Raw Processing

[The Vulcan]

I've often wondered what is actually the regarded "correct" workflow.

I import directly into Lightroom, make all my vertical/horizontal, colour and tone adjustments (pre-sets), I reduce both the Lightroom noise and sharpness setting to zero and then move to Photoshop.

My first task is to use Noiseware to adjust any noise and then PK Sharpener "capture sharpener". I then use the PT lens plug-in for perspective corrections and lens adjustments.

Now I use levels and curves, highlight and shadow adjustments.

All the above are in layer mode.

Finally, with the image looking about right ( ) I return to PK Sharpener "creative amendments" to adjust the image appearance.

I re-size as required and the last step is again PK Sharpener for the "exit" mode.

This workflow seems about right to me and in the "correct" order - but have I missed something?

It would be good to exchange on this

[The Vulcan]

Surely I'm not the only one with a set workflow?

[jukapot]

Surely I'm not the only one with a set workflow?

I have a set workflow, but if I tell you, you will cry ...

I take all by nef files and convert them to dng format with Adobes Raw Converter. All photos are added to the master files on my external drive (500 G) I have no idea how big 500 G is so I take it on faith that it will be enough. Backups go on another 500g drive (they were on sale (2 for 1). I have the book ADOBE CAMERA RAW and used that for my next few steps. I open Bridge to review my photos and process those I want to save. All Raw, Jepg and Tiff files are opened in camera Raw - which is really the editing program from Lightroom and just great as a stand alone program.

Here is where I get screwed up. When I get to the process of sharpening, Adobe Camera Raw claims their program is near perfect and I can sharpen at any time during the process. It need not be the last step. My problem is that I really don't see any difference when sharpening - what numbers should I use for amount, radius, detail and masking ?? All looks the same for my tired eyes. When you get my age, proper camera focusing no longer has the same importance.

Somehow I move on to Photoshop and do my stuff. Again I get to the final sharpening. I once used unsharp mask - now in CS 3 Adobe says smart sharpening is all I need - forget about anything else. Now I need to guess the radius, amount and what blur to remove to use smart sharping. If is was so smart how come it doesn;t know the correct combination of numbers.

While reading Vulcan's post I became aware of a program called PK Sharpener. I did a Google search on PK sharpen and was impressed by what I read. I also caught in a forum someone ask "Why do I need it? He said he was happy sharpening using the traditional Photoshop method of HIGH Pass." never heard oh High Pass (taken 3 photoshop courses at our community college )

I looked up instructions and found it to be the easiest sharpening I have found. Make aa layer copy, apply filter high pass -average setting 3 - and the apply the overlay setting.I make the initial setting too high and then I back down and reduce the sharpen until I can see it.

Now I am at the crossroads, do I use aperture or lightroom. I got good buys on each and still can't make up my ming. Using Aperture now and will see what lightroom does with version 2.

So if all that can be called a workflow, I have one. Help or I will submit photos do in colored pencil filter. Just kidding -don't want to kicked off the forum yet.

[The Vulcan]

That's pretty much in line with my work flow.

I've been experimenting with Canons DPP sharpener which I must say is impressive. PK Sharpener seems to be the better of the 2 though as it has more control and facilities.

If I sharpen in Photoshop I ALWAYS use Unsharp Mask set at an amount between 50-100 a radius of 1 and a threshold of 2. This seems to be a universal setting so I followed suit.

I believe, and the general consensus of opinion is, that sharpening is the last action. I mean, what's the point of early sharpening and then losing it through (say) noise reduction?

I haven't used Aperture but Lightroom is excellent.

1 TB (2 550 gigs) is a lot of storage space - You should be ok for a while! I get 80 images at 13 MB each per 1 Gigabyte = 80,000 images per TB!

p.s. I never shoot jpegs or TIFFs!

[jukapot]

That's pretty much in line with my work flow.

I've been experimenting with Canons DPP sharpener which I must say is impressive. PK Sharpener seems to be the better of the 2 though as it has more control and facilities.

