CS4 Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) backward compatibility to CS3

[southundeep]

I have a question regarding CS4 ACR backward compatibility to CS3. I have seen the new features in CS4 ACR and am thinking of upgrading.

Currently I am using CS3 and would like to move to CS4. I shoot RAW and uses CS3 ACR to process my Canon CR2 files. My question is if I use CS4 ACR to process my raw files, can this same file be opened in CS3 ACR with all the modification intact? Can CS3 ACR reads the changes made in CS4 and display the file properly/correctly?

I have googled and couldn't get any satisfactory answer.

Hope some CS4 users can enlighten.

Thanks

[btrenkel]

Your a bit confusing here. ACR doesn't modify your .CR2 file. It stores 'edits' in an XMP file.

The real issue is - that CS3 ACR can not read all the latest Canon RAW files. Like my 5D Mk2, is only possible with CS4 ACR (it's a separate program btw). Or going through the 'free' DNG converter (which is a pain) and TIF files.

And once you have CS4 and edit your files, why would you bother with CS3 still? You hopefully save your edits as PSD 16-bit files in Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB. If you are not there - time to read up a bit more on file formats, color space, and how to retouch files. After opening, and first edits of your RAW file, you normally continue in PSD.

Now if your intention was to stay with the .CR2 plus some slider changes of the RAW converter. Then it is time to check up on Lightroom; and leave CS4 for the time being. That's more powerful and quicker then ACR. And works nicely with CS3 too (of course also with CS4). But it depends on your camera and how 'old' your .CR2 files are in terms of format.

[southundeep]

Thanks for replying and my apologies for any confusion.

To simplify my query, imagine I have CS3 at home and CS4 at work.
I process and make changes to the raw file using ACR at work (CS4). Then bring the file home to continue with processing the file using CS3. Question is will there be a compatibility issue? Hope this is clearer now.

[btrenkel]

Again - the RAW file is never touched; the edits go into the XMP file.

To swap your work around. Just import in CS4, started editing, and then save as PSD file. That one you can then continue to work with in CS3.

Editing is never done in RAW files, but PSD. And please learn how to work non-destructive with layers & masks. The RAW file is your 'negative', and the PSD your 'print'

[eosandy]

Originally Posted by southundeep Thanks for replying and my apologies for any confusion. To simplify my query, imagine I have CS3 at home and CS4 at work. I process and make changes to the raw file using ACR at work (CS4). Then bring the file home to continue with processing the file using CS3. Question is will there be a compatibility issue? Hope this is clearer now.

When you save the *.PSD file at work or home, just ensure "Maximise Compatibility" is checked. That will ensure you can open/modify the files on any version of PS. Makes for a larger file, but that's a given.

[Peano]

Originally Posted by southundeep Thanks for replying and my apologies for any confusion. To simplify my query, imagine I have CS3 at home and CS4 at work. I process and make changes to the raw file using ACR at work (CS4). Then bring the file home to continue with processing the file using CS3. Question is will there be a compatibility issue?

Possibly so. CS4 (Camera Raw) supports more cameras than CS3 does. Example: Canon 500D. You can process its raw files in CS4 but not in CS3.
(If you convert the raw file to .DNG format first, then you can edit it in CS4 or CS3 Camera Raw.)

[southundeep]

Originally Posted by Peano Possibly so. CS4 (Camera Raw) supports more cameras than CS3 does. Example: Canon 500D. You can process its raw files in CS4 but not in CS3. (If you convert the raw file to .DNG format first, then you can edit it in CS4 or CS3 Camera Raw.)

Thanks for the hint. Why didn't i think of it earlier?! That's what i probably had to do, ie to convert to dng format to switch between cs3 and cs4.

I would like to take advantage of the new cs4 editing capability like the localized adjustment tools found in lightroom, the adjustment brush and graduated filter. The adjustment brush allows the user to paint on a range of adjustment changes (exposure, brightness, saturation, clarity, sharpness and color) to specific areas of the photo. Previously i had to go into ps to make such adjustment! Not that this is a problem, but i was doing them in 16-bit and the file size balloons. Doing editing in acr, rather than ps, should keep me from having to upgrade my hdd once too often!

Thanks to all who shared. Cheers!