RAW Processing?

[Nikkofan]

Hi All

My sincere apologies for asking what I'm sure is an already raised topic (but I can't find it here so far!) but can I ask you guys what your procedure is for converting RAW images into JPG?, ie: how you do it, what software, are you happy with the results, is there a process & certain settings that you recommend?

Reason I'm asking is because I've found with my D70 & D200 that the images look clear & sharp in RAW but after they've gone through the conversion process, they lose sharpness & seem to gain a lot of noise and look a bit "washed out" - the D70 is much worse than the D200 - and I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this occurring. I'm using the 17-55 2.8 mainly on the D200 and the 85 1.4 on the D70.

I'm using Bridge - Image Processor - to convert the files if they don't need adjusting, or Photoshop to convert if they do, and the result is the same with either process. It's really frustrating and I'd love to resolve it.

Thanks all

[Killakoala]

One thing i thought of as i read your synopsis is that perhaps your colourspaces are different in each of your processes. That will make your images look washed out, but maybe not lose sharpness or add noise, then again maybe it would.

My process is simple. I use PSCS RAW convertor and then complete the PPing in PSCS. I use Nikon Capture to do batch conversions to JPG then PP in PSCS.

I try to keep everything in Adobe RGB until I save for the web, when I convert to sRGB.

[gooseberry]

What I have found (and a lot of more experienced photogs have found) is that Adobe Camera Raw in PS CS is not so good for Nikon RAW files (especially if you are using default settings) - ACR tends to not do the colours correctly and introduces more noise than other converters. To get the colours right in CS, you have to do a lot of calibration adn even then I find it's not as good as default settings in Capture or Capture NX.

[Nikkofan]

One thing i thought of as i read your synopsis is that perhaps your colourspaces are different in each of your processes. That will make your images look washed out, but maybe not lose sharpness or add noise, then again maybe it would.

Killakoala, how do you check your colourspaces in each process? I'm embarassed to admit that I have no idea about this!

Gooseberry, having checked this out further, I'm coming to the same conclusion, ie: that Capture NX seems to be a better option than Camera Raw. Stooopid question, but can you just download Capture NX and load it into PSCS2 as a plugin?

Thanks for your responses guys, and if anyone has any other thoughts or processes that they recommended, I'd be grateful to hear them.

[stubbsy]

Lyn

Capture NX is commercial software from Nikon. It's listed for sale in our bargains area. AFAIK it's a standalone product.

[Marvin]

I have the same issues. There are a couple of threads about this.

If I can't get a photo to open as I would like it in PS then I open it in Nikon Capture and then again into PS. Nikon Capture applies the settings as you have them in the camera, PS doesn't. Nikon View does when you use it to view your raw files so what you open in NC is the same as you view in NV.

Don't know if this helps or not!!

Lee