I tried the beta version of Camera Raw 5.4 on the DP2 files, and I found that SPP still does a better job converting the files. I tried to tweak the settings in Camera Raw to get a better conversion, and while I was able to make it better, the SPP conversions were still significantly better. This of course is IMHO. So it looks like I'll be sticking with SPP.
Bill
I agree, Bill.
Before buying the DP2, I downloaded Carl Rytterfalk’s first packet of RAW images and converted them in SSP 3.5. So when ACR 5.4 came out, I converted the same seven images in Photoshop.
Set both programs to Auto and let them have their way with the images. I liked the SSP output best. Here’s a 100% crop of the yellow tulip in one of Carl’s images…
Obviously, there will be people who say, But I can do that in ACR with sliders. Yes, but I didn't have to, and there are sliders in SSP, as well. ACR 5.4 is a beta, so I'll keep an eye on the release version, but for the moment, SSP is doing fine.
As for viewing, I love ACDSee Classic 2.43… a program I’ve used for years and one of the fastest viewers around. One happy discovery I made is that it views X3F files as quickly and easily as if they were JPGs, so I have a full-screen and/or full-size previews to help me decide to keep or delete images.
Then I convert the survivors in SSP 3.5. And drag the images (one or many) I want to work on into Photoshop from ACDSee.
In the interest of fairness, I will, for awhile, convert in both programs and compare their output. This is another area that ACDSee excels. I find it much easier to spot differences in images by flipping back and forth, full-screen, between them, rather than viewing them side by side.
Cheers,
Don