If I sharpen in Photoshop I ALWAYS use Unsharp Mask set at an amount between 50-100 a radius of 1 and a threshold of 2. This seems to be a universal setting so I followed suit.

I believe, and the general consensus of opinion is, that sharpening is the last action. I mean, what's the point of early sharpening and then losing it through (say) noise reduction?

I haven't used Aperture but Lightroom is excellent.

1 TB (2 550 gigs) is a lot of storage space - You should be ok for a while! I get 80 images at 13 MB each per 1 Gigabyte = 80,000 images per TB!

p.s. I never shoot jpegs or TIFFs!

Thanks for answering my unasked question concerning format for storage... I can easily save Digital photos in Raw format - only been using my nikon D80 for a a year or so. No serious pictures - just experimenting and learning. The 4,000+ old slides and negatives have to be scanned with my my coolscan iv and does not scan to digital - it has a format called NEF t, but its not digital. These scanned photos I save as TIF and convert to JPG as for web use, email etc.

[noise]

That's pretty much in line with my work flow.....

I've been experimenting with Canons DPP sharpener which I must say is impressive. .....

Jukapot and Vulcan

Can't thank you two enough for this. I have not been working with RAW very long and have no work flow. I am basically happy with the final results, but it would all fall in the "exerimenting" category even though I do some of what you both recommended, e.g., using Bridge and occassionally making some adjustments there. I am going to try what you two suggest and see what works for me. Being a retired rocket engineer, I have to have a ISO certified standarized process!

What is a NEF file? I have a Pentax K10D and it only offers DNG and PEF for format. Guess I should google that?

You also convinced me to go get that external drive I have been looking at as I am building up such a large mass of files that it is affecting my 6 year OLD computer processing time, regardless of what I am doing even with all photo programs shut down.

[The Vulcan]

That's pretty much in line with my work flow.....

I've been experimenting with Canons DPP sharpener which I must say is impressive. .....

Jukapot and Vulcan

Can't thank you two enough for this. I have not been working with RAW very long and have no work flow. I am basically happy with the final results, but it would all fall in the "exerimenting" category even though I do some of what you both recommended, e.g., using Bridge and occassionally making some adjustments there. I am going to try what you two suggest and see what works for me. Being a retired rocket engineer, I have to have a ISO certified standarized process!

What is a NEF file? I have a Pentax K10D and it only offers DNG and PEF for format. Guess I should google that?

You also convinced me to go get that external drive I have been looking at as I am building up such a large mass of files that it is affecting my 6 year OLD computer processing time, regardless of what I am doing even with all photo programs shut down.

With regard to your computer speed may I suggest you designate your photoshop scratch disk to this drive, then up the RAM usage to 75% and then things should speed up a little.

Hope this helps

[jukapot]

That's pretty much in line with my work flow.....

I've been experimenting with Canons DPP sharpener which I must say is impressive. .....

Jukapot and Vulcan

Can't thank you two enough for this. I have not been working with RAW very long and have no work flow. I am basically happy with the final results, but it would all fall in the "exerimenting" category even though I do some of what you both recommended, e.g., using Bridge and occassionally making some adjustments there. I am going to try what you two suggest and see what works for me. Being a retired rocket engineer, I have to have a ISO certified standarized process!

What is a NEF file? I have a Pentax K10D and it only offers DNG and PEF for format. Guess I should google that?

You also convinced me to go get that external drive I have been looking at as I am building up such a large mass of files that it is affecting my 6 year OLD computer processing time, regardless of what I am doing even with all photo programs shut down.

A NEF file is the RAW Format used by Nikon. Just to confuse me even further, on the Nikon scanner (Coolscan IV} I can scan files to a NEF format - but its an old format and is not a RAW Format. If anyone can clarify please help.

Oh yes I am using the Bridge CS3 program and I am told it has been greatly inproved. I'm not sure what improvements were made because I recently started using it.