Processing Raw Images

My photo editing program is Photoshop Elements 7 and does not support CR2 images from my Canon t2i and I don't want to upgrade so I have been converting my files to DNG but in the conversion process I find that the colour is less saturated. Canon's DPP program show the images with the saturation and sharpening settings I used in the camera. So my question is this: should I process the raw files with DPP and then convert and save the image as a TIFF 8bit and do further editing in PE7. I don't do a lot of postprocessing so I thought this would be the best way to go. I sure would appreciate some feedback on this. Thanks in advance.

Audrey, I would do as you have suggested, initial process in DPP, save as tiff then open in PSE7. This is the way I usually process my RAW files and I am sure that may others will use the same workflow.
The Canon US site has some good tutorials on uing DPP if you are unsure.
Have a look here .... http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/galle...utorials.shtml

David

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Originally Posted by adriana

My photo editing program is Photoshop Elements 7 and does not support CR2 images from my Canon t2i and I don't want to upgrade so I have been converting my files to DNG but in the conversion process I find that the colour is less saturated. Canon's DPP program show the images with the saturation and sharpening settings I used in the camera. So my question is this: should I process the raw files with DPP and then convert and save the image as a TIFF 8bit and do further editing in PE7. I don't do a lot of postprocessing so I thought this would be the best way to go. I sure would appreciate some feedback on this. Thanks in advance.

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Adriana,

I have a similar situation with my Olympus camera which uses an ORF file format. Usually, I open the file with my Ib software's (Olympus program) RAW generator. From there I have the option of editing with Olympus's RAW editor or I can export the file which converts it to a TIFF and from there I can edit with Photoshop 8.

Canon DPP is OK for Raw conversion although the options are a bit limited.

Before getting software which included a decent converter I was using the free Raw Therapee and found their new version 3 to be very effective. Initially, this version was experimental and a bit unstable but that difficulty appears to have been overcome now.

Definitely not as easy to use as DPP but it allows for a lot more adjustments.

Scarab Labs also produce a free converter and there are a couple of others which I tried before deciding that Raw Therapee suited me best.

If however, you are prepared to pay, there are a number of converters with varying amounts of effectiveness - and cost.

And with regard to operating procedures, I do as much adjustment as possible with the converter then transfer the images to my editing software as 16 bit Tiffs for final tweaking.

Hi Audrey, just a thought.... back up the images in question then experiment with several different workflows that you suspect will produce the result you want and compare the results. Sometimes you'll be amazed at what you will learn.

I sometimes take an image an process it any number of different ways and make mental (and sometimes written) notes so that if I find a process I really like I can duplicate it again later. Not all processes will produce great results with all images but those that do can be stunning. :D