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Is Photoshop Elements beneath the radar here?

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Leslie Kelley

Guest
Just added a Lumix G1 to the family. Wat are we going to do with all that Canon glass? Wanted to take RAW files to maximize flexibility -- having spent a few bucks on a 16G card it seems silly to waste it.

BUT we use PS Elements 5.0, and the RAW convertor only works with 6.0 and 7.0. Silkypix seems unwieldy, to say the least. (why would the Mac update have a Windows download option?)

Do I have to upgrade to PSE 7.0? or is there a middle ground?
 
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allan

Guest
Another alternative: Download Adobe DNG Converter 5.2. Use this to convert the G1 RAW files (.RW2) to DNG, which should now open in PSE 5.0. I have PSE 4.0.1 for Mac and this worked flawlessly for me. It saved me from upgrading to PSE 6, which is the latest Mac version (PSE 7 is Windows only, I think).
 

Terry

New member
Another alternative: Download Adobe DNG Converter 5.2. Use this to convert the G1 RAW files (.RW2) to DNG, which should now open in PSE 5.0. I have PSE 4.0.1 for Mac and this worked flawlessly for me. It saved me from upgrading to PSE 6, which is the latest Mac version (PSE 7 is Windows only, I think).
The only caveat to that is the files are huge. Adobe/Panasonic are working on this but the DNG conversion is linear (no I don't understand it) but it blows up the file size.
 
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allan

Guest
The only caveat to that is the files are huge. Adobe/Panasonic are working on this but the DNG conversion is linear (no I don't understand it) but it blows up the file size.
That's true. Once I'm satisfied with the final JPG/PSD/TIFF, however, I just delete the DNG (I keep the .RW2, of course). It's a temporary workaround if you're lazy like me and don't want the hassle of installing and learning a whole new program such as Silkypix. :D

For me, PSE 4 is like a comfortable old pair of shoes and I won't upgrade/switch programs unless I absolutely have to.
 

barjohn

New member
I use Light Room 2.2 which works very well. I have PS3 but don't find I need it very often. Adobe really pi..ed me off with the upgrade price to PS4 as I have only had PS3 for about a year. I am waiting for DXOOptics to add the G1 to their program to see if I like it any better. Capture One does not support the G1 raw files and I don't like the workflow of Silkypix.
 
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Bhakti-rider

Guest
I'm very interested in this, because I've ordered a G1, and I use Elements 5 also.

Leslie:

Could you expound on what you mean when you say "... we use PS Elements 5.0, and the RAW convertor only works with 6.0 and 7.0."

After I got a 40D, I found that there was a version of an Adobe Camera Raw plug-in (for Photoshop and also for Elements) available to registered users of Elements to download, that could process 40D CR2 files. I tried it; it worked, but I didn't like it as much as DPP, so I never switched from DPP. My point is that you don't need version 7 or even 6 of Elements to employ the current version of Adobe Camera Raw; it worked for me in V5.

I wonder if anyone has looked at the same G1 raw file with more than one converter... maybe I should have unambiguously gotten that from the previous posts, but I didn't...

I bought Bibble a few months back based partly on the free upgrade to 5 when it's released, and I think I sure hope that it supports the G1's raw files. (And that it's released soon!)
 

peterb

Member
I have PSE 7.0 and the G1 Raw files can be processed really well.

As for PSE 5.0 that I used to have.

Depending on the platform you're using, here are the links for the DNG converter mentioned earlier for both PC and Macintosh.


For Windows:

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/thankyou.jsp?ftpID=4214&fileID=3932

For Macintosh:

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/thankyou.jsp?ftpID=4213&fileID=3933

Mind you I haven't tried it. But my guess is it should work and therefore let PSE 5.0 process the Raw files.

Peter
 

back alley

New member
i have pse6 for mac and just dl the above dng and nothing happened. still can't open a raw file.
i hate computers somedays.
 

back alley

New member
i find it all so confusing. i'd prefer to be able to use pse from start to finish, just for the ease and my own comfort level with the program.
 
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Bhakti-rider

Guest
back alley:

It seems as if you don't know that you can get a plug-in version of Adobe Camera Raw that will work as an available function while editing a file in Elements. Did I miss something - your last comment seems to me to indicate that you don't know about the ACR plug-in; if you indeed don't, you should know that there is one, it works within Elements, and you can download it.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I am a huge fan of using as few pieces of software as possible for processing images, or at least using a series of softwares that integrate seamlessly together.

In my case I use either C1 or CS4/ACR for raw conversion, then CS4 for local edits and output. Integrated inside CS4 are three NIK plug-ins that load as filters so are available inside CS4 as needed. And since those are my main softwares, I keep them all up to date with current versions. (And the most recent ACR plug-in supports the G1.)

