Different RAW Converters

[pelliott1954]

Hi All,

I am a bit of an old Technophobe and also a bit set in my ways, I have tended to use Lightroom as my RAW converter for the last few years, but have never been 100% satisfied that I am right to do so.

Today I actually loaded the CD which came with my Camera and used EOS utility to download the same images from my Camera, as I had previously downloaded via a Card reader to LR4.

Comparing the same image with nothing done to it showed a clearly better/sharper image on DPP than in Lightroom.

So, I suppose my question is, does the RAW converter make a difference to the final image, bearing in mind that work will always be done to it?

Do other Lightroom users use it to convert their RAW images or does anyone use the route described above allowing EOS Utility to convert and then move them to Lightroom from there?

I hope this question is not completely stupid.

Regards Paul

[S_J_P]

Re: Different RAW Converters

DPP takes all the good things you've done to an image in camera, and then pre-applies them in the RAW converter (ALO, HTP, WB, Picture Styles etc). Adobe camera raw takes a guess at a couple of things (such as WB and NR) and applies Adobe Standard picture style, which I find dull and uninspiring, so LR imported images are very disappointing.

If you're after minimal post-processing, then DPP's an excellent tool. If you're happy to start from scratch every time, then Lightroom's options and features may be worth the extra PP effort. The choice is yours! Of course, you can get the best of both worlds by importing in DPP, applying all the canon proprietary effects (digital picture optimiser, lens correction, etc) and then exporting in TIFF format into LR for final polishing, but that's a right royal faff, but may be worthwhile!

[Colin]

Re: Different RAW Converters

Or you can set Lightroom up to do the same thing on import and apply your own version of Canon's pre-processing.

[S_J_P]

Re: Different RAW Converters

Or you can set Lightroom up to do the same thing on import and apply your own version of Canon's pre-processing.

You can indeed do this, but Adobe doesn't take note of auto-lighting optimizer or highlight tone priority, neither does it offer the full range of white balance, or support all the picture styles (even Adobe's implementation of then), and it most definitely doesn't support the digital lens optimizer. On the plus side for Adobe, it does offer lens correction data for third party lenses as well as Canon though.

Having written about the limitations of Adobe, I have to admit that I use Lightroom almost exclusively. For me, Lightroom's positives outweigh it's negatives, but that is almost certainly due to my familiarity with it. Being able to use the features of your chosen software is as important as the features it offers, as without one the other is useless.

[DrJon]

Re: Different RAW Converters

I use either Lightroom 5 or DXO Optics Pro. I find if DXO has a lens module for the lens you are using it can produce very good results, however Lightroom 5 seems to have better noise processing, it's also good for CA. Generally with the default settings people seem to prefer the DXO output though. I toy with DPP occasionally but the lack of control and the way it works always ends up annoying me too much.

[pelliott1954]

Re: Different RAW Converters

Thanks for all the replies Guys.

I am still conducting tests on whether I can discern differences with the same images.

Regards Paul

[Paulstw]

Re: Different RAW Converters

I find DPP amazing for firing off quick pics for Alamy News or something. LR/PS for harsh editing. I hate using LR, but if you've drastically underexposed or over exposed a pic, LR can bring it back in some great fashion with acceptable noise control.

I've just bought a 27" iMac so I'm going to try Aperture as it's only £50 and supposed to be a lot like ACR. The downside of DPP is that you can't apply lens corrections to 3rd party lenses. I tend to avoid using my Tokina if I know I'm going to be using DPP for Alamy.

[S_J_P]

Re: Different RAW Converters

IThe downside of DPP is that you can't apply lens corrections to 3rd party lenses. I tend to avoid using my Tokina if I know I'm going to be using DPP for Alamy.

Do you use lens correction on every shot Paul? I sometimes click on the correction and find that I dislike the "corrected" image, sometimes the lens' characteristics are what makes the shot. I find that I'm using lens correction less and less these days.

[Paulstw]

Re: Different RAW Converters

Do you use lens correction on every shot Paul? I sometimes click on the correction and find that I dislike the "corrected" image, sometimes the lens' characteristics are what makes the shot. I find that I'm using lens correction less and less these days.

I only use it on the 17-85 as it's bad for distortion and CA. The 70-200 never needs a thing. The Tokina is pretty bad at the edges with CA and I correct that in LR. The 50mm too never needs sorting. If I was to change, I'd get the 17-55 2.8 and 10-22mm Canons so that I could just sort everything in DPP. I am looking forward to seeing what Aperture has to offer.

[S_J_P]

Re: Different RAW Converters

I only use it on the 17-85 as it's bad for distortion and CA

Aha, I hadn't lumped CA in with lens-correction (I think it's in "camera calibration" in Lightroom, but could be wrong! It's somewhere down the bottom on the right though), and that's certainly a reason to use software which supports your chosen lens!

[Paulstw]

Re: Different RAW Converters

Aha, I hadn't lumped CA in with lens-correction (I think it's in "camera calibration" in Lightroom, but could be wrong! It's somewhere down the bottom on the right though), and that's certainly a reason to use software which supports your chosen lens!

Yeah Lens Corrections sorts out your CA and distortion in LR. You need to download the lens profile in DPP to apply CA, Distortion, Highlight tone priority and Colour Burn. No idea what colour burn does lol

[DeeGee]

Re: Different RAW Converters

Infraview will convert raw to several formats provided you have the plugins installed (if I can do it following the instructions, anyone can. )