Processing RAW files in PS

[rc1q2w3e4r]

Hi,

I'm using the PS Elements 4.0 and although I have a plug-in for RAW 9can view and do the standard adjustments like BW, brightness etc..), I can't seems to edit them.

Questions:

1) Can RAW files be edited in Elements 4.0? I have tried searching but netted more confusion in the end (Read something about unable to edit anything more than 8 bit?)

2) Do you do your editing in RAW and in the end convert them to TIFF or JPEG or convert them from the beginning and work on TIFF and JPEG?

3) If there is a plug-in, can someone recommend which to use?

Thanks for your advice

 

[jssales]

I don't use PS Elements, but if it's anything like Photoshop you may want to try changing your image mode from 16-bit to 8-bit. RAW is usually saved at a higher image mode. Not all adjustments will be available to you if you are in 16-bit mode.

You can't edit or 'save as' in RAW. It is immediately converted when you open it. That's where RAW converters come in. You can use the software that came with your camera or use third-party applications like PhotoShop's ACR (Adobe Camera RAW) or Aperture.

With that, your image is already converted and you should be able to post-process. Generally, it is not recommended that you convert to jpg before editing as it 'bruises' the pixels and lose quality with image enhancements. JPG, aside from being a file format, is also a compression algorithm. Check your histogram after a few adjustments and you will already notice gaps.

This is where applications like Aperture and Lightroom come in - they offer 'non-destructive' image editing tools. Convert it to the image format you want after you're done with the edits. This way, your enhanced image's integrity (saved in PSD or TIFF) is preserved.

Hope this helps.

 

[rc1q2w3e4r]

Thanks jssales for your detailed explaination.

That is to say that Lightroom can do photo editing in RAW mode?

Thanks

 

[jssales]

Post-production software like Apple's Aperture and Adobe's Lightroom only show a preview of the raw image. Raw images must be converted before it is edited.

In Aperture, when adjustments are made, the effects can be seen as previews. The modifications are stored as command sets but they don't change the pixels until export. Hence, it's non-destructive editing. Only when you choose to export, in whatever format - jpg, tiff, etc - are the changes done.

Not sure how it goes with Lightroom, but the concept of non-destructive editing should hold.

The benefit is that your raw files are untouched and you can create as many versions you need without duplicating the fairly large size of your original raw image.

 

[jasperng]

LR is very similar to aperture.
unlike the DPP (for canon) ya raw file remains untouched. the date modified stays. but DPP will amend the raw file itself.
when you processed ya raw file, LR will create a separate xml file to store "what u had done to the file". thus, if you copy just 1 raw file to another pc, you cannot view your "edited photo". is only when you copy raw file + xml file, then you can view the edited photo.

on another hand, DPP will put in all your edits in the raw file. so ya raw file changes... but good thing is simply copy that 1 file elsewhere and can view ya edited photo.

 

[deathwiz]

Thanks jssales for your detailed explaination.

That is to say that Lightroom can do photo editing in RAW mode?

Thanks

Technically what LR does is to remember what you have done to an image and saves it to a file which is tagged to that image. When you open the file in LR, LR reads this meta file and processes the RAW using the data to give what you see on screen. Nothing is done to the RAW, and there is not output to JPEG yet. All changes are done post loading, which is why it uses a heck load of memory and processing power. A JPEG file is only produced when you use the export function. That is when LR uses the meta data to process the RAW and outputs to JPEG as you ordered.

If you have Photoshop, LR allows editing of the photos by making a copy of your RAW files into PSD files for editing in PS. You will not edit your RAW files directly and the originals will still be there. You will edit in PSD.

Hope it helps.

 

[dan_1337]

so just clarifying, when i make lighting etc changes within a program like Canon Digital Photo blah blah to my RAW files, the file isn't actually 'edited' and the changes are only made to whatever file it is converted to.

 

[calebk]

so just clarifying, when i make lighting etc changes within a program like Canon Digital Photo blah blah to my RAW files, the file isn't actually 'edited' and the changes are only made to whatever file it is converted to.

Correct, but your settings will be embedded, so the app "remembers" the changes you made, so you can see the same result the next time you open your RAW file, but still can set everything back to default.

I know that for Adobe Bridge, there is some option to save the changes to a parallel .xmp file.