that came with the camera.

shufti · Apr 19, 2011

I tried Bibble, Phase-one's thing, Lightroom, Nikon's thing, Canon's DPP, ACDsee, UFRaw, SilkyPix, FastStone and Photivo. FastStone, Photivo and SilkyPix (Pro..whatever that means) are the best (for me).

Stephen.C · Apr 19, 2011

Just to add to LR3's system requirements, you really do need to make sure you have a good enough system to run it. Download the trial for sure before buying.
I have an I7 quad core with 8gb of RAM, and once I start doing abunch of spot cloners it can lag alot.

table1349 · Apr 19, 2011

KmH said:
Lightroom is an incomplete image editing solution.

That is because LR3 isn't an image editing program. It is a digital darkroom that is designed to do basic processing, not editing. For most people it does about 90 - 95% of the things they need. It is also a photo management program.

If you want to edit programs then Photosop, Elements, etc. Is needed.

Xyloz · Apr 20, 2011

Photoshop for RAW is that a joke?
That is basically a waste of your RAW, you need to know one thing about to make RAW worth your time and that is the difference between adjustments and editing.

Depending on your camera you get RAW adjusting software like Digital Photo Pro that give you sharpness, noise reduction and colour correction in very sensitive and different set-up that Photoshop cannot compete with.
For exampe look at sharpness
Photoshop brightens pixles
DPP actually takes the RAW data and sharpens the entire image under the specific RAW tool pallet

Photoshop is mainly an editing software and it's none vector based so you will suffer loss of quality if you don't know what your doing to protect your layers.
DPP exports to Photoshop your supposed to adjust in DPP and export to edit.
As gryphonslair99 said it's a digital darkroom and RAW is like your negative.

Add effects, elements, layers, and text in Photoshop

If you try to adjust in PS you may aswell shoot in JPEG large.

Overread · Apr 20, 2011

Xyloz - when people say "edit RAWs in photoshop" they don't mean in the main photoshop editing window (because that won't open a RAW anyway) but in the RAW processor that is attached to photoshop (or which makes up the greater part of lightroom). That opens up the RAW and makes the adjustments to the raw image before exporting the adjusting RAW into the main editing software for editing itself.