Adobe camera raw etc

[SheffSean]

Hi guys, well its been a while but I'm back, I've bought myself an iiMac and I'm hungry to get my images processed but i could do with some help and advice please, firstly, LR and PS, whats the difference between the two, do I need them both (or any other software) and also, I've always shot in raw but I've heard form somewhere that I need adobe camera raw to get my pics from my pc onto which ever post processing software I will finally subscribe to, sorry my question is a bit long winded but I really need some help, please be gentle as I'm a bit of a techno numpty :reface:

Sean.

[ST-EOS]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

Sean, the difference between LR and PS at a basic level is that any editing in LR is none destructive to the original RAW file, that isn't true of PS. But in PS you can do things that you cannot in Lightroom. In addition LR has a Digital Asset Management (DAM) catalog which is brilliant for managing all of your digital images.
The Adobe Creative Cloud for photographers is I would suggest the way for you to go. But don't forget that your Canon camera comes with Canons own processing software call Digital Photo Professional (DPP) so what you heard about needing Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) isn't correct.
So before you decide which way to go regarding software to process images, I suggest you view some of the videos available on Adobe TV ( or search YouTube as there's loads of videos) You should be able to find videos on using DPP too.
Don't forget that most processing software have trial packages that you can try out usually free for thirty days.

Here's a link to some Adobe video tutorials.

http://tv.adobe.com/product/lightroom/episode/featured/

Best Regards
Peter

[Tigger]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

do you need them both , no - I was processing images for years before I got PS, but that was before CC photography package and now its so cheap to have both I would get them.. If you are new to both programs I would recommend learning LR first and forget PS as its a heck of a program to get your head around and you will be able to do 95% of your processing with LR

[Ems]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

Don’t forget Photos which comes with your iMac which will open Raw files. It also has some basic editing tools. Preview will also open Raw files but will convert them to TIFF before you can edit.

Emyr

[TonyT]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

which ever post processing software I will finally subscribe to

The Adobe on line package includes both Lightroom and Photoshop with updates

http://www.adobe.com/uk/creativecloud/photography.html?promoid=KSPAP

Another alternate you may be unaware of is NIKS, Google bought the company for the software designers and reduced the previously $500 dollar software price down to zero.... yup free!
Although plug-ins for the above Adobe software, it is also downloadable as stand alone software.

https://www.google.com/nikcollection/

guides

https://www.google.com/nikcollection/learn/

[digiman]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

Sean, the difference between LR and PS at a basic level is that any editing in LR is none destructive to the original RAW file, that isn't true of PS.

http://tv.adobe.com/product/lightroom/episode/featured/

Best Regards
Peter

I know what you're saying, but you can reverse the history, and as long as you use layers, anything you have done can be undone

[Iron Man]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

Sean, the difference between LR and PS at a basic level is that any editing in LR is none destructive to the original RAW file, that isn't true of PS.
Best Regards
Peter

Sorry Peter, but that's not true. Any editing done in Photoshop is held in an external .xmp file, so the original RAW file is still intact and as shot. Deleting the xmp file will allow you to revert back to the original state. I'm not aware of any software that can actually alter a raw file.

[ST-EOS]

Adobe camera raw etc

I know what you're saying, but you can reverse the history, and as long as you use layers, anything you have done can be undone

Gary you're correct the important difference is that to use PS in a non destructive manner for image editing (non RAW) then you have to retain the edited image with it's associated layers.

Sorry Peter, but that's not true. Any editing done in Photoshop is held in an external .xmp file, so the original RAW file is still intact and as shot. Deleting the xmp file will allow you to revert back to the original state. I'm not aware of any software that can actually alter a raw file.

Lez,
You're correct as both PS and Lightroom use the same RAW converter (Adobe Camera Raw). My use use of words and lack of clarity in my original reply to Sean's question could have been more succinct that's what comes of replying to a post before having had breakfast .
For clarity and aimed at the OP (Sean)
AFAIK both PS and Lightroom create a sidecar file (as a .xmp) when editing a RAW file. Having said that it should be noted that PS can be used in both a non destructive and destructive manner.
In PS you have to retain all of the layers of an edit to retain the the pixel data of an edited image, saving the edits in a PSD file. But if you flatten the layers of an edited image then that flattened image (TIFF or JPG) has then become a destructive edit.
Probably the easiest example (to my mind anyway) to understand destructive versus non destructive, is if the image had been cropped during the edit either before or after flattening the layers then those cropped pixels are not recoverable, without resurrecting them from the RAW file.
However Lightroom edits are non destructive which I liken to the use of a PSD file in PS but without the need for an additional file i.e. the LR history states and .xmp sidecar file arrangements.

All of the above was probably too much to type before breakfast. I wonder if Sean reached a decision on which software to use for his image editing.

[SheffSean]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

I think my head is going to explode with all the techy talk thanks guys, although most of that stuff is well and truly over my head.

Sean.

[the black fox]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

As with any one else Sean if your in the Chester/north wales border area at all your welcome to pop in to see how I do it ,I have a I.mac running Lightroom and Photoshop and incorporating Nik efex and noise plug ins

[digiman]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

As with any one else Sean if your in the Chester/north wales border area at all your welcome to pop in to see how I do it ,I have a I.mac running Lightroom and Photoshop and incorporating Nik efex and noise plug ins

What noise plug ins do you use? Is it the one with the Nik collection (forget what it's called right now!!)

[the black fox]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

No Garry ,I use imageonic .i have it set to my liking and rarely need to alter any settings so it's just a case of open and apply

[2Beers]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

Tried downloading Imagenomic noiseware and it doesn't seem to install as a plugin in PS cc2017


got it had to add it manually it seems a bit expensive @ $79 dont know how long the trial lasts

[the black fox]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

Works fine on mine ,been using it for years

[SEP555]

Re: Adobe camera raw etc

In LR is there a way of not having to catalogue the photos first?