Raw converter

[Jocelyn Walker]

As I'm unable to get Adobe Bridge to work on my Photoshop, I downloaded a Raw converter program from an Internet website, Pixmantec! I was hoping to try my hand at converting my raw shots at long last! Unfortunately, it will not recognize there are any raw format shots on a DVD that they are on, or the ones on my hard drive for some reason! Could anyone advise me on how to get this program to recognize the raw files, or perhaps suggest another free downloadable program to try out?

[strontian]

Re: Raw converter

Jocelyn i am not to hot on technical details but i have used RAWSHOOTER in the past ,available as a free download it may do the trick, good luck____jim

[Stephen]

Re: Raw converter

As I'm unable to get Adobe Bridge to work on my Photoshop, I downloaded a Raw converter program from an Internet website, Pixmantec! I was hoping to try my hand at converting my raw shots at long last! Unfortunately, it will not recognize there are any raw format shots on a DVD that they are on, or the ones on my hard drive for some reason! Could anyone advise me on how to get this program to recognize the raw files, or perhaps suggest another free downloadable program to try out?

Pixmantec who produced Rawshooter were bought out by Corel then Adobe some time ago which ultimately led to the creation of Lightroom. Obviously there is no longer any support for the Pixmantec product and I imagine your raw file type is not supported.

I've just Googled for Free Raw Converters and there seem to be a lot of links, so maybe you can find something. I'm not too sure what camera you are using, but often the manufacturers have their own software.

With respect, I often wonder why these things have to be free and why for something that you would get a lot of use from you are not prepared to fork out some readies for a decent piece of software. I could rant at length about the subject, maybe I've said enough already

[Stephen]

Re: Raw converter

Heres one you could try http://www.rawtherapee.com/?

[Pol]

Re: Raw converter

As I'm unable to get Adobe Bridge to work on my Photoshop, I downloaded a Raw converter program from an Internet website, Pixmantec! I was hoping to try my hand at converting my raw shots at long last! Unfortunately, it will not recognize there are any raw format shots on a DVD that they are on, or the ones on my hard drive for some reason! Could anyone advise me on how to get this program to recognize the raw files, or perhaps suggest another free downloadable program to try out?

I'm puzzled as to why you can't get the Bridge to work on your Photoshop. It should'nt be essential either as you should be able to open the Raw file directly into the ACR tools - though it would certainly be better if you could view the files in Bridge first so that you'd see exactly which file you were opening into ACR.

Which version of Photoshop are you using and have you been updating it regularly? It may just be that the programme need updating so that the Bridge and ACR are fully up-to-date and able to recognise all raw files.

To update CS3 - go online, open Photoshop then click on help/updates and the updater will do it automatically. I forget exactly where the updater is in CS and CS2 but it'll be probably be listed under the help option list too.

If none of that works, Adobe support should be able to advise you either online or by phone. If you have a proggie as comprehensive as PS you shouldn't be having to go for anything else for working with RAW files. If I were you I'd be sure to update the software then get onto Adobe support if the update doesn't sort things.


Pol

[strontian]

Re: Raw converter

Ref Stephens comments ,some of us enjoy this great hobby although on a low income it is not always possible to go out and purchase expensive gear or software. I can only speak for myself in finding it difficult sometimes to keep up. These free downloads are helpful as a stopgap until i can afford better. thats my rant over.____JIM

[Stephen]

Re: Raw converter

Ref Stephens comments ,some of us enjoy this great hobby although on a low income it is not always possible to go out and purchase expensive gear or software. I can only speak for myself in finding it difficult sometimes to keep up. These free downloads are helpful as a stopgap until i can afford better. thats my rant over.____JIM

Again, with respect Jim, please don't go on about having low income or not being able to purchase software when elsewhere ownership of CS3 is mentioned.

Pols comments are spot on, though I suspect she is subtly saying much the same. 'nuff said

[Patrick]

Re: Raw converter

I'm puzzled as to why you can't get the Bridge to work on your Photoshop. It should'nt be essential either as you should be able to open the Raw file directly into the ACR tools - though it would certainly be better if you could view the files in Bridge first so that you'd see exactly which file you were opening into ACR.

Which version of Photoshop are you using and have you been updating it regularly? It may just be that the programme need updating so that the Bridge and ACR are fully up-to-date and able to recognise all raw files.

