RAW images

[bazza]

This might be a silly question but does anybody know the best way to aquire my raw images from my 350d to my pc.. Also what program is the best for altering the photo..

Its the first time I have used raw and i'm a bit confused..

Any help would be great.. ta..

 

[Digital Matt]

The best way to acquire them is with a usb 2.0 card reader. You should have Digital Photo Professional which came with the camera. This program is designed for processing your RAW files. It's decent, and I'd start with that. You can also check out Raw Shooter Essentials. There are lots of programs, incuding Adobe photoshop CS and CS2. Once you become more comfortable with RAW, you can decide on another program if need be.

 

[bazza]

Cheers Matt, i've recently purchased a laptop and given away my old card reader as i have got one built in. On closer inspection it doesn't support a compact flash card.

Do you know of another way??

Ta.

 

[Digital Matt]

Does your laptop have a pcmcia slot? You can get an adapter for that. Also, card readers are plug into a USB port. I'm sure your laptop has a few USB ports.

 

[bazza]

Don't know what a pcmcia slot is but i think i'll get an external usb2 card reader.

Are shots took in raw a lot better than jpegs at high resolution or is it just another way to edit them?

Can you get the same result in photoshop??

 

[Big Mike]

HERE is an article titled 'Why RAW?', it should give you an insight.

Basically, a RAW file is the image data right from the camera. If you record your images in JPEG, the camera applies it's own editing and then compresses the file...so you loose data. For most people, it makes sense that you don't want to loose data, at least not until you compress a copy of the file for web viewing.

 

[bazza]

Thanks mike, Bit over my head but it does explain a lot.

Just got to retrieve them from my camera.

Thanks again.

 

[RacePhoto]

Thanks mike, Bit over my head but it does explain a lot.

Just got to retrieve them from my camera.

Thanks again.

PCMCIA is the two slots on the side of the laptop. You can plug in network cards, modems, and in this case Card Readers. The reason I like the PCMCIA slot card reader is that it's small and inexpensive. Last I looked $19 at Circuit City so I went across the street to Best Buy and found one for $11.

Your external USB reader will cost a little more but you can get multi-card readers that will read CF, MMC/SD, xD and others. They will also plug into any USB on a desktop. So if you are going to potentially use a desktop, get a multi-card USB card reader.

I just prefer the little card reader because it fits in the camera bag without taking up much space, no cables. I carry the reader with the camera, not the computer, because I figure if I have the camera, I can use any computer, not the one sitting at home?

I have all of the above and a printer that reads CF cards as well.

Silly me, I have to add this. Your camera has USB output, all you need is a USB cable with the right ends on it. Should have come with the camera. Tip, if you go to some places like Radio Shack, the cable costs more than a card reader!

 

[bazza]

Thanks for that, it has a pcmcia slot i'll try and find one of those..

I've tried using the usb connection via my camera but using raw it always says no files.. any suggestions??

 

[Wolff]

You need the right program to get the raw photos using a USB cable. The program that came with the camera should work fine for this but, in my experience, you have to open the pictures through the program, not drag the file to the program.

 

[Big Mike]

You should be able to just open the card/reader as a new drive on your computer and drag the files over . I've heard that with some set-ups, you need to download an update for windows (assuming your using Windows) which will allow it to recognize your RAW files.

 

[Digital Matt]

Don't bother trying to connect the camera via usb, unless you are shooting tethered. To transfer images, it's a waste of battery. You can take the CF card out and shut the camera off. The PCMCIA is your best bet, short of a usb card reader. The advantage of a usb card reader however is, you can use it on ANY computer, not just a laptop.

 

[castrol]

I got my USB reader at Frye's for like $9. A reader is a reader. Some do more
cards than others. My only problem with RAW is that I have CS2, but it still
won't let me view or process RAW files. Not only that, but I have heard
of doing WB adjustments "in camera" for RAW files, but I have never figured
this one out either.

 

[Big Mike]

My only problem with RAW is that I have CS2, but it still
won't let me view or process RAW files

Go to Adobe.com and download the latest version of Adobe Camera RAW. Every camera has slightly different RAW files and if you have a newer camera, then you need to update your A.C.R. to make it compatible.

I have heard
of doing WB adjustments "in camera" for RAW files, but I have never figured
this one out either.

Every image, JPEG or RAW etc., has an 'as-shot' WB. When you shoot JPEG files, the camera permanently attaches that setting to the image. When you shoot RAW, the 'as-shot' information is there...but it's not actually applied to the image yet...so you can change it, without hurting the resulting image.

If you don't want to tweak the WB in the computer, after the shoot. The it helps to get it right 'in the camera'. You can do this by selecting the correct setting or better yet, setting a custom white balance. (see your manual).

 

[castrol]

Okay, that being said, I have no manual for my camera. As far as I remember
the Magic Lantern didn't go over this either. I might have just missed that
part as I didn't understand RAW at the time.

Either way, I just put the camera in RAW and shot a few shots. Then when
I changed the WB and shot 3 more shots, they were completely different.

I was under the impression that RAW was always the same shot, regardless
of the WB setting. Is that not right?