CS / CS2: An easy way to batch convert RAW images

[leek]

Now, you're all probably going to tell me that you are using this method already , but I've only just discovered it and thought that I'd share it here...

Doctor Brown's Image Processor script was originally written by Russell Brown for the CS version of Photoshop and is available here for users of CS.

Photoshop CS2 now incorporates the script as standard and it is now simply called Image Processor. It can be found under File-->Scripts-->Image Processor in Photoshop, or under Tools-->Photoshop-->Image Processor in Bridge.



The script allows you to convert single or multiple RAW images or a whole folder into JPG and/or TIFF and/or PSD format in one step. For JPG, you can select whether to convert to sRGB and can also resize to fit certain dimensions (works like the Fit Image command). The TIF & PSD conversions include similar options.

You can even tell the Image Processor to run a specific action before performing the conversion. This can be used to perform predetermined adjustments and framing before the conversions.

If using Bridge, finer control of the adjustments can be performed in ACR before using Image Processor.

If you need more instructions, then Russell Brown has excellent video tutorials for the CS2 version and also for the CS version... Warning - these videos are 6.5Mb and 15Mb respectively.

Have fun... I know that I'll be using this a lot from now on...

[big pix]

........ You should get his book , it is great..... order off his web site......

[petal666]

I never get why you would batch process RAW files. If you were going to batch process, resize and save as .jpg, why not just shoot jpg in the first place. The whole idea of RAW is to have control over how each image is processed.

I'd rather use bibble where you can queue files to be processed but still adjust settings for each image seperately.

[leek]

I never get why you would batch process RAW files. If you were going to batch process, resize and save as .jpg, why not just shoot jpg in the first place. The whole idea of RAW is to have control over how each image is processed.

I'd rather use bibble where you can queue files to be processed but still adjust settings for each image seperately.

Agreed petal... As I said, you can adjust the RAW conversion settings individually for each image before starting the batch conversion.

[MCWB]

I never get why you would batch process RAW files. If you were going to batch process, resize and save as .jpg, why not just shoot jpg in the first place.

Fair call, but if you've shot RAW and nailed most exposures/WBs/etc so you don't need to adjust them this is useful. I use Nikon View for this if I need to though (select files, right click -> Copy and resize as jpeg).

[Manta]

Good tip Leek. I've only just discovered this myself in Scott Kelby's "The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers" where Kelby explains the process in detail; much like you have.

[Luke Smith]

RSE rocks at the whole batch processing thing tooo...

[embi]

This may have been bought on by the fact I was asking leek if he knew of a way to do it.

Why did I want to do it???

I took probably 500 RAW images whilst in NZ.

I have about 500 relatives wanting to see those images.

They dont care how good they look as long as the see us standing next to a glacier.

So a quick conversion to jpeg and a resize etc means I can take a selection to a photo lab, they can pump out the images and I can keep the relatives happy.

I can then go back and one by one process the RAW ones at my pleasure.

[beetleboy]

I used this exact method just recently for an Annual Report series. I took over 1000 images and used the Image Processor to create screen res jpg's for the client to review and select hero shots. I then did the fine adjustments on the raws they selected and again used the Image Processor to create the hi-res tiffs to send to their designers.

When creating the jpg's i run an Unsharp Mask action to counteract the softening effect of the downsampling and convert the Colour Profile from Adobe RGB to sRGB to allow for more accurate colour representation when the client views them on their crappy PC!

Liam =]

[oli]

Is there something special you have to do to make the actions step work?

I'm a little confused. Running actions is "Step 4" and saving the file comes in "Step 3"?

Does that mean if you run an action on the files you need to save the file again in the action?

I tried creating an action which applied USM and did nothing else, and making the image processor run that action but it didn't apply it.

Anyone able to help me here?

[beetleboy]

It applies the action before it saves the file. My USM action is just a straight action! Not sure why it's not working for ya..maybe give us some more info and we'll see what we can do!

Liam =]

[oli]

Does it run the action before or after resizing?

[beetleboy]

I would assume the action is performed at the end just before saving..the 1-4 steps in the dialogue box up the top of this page aren't necessarily the order the process runs in, it's just the way it's displayed.

[oli]

I don't think the order it's displayed in is particularly useful. I just tried my USM action and I think it is applying it before resizing (ie Step 4 is coming before the resize part of Step 3).

I think this because if I run a USM of about 40-60 (ie what I'd normally run on an image after resizing it to 800px wide) then it appears as if it has not run, or it has run it but on the full sized image (ie the original 8MP image) and then resized.

Is there another way I could test this easily to determine at which stage exactly the action is run, either to prove myself correct (or incorrect)?

[beetleboy]

Hmm..I'm glad you brought this to my attention! If you actually watch the History while the script is running it performs the action BEFORE the resize. Thus you're right Oli, it is sharpening BEFORE downsampling - which is pretty bloody annoying!

A quick work around (and the reason i hadn't noticed this until now) is to crank up your USM to something more like 100% 0.5 0, or even 1 pixel if you want to go that far..not a good solution but it'll work where image quality isn't paramount.

Anyone have any ideas for a workaround?

Maybe someone should ask Russell Brown?! Anyone have his email addy?!

Liam =]

[leek]

I use the sharpening slider on the detail tab of ACR instead of USM.

Sharpen one image and then cut & paste the Raw settings from that one image to all the other images that you are about to run through the image processor using right-click options.

[beetleboy]

But that still doesn't address the issue! Your image will be softened when Image Processor downsamples it..

[pippin88]

Looks like I'm going to have to get CS2.

I do my Raw processing in RSE and convert to JPG. Then use PS to occaisonally further fiddle, but mainly to resize and sharpen then save.

In PS7, you can't specify the saving options in the batch stuff, so you have to save as for each individual JPG if you want them to not be huge.

This would eliminate the problem.

[leek]

But that still doesn't address the issue! Your image will be softened when Image Processor downsamples it..

True - sorry...

I guess the only solution at the moment would be to run a batch action on the resized JPGs...

[beetleboy]

Possibly, although then you'd be double-jpging which will most likely reverse your sharpening efforts anyway!

There must be a way around this..thanks for your suggestions leek, food for thought!

[leek]

Possibly, although then you'd be double-jpging which will most likely reverse your sharpening efforts anyway!

There must be a way around this..thanks for your suggestions leek, food for thought!

Not perfect, but I think I might have a solution...

Run the image processor twice... first time, resize and output to PSD... Second time, select the PSDs for the Image processor to take as input, activate the sharpening action and then output to JPG...

Clumsy, but it would probably work...

[beetleboy]

Hmm..good idea leek. Maybe someone could write a script that would run the image processor twice like you suggest? But either way, that certainly is a solution!

Well done!

Liam =]

[Manta]

No more calls please. We have a winner.
Congratulations Leek. You win the meat tray.

Interesting thread guys and I look forward to trying the "Leek.atn" one of these days.

[oli]

leek, the only problem with using the sharpness slider in Camera Raw is that if you want to run an action with noise removal on a noisy image then it is sharpening before the noise removal...

Apart from that you're workaround is fine, and I think I'll be using that now.

Cheers.