Since I use CS4 I do not use Elements, thus it is only "under the radar" for me insofar as it would be redundant. That said, assuming PSE has the basic functionality you need, then I would consider keeping it updated to current version. In this way you will stay on top of the learning curve with it and can continue using it with newly acquired cameras...
 

back alley

New member
back alley:

It seems as if you don't know that you can get a plug-in version of Adobe Camera Raw that will work as an available function while editing a file in Elements. Did I miss something - your last comment seems to me to indicate that you don't know about the ACR plug-in; if you indeed don't, you should know that there is one, it works within Elements, and you can download it.
i have the camera raw plug in but not the latest version. every time i try to load it the installer tells me it cannot find the product to upgrade.
 

peterv

New member
Take notice that PS3 does open the G1 RW2 files after converting in Adobe RAW Converter as 8 bit 240 ppi..

There's a preference on the bottom of your screen when you open the DNG in PS3. Here you can set it to 16 bit 300 ppi.
 
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Bhakti-rider

Guest
back alley:

Oh, that's a frustrating scenario. Have you tried to inquire of Adobe customer support, or would that be a futile effort?
 

back alley

New member
back alley:

Oh, that's a frustrating scenario. Have you tried to inquire of Adobe customer support, or would that be a futile effort?
till now i have not needed that update.
i guess i could look around to see what exactly the problem is and what the fix is.

joe
 
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olyinaz

Guest
I bought a cheap copy of PSE7 on eBay exactly for processing raw images from my G1. I just can't get into Silkypix and once I've got the raw developed in PSE7 if I want to work on it I save it to .tif and open it in CS3. I'm not at all pleased that Adobe has already kicked CS3 to the curb given they were selling it only months ago but the $40 I paid for Elements didn't break the bank and it works. My only beef? The ACR development module in Elements isn't as full featured as the one that opens the files into Photoshop.

Regards,
Oly
 

peterb

Member
Hi Oly,

It's true PSE 7.0 is not as full featured but the quality of the RAW files out of the camera are so good that, for the most part, very little tweaking is required.

What I've found (and everyone has their own preference here) is that straight from the camera I open up the RAW files in the edit menu. I typically shoot at ISO 200 so I'm not too concerned about noise which is EXTREMELY low on the G1 from ISO 100 to 400. (Faster lenses either from Panasonic or already existing that you can attach via adapters will allow better performance in this low ISO range.)

First thing I do is stay in 16 bit mode for as long as I can. And unless I'm covering up a mole or something I rarely leave it.

Unless a subject is in shadow in a severely backlit scene (that the camera REALLY exposed for) I leave color temperature alone. Once or twice I had to change my subjects temperature which came in in the low 4280K area or so and bumped it up to obtain a more pleasing warm light.

Next I usually raise the black level to around +16. This seems to work for most general shots. If the scene is particularly bright I may push it to +22 or +32 but I haven't had occasion yet to go higher.

Brightness for general exposed shots is kept at the default +50. If the scene is bright and camera metering tried to make an 18% gray out of it, I find I have to push this up to +90 - +100. But not much higher as things start to blow out at that point unless there's a desired effect.

Everything else is left at default. With the ISO anywhere from 100 to 400, I found little need to adjust luminance and color. If I want to go B&W, I can dial down the Saturation or, open the image and convert to B&W and use one of the settings there.

While I can sharpen the image in RAW I find I prefer to use the unsharp mask which is very effective with G1 images, although, for the most part, I've found the kit lens produces extremely sharp image and from what I can tell additional optics made possible via the adapters are even sharper. When I do find it necessary to sharpen things just a tad, generally I go 80% for general shots and 45% for women. (Not to be sexist but since I've been playing with this camera I've found that women do not like detail revealed by the sharpening with a lens that, to be honest, doesn't need much enhancement to begin with.)

True the full CS has a lot of additional controls but so far with the G1 I find I simply do not need it. (Although now I'm sure having said that I will probably have occasion to need those extra controls!)

Peter
 
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allan

Guest
i have the camera raw plug in but not the latest version. every time i try to load it the installer tells me it cannot find the product to upgrade.
Have you tried manually installing the plug-in? Here are the instructions from Adobe's webpage:

To install with Adobe Photoshop Elements 6: NOTE: You must follow all of the new instructions in order to successfully install the Camera Raw plug-in for Photoshop Elements.

1. Exit Photoshop Elements and Adobe Bridge.
2. Open the download file and double-click CameraProfiles.dmg and follow the onscreen instructions.
3. Navigate to the root of the local disk (not the user's home folder).
4. Navigate to: (Please read directory carefully)

Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-Ins/CS3/File Formats

5. Move the existing plug-in to another location (for example, a new folder on your desktop). Ensure you keep this version in case you need to revert back.
6. Copy the Camera Raw plug-in, Camera Raw, from the download into the same folder as in Step 4.
7. Launch Photoshop Elements or Adobe Bridge.

Page: http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4219
 
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