Canon 'Raw File' Problem

[robin8495]

What use are 'Raw Files' ? My Canon camera EOS500D works OK with Paint Shop Pro downloading Jpeg Files, but I cant see the point of Raw files as they only open with 'Digital Photo Professional' and the program has not the scope of PSP, details are supplied by Canon but it wont open in Paint Shop Pro, although PSP have details of how to open the Raw files in their book, it does not work. Has anyone any ideas please ?

[ACtheTROLL]

raw is the ccd output - and isn't a standard ... so it's often unique to thatbrand

using that format you have total control over the end picture (the electronic version of developing and printing your own pics)
if you don't need it - don't use it

seems a shame to have all that kit and not use it though

[robin8495]

Thanks ACtheTROLL, I am still in the dark because as you say all this kit and not using it would be a shame. I do take adjust/alter and the general things that PSP allows one to do. The thing is I dont see how I have total control over developing & printing any more with a Raw file, than with PSP or JPG.
With PSP I have an enormous amount of alteration possibilities, other than being able to print out photos A3 size and crop photos with Raw files I dont see the point of them.

[ACtheTROLL]

with JPG it's a lossy compressed format - so everytime you save a jpg you throw away a little more detail

the psp format, photoshop, bmp & tiff are uncompressed and so most pros use these formats to process their pictures before saving the finished pic to JPG.

however all these end products have already been processed in the camera from it's raw data.

different versions of firmware can make very different decisions on what adjustments to make
.... it's a bit like preset white balance - you set for fluorescent - but the fluorescent is a daylight and not a white
and so the pic comes out a bit red - you then use psp to reduce the red and return the balance

all fine - but the picture has then been processed twice
to alter the temperature of the pic + whatever else you want
and thus compressed twice ... and so will have dropped something like 10% of the original info minimum

raw is unprocessed and uncompressed - you make all the adjustments you want and save - 0 loss.

generally if there is ant doubt pros will slightly under expose - an under exposed pixel can generally be lightened whereas a burned pixel is just white ....
using a raw processor you can often rescue a total disaster

in JPG the info has already gone because the camera has already "optimised" the exposure

psp is good - I use it at home myself - the wife even has a go .... but photoshop is better - I use that at work - on raw files

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAW_image_format

[magicmerlin]

I use the following when describing diff between raw and jpg in comparison with old style film.

Raw in digital is the negative in film
Jpg in digital is the print from film.

You say you can't open Canon Raw in PSP, try looking for update from PSP

[robin8495]

Thanks to you both for all the first class info, the problem is that I already have the latest PSP and there are no more updates. I use PSP a lot so would not want to change, but I am going a bit further with Forums on the subject of raw file opening. When I use the PSP instructions to open raw files all I get is a page of pixels, and the instructions are not very clear anyway. So again thanks to both, Regards.

[rojash]

According to the Corel Knowledgebase PSP does not support the RAW format of the 500D:

http://tinyurl.com/lkk42j

[magicmerlin]

Bad news. Paint Shop Pro does not support raw files from EOS500D.

See:

http://corel.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/corel.cfg/ph p/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=763284&p_created =1221026408&p_sid=e8rdXtBj&p_accessibility=0&p _redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J 5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MjAsMjAmcF9wc m9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF9 0eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc 2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9Y2Fub24gcmF3&p_li=&p_topview=1

[robin8495]

Thanks to >magicmerlin + rojash <. With your assistance and a little delving I have resolved the 'RAW' problem. I found that 'Digital Photo Professional' was the program needed, so I now have my 'RAW' program and it works first class. regards to all.

[Answerprancer]

Yes, open your raw files in Adobe Camera raw.
Raw files contain more information than say JPEGs, so under/over exposure and white balance issues can be corrected more effectively.
Sorry it took me so long to reply :-)