To update CS3 - go online, open Photoshop then click on help/updates and the updater will do it automatically. I forget exactly where the updater is in CS and CS2 but it'll be probably be listed under the help option list too.

If none of that works, Adobe support should be able to advise you either online or by phone. If you have a proggie as comprehensive as PS you shouldn't be having to go for anything else for working with RAW files. If I were you I'd be sure to update the software then get onto Adobe support if the update doesn't sort things.


Pol

I have often wondered about free programs, they cost money to develop, it cost money to make them available on the internet so where is the profit?
Rawshooter had a pro version that had to be paid for, but how many did pay for the upgrade?
Other programs like PictoExe is only paid for once and upgraded for life, again where's the profit.
I use GoodSync for Backups, that free unless its used heavily and they will block it(so much for privacy) until a payment is made, even then its not very much.
So I say again where is the profit.

Patrick

[Jocelyn Walker]

Re: Raw converter

Thanks Stephen for your advice & time. I shall hopefully explain why I personally look for free things to do with photography! I am a lowly paid Disability carer (paid an hourly rate less than a nurse-aide) that struggles to make ends meet & pay a mortgage, who enjoys a creative hobby to cheer what little free time I have! My editing programs like Photoshop & Jasc 9 were given to me as presents by my partner & 1 of my friends! My camera, although expensive for me, is therefore not a DSLR, which I bought with money I'd tried to save for ages & the balance of a few hundred dollars I'd won on Lotto, for the first time in my life! Why would there be FREE things on offer if they weren't meant to be used? Thank goodness for those kind people that make these FREE things available I say! With all due respect Stephen, there are those of us who are very grateful for these opportunities!

[Jocelyn Walker]

Re: Raw converter

Pol, I have updated CS2 recently, but it made no difference! Perhaps the versions I was given were not the full program! I don't know enough to work that one out & perhaps am not savvy enough computerwise to work it out, as it shows the camera raw file in the plugins under editing program! Then again, so do many other plugins appear that for the life of me I can't get to the Photoshop Toolbar!
Thanks to all who commented & gave advice. RawShooter was the program I downloaded form Pixmantec! I shall try the site Stephen has suggested. One day I will get the hang of things, so shall have to be patient I guess 'till then! Thanks.

[rogleale]

Re: Raw converter

Hi Jocelyn,

Don't give up on Bridge yet! You didn't say what type of raw files you are having trouble with, but if ACR can handle them you should be able to open it in Bridge. Now for what may be silly questions:-

Have you gone to 'Bridge > Edit > Preferences > General'? On the 'Behaviour' panel there is a tick box for "Double click edits Camera Raw settings in Bridge" If this is ticked double clicking on a picture in Bridge should open it in Camera Raw.

How are you trying to open them in Bridge?
If you select one, or more pics in Bridge, then go 'File > Open with > Photoshop CS2' the Camera Raw dialogue box should appear.

OR:

Select one or more pics in Bridge then choose 'File > Open in Camera Raw'. Again it should open the ACR dialogue.

I think that you will find RawShooter rather limited in scope, so I hope that you can get ACR to work as it should.

Roger

[rogleale]

Re: Raw converter

Hi Patrick,

I think that you would be surprised if we could find out how many people paid for the Pro version of Raw Shooter when it was offered, because at that time the competition was much weaker, and Raw Shooter worked.

I'm very glad that I found the $30 required because those of us that did got Lightroom free!

Roger

[Pol]

Re: Raw converter

If all else fails, the other possibilty might be to reinstall PS and choose the 'repair' option when it's offered on reinstalling. That's worked for me once or twice in the past.


Pol

[John Houghton]

Re: Raw converter

The latest RAW plugin will be for CS3 and will not work with CS2. The last version issued for CS2 may not support your particular camera but the one for CS3 probably does. You can check which versions support which cameras at the Adobe web site. One thing you can do is convert your RAW files to DNG (digital negative) format with the latest Adobe DNG converter program. Older RAW plugins will then happily open the DNG files.

John

[Jocelyn Walker]

Re: Raw converter

Thanks John! That sounds a good idea to convert to DNG file & will have to find out about the latest Adobe converter! It really does help to get constructive input from other members of the forum on an array of things!