Camera Craniums: The Photography Community for Enthusiasts

Software, Editing and Printing => Adobe Photoshop => Topic started by: DigiDiva on September 04, 2013, 06:46:19 PM

Title: RAW file help required
Post by: DigiDiva on September 04, 2013, 06:46:19 PM
I have started to shoot in just RAW (used to do RAW +JPEG) and I'm trying to be more professional and organised with my storage. I use an old MAC Pro with an ancient processor and can't upload any new software. I use Adobe DNG to convert my images from RAW to DNG, as the MAC won't read the RAW files. I then use Adobe camera RAW to view and edit my DNG images before opening 'normal' photoshop (only CS3).

Each of the images I keep are in their own separate folder, which contains the RAW image (CR2), the DNG image, a PSD image and the final JPEG image once its edited. What I need to know is, do I need to keep the original CR2 images once they are converted, or is the same info contained in the DNG file as the RAW file?
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: Matthew on September 04, 2013, 08:03:38 PM
I shoot fully in RAW now too, but I only keep the CR2 files if I fancy doing something different with them processing wise later on. If I'm happy with what I have done however, I usually just delete them and keep the converted Jpegs. You could always look into getting an external drive if
you don't want to keep your original CR2's......
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: Oldboy on September 04, 2013, 08:11:55 PM
The Adobe DNG is the same as CR2 RAW file or Tiff file, all three formats retain all the shooting information within the file. Remember, Raw files do not contain any setting from the camera like saturation.  :tup:
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: DigiDiva on September 04, 2013, 08:51:27 PM
So really, I can dump my CR2's then. Sounds like a space saving idea for me

External drive is a great xmas gift idea from the family.
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: Reinardina on September 04, 2013, 09:05:48 PM
Quote from: DigiDiva on September 04, 2013, 08:51:27 PM
So really, I can dump my CR2's then. Sounds like a space saving idea for me

External drive is a great xmas gift idea from the family.

Don't know your financial situation of course, but external drives are not that expensive. If I were you, I'd buy one now and let the family buy you something else! Something less practical, more Christmassy.

(I have two external hard drives, but they connect via USB; don't know if old macs have USB, and if not, if there is another solution.)
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: Matthew on September 04, 2013, 10:05:55 PM
Quote from: DigiDiva on September 04, 2013, 08:51:27 PM
So really, I can dump my CR2's then. Sounds like a space saving idea for me

External drive is a great xmas gift idea from the family.

I reckon so as your finished article would have been processed by you and converted to a jPEG format for general viewing/printing anyway. A cheaper alternative to external drives are rewritable DVD's, I think they only have a 4gb capacity, but if you are wanting to save your cr2's you can burn them onto these for archiving and/or re-processing.
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: donoreo on September 04, 2013, 10:29:18 PM
You only need one, DNG or CR2 but not both.  Both are RAW format.  DNG tend to be a little smaller as well, but not much.  I have thought about switching and having Lightroom convert to DNG on import, but I have not yet. 
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: Oldboy on September 04, 2013, 11:11:07 PM
Quote from: DigiDiva on September 04, 2013, 08:51:27 PMffalo
So really, I can dump my CR2's then. Sounds like a space saving idea for me

External drive is a great xmas gift idea from the family.

Dabs are good for hard drives. I brought two 3gb external Buffalo drives from then some months ago. http://www.dabs.com/category/components-and-storage,hard-drives,external-hard-drives/11157-52120000/3#Paging   :tup:

Quote from: Matthew on September 04, 2013, 10:05:55 PM
I reckon so as your finished article would have been processed by you and converted to a jPEG format for general viewing/printing anyway. A cheaper alternative to external drives are rewritable DVD's, I think they only have a 4gb capacity, but if you are wanting to save your cr2's you can burn them onto these for archiving and/or re-processing.

DVD-Ram disks are 9.4gb double layer disks. With the price of harddrives today been so cheap I think they are better value than disks.  8)
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: Colin on September 05, 2013, 07:40:43 AM
Why convert to DNG and then use camera RAW in Photoshop? Why not take your CR2's straight into camera RAW? DNG's are a conversion of the Canon RAW format personally I would rather have the camera manufacturers untouched images to work with rather than Adobe's version of the image as a starting point.
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: hssutton on September 05, 2013, 08:20:50 AM
Quote from: Colin on September 05, 2013, 07:40:43 AM
Why convert to DNG and then use camera RAW in Photoshop? Why not take your CR2's straight into camera RAW? DNG's are a conversion of the Canon RAW format personally I would rather have the camera manufacturers untouched images to work with rather than Adobe's version of the image as a starting point.

Probably because Chris's version of Photoshop will not handle the Canon 60Ds raw files. Personalty I would use Canons DPP and export to Photoshop.

Harry
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: donoreo on September 05, 2013, 12:04:07 PM
Quote from: hssutton on September 05, 2013, 08:20:50 AM
Quote from: Colin on September 05, 2013, 07:40:43 AM
Why convert to DNG and then use camera RAW in Photoshop? Why not take your CR2's straight into camera RAW? DNG's are a conversion of the Canon RAW format personally I would rather have the camera manufacturers untouched images to work with rather than Adobe's version of the image as a starting point.

Probably because Chris's version of Photoshop will not handle the Canon 60Ds raw files. Personalty I would use Canons DPP and export to Photoshop.

Harry
She cannot do that either.  She is using a PowerPC Mac, pre-Intel. 
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: hssutton on September 05, 2013, 07:05:20 PM

[/quote]She cannot do that either.  She is using a PowerPC Mac, pre-Intel.
[/quote]

Don

Then maybe Chris needs to organize the theft of her lap-top  :)

Harry
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: Oldboy on September 05, 2013, 07:30:51 PM
Quote from: hssutton on September 05, 2013, 07:05:20 PM


Then maybe Chris needs to organize the theft of her lap-top  :)

Harry

Are you suggesting insurance fraud?  :o :-\
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: spinner on September 05, 2013, 07:55:30 PM
Quote from: donoreo on September 04, 2013, 10:29:18 PM
You only need one, DNG or CR2 but not both.  Both are RAW format.  DNG tend to be a little smaller as well, but not much.  I have thought about switching and having Lightroom convert to DNG on import, but I have not yet.

I purchase Lightroom 4 a few weeks back but hadn't gotten around to looking at all it's capabilities. I didn't know it could do that. Going to set it up right now. Thx for the info.
Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: DigiDiva on September 05, 2013, 08:23:32 PM
I hope my insurance company doesn't read this.I recently had a genuine claim for all my camera stuff that was stolen in Tenerife!

Title: Re: RAW file help required
Post by: hssutton on September 05, 2013, 08:35:50 PM
Quote from: DigiDiva on September 05, 2013, 08:23:32 PM
I hope my insurance company doesn't read this.I recently had a genuine claim for all my camera stuff that was stolen in Tenerife!

Hence the smiley at the end of my post.

Harry