How to edit and resave a Canon RAW file (.crw)

My assistant shoots with a Canon 10D camera and gives me her raw files (.crw) at the end

of the day. I edit them (fix WB, exposure, etc.) and then burn the .crw files to a dvd. Later

they get converted to TIFF for printing.

 

How do I resave the .crw files after I have modified WB, exposure and so on? If I make the

adjustments using the canon software, the edits don't show up in Photoshop CS. The save

options in the canon software allow you to extract the image to tiff but I'd rather keep the

edits in the raw file. How can I do that?

 

I know how to do this on my nikon software, but not on the canon. I'd be very appreciate

of any help.

You don't understand RAW.

 

RAW is the raw uninterpolated RGB Bayer pattern sensor data. After you've edited it (by converting it), it's not RAW anymore. You can't save in the RAW format, and even if you could, there would be no point and you'd lose data since you'd have to convert back into a Bayer pattern approximation. Save it as 16 bit TIFF if you want to preserve all the data present in the modified RAW file, or some other lossless data format with 16-bit capability.

I'm pretty sure you can't do this with the Canon software, and I highly doubt they'd go across software like Canon to PS CS. CaptureOne will save the settings (for Capture One only), and I think this is superior to both Canon and PS CS. That is, if you don't mind running both C1 and PS - some people like running PS CS only, which has it's conveniences.

If you're adjusting WB, etc in Photoshop in RAW mode, just save the adjustments in the .XMP file there. Choose the black arrow next to settings and Save Settings. Just keep your .XMP with the .RAW and load those settings when you're ready to make a TIFF.

<em>RAW is the raw uninterpolated RGB Bayer pattern sensor data. After you've edited it

(by converting it), it's not RAW anymore. You can't save in the RAW format, and even if you

could, there would be no point and you'd lose data since you'd have to convert back into a

Bayer pattern approximation.</em>

<p>

This is not true. I can resave a Nikon .nef file back into itself with any loss of data. The

changes are stored as instructions in the .nef file without altering the original image. Sort

of like a layer. This allows future edits and even rolling back changes in the future. Best of

all, since the edits are stored as instructions the file barely seems to change it size.

<p>

I was hoping to do the same with the canon .crw files I'm getting from my assistant. But it

doesn't look like Canon supports this yet.

If you're using PS CS why don't you just open the RAW files into Photoshop in the first place, and edit them there? I would think this would be much easier than hopping between applications. You still won't be able to save the files in RAW format, but then why would you need to?

<em>If you're using PS CS why don't you just open the RAW files into Photoshop in the

first place, and edit them there? I would think this would be much easier than hopping

between applications. You still won't be able to save the files in RAW format, but then why

would you need to?</em>

<p>

It saves a lot of disc space (and eventually CDs) to be able to edit 600-900 images per

shoot and keep them as compressed RAW files (instead of TIFF). I like to convert files to

TIFF only if I am going to be sending them out for printing. An appropriate amount of

sharpening is applied when the raw -> TIFF conversion is made (based on print size).