Canon EOS 5D II and Adobe Camera Raw

<p>I'm sorry for the silly question, but I'm going to switch to digital from film and I'm planning to buy a Canon 5D Mark II camera and since a friend of mine lent me one, I took some sample raw shots and once on my computer I found that my current setup (Adobe Photoshop CS3) didn't support these raw files...<br>

The question is: should I have to upgrade my editing software to the latest version (CS5) to read and edit 5D II raw files with Adobe Camera Raw? Couldn't simply upgrade Adobe Camera Raw's supported formats in Photoshop CS3?<br>

Thank you very much for your help and your patience. Alberto.</p>

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<p>"Couldn't simply upgrade Adobe Camera Raw's supported formats in Photoshop CS3?"</p>

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<p>No, Adobe won't let you do that: they want your money.<br>

You either need to purchase PS CS5 or use Adobe's free DNG converter. Once converted you can open the images in PS CS3.</p>

<p>Alternatively you could get Lightroom 3, which is a superb RAW application /-organiser, and it supports the 5D II.</p>

<p>Thank you Martin! I've tried LR 3, but I have still to understand how it works: what does happen to my raw files? Where does LR save the editing informations?</p>

<p>1_dont update your Photoshop, get Lr 3 for lessmoney and more power (well sort of)</p>

<p>2_Lightroom create a separate file aside your raw that Photoshop and Ligthroom can read, so the image will look like you work on them only in a software.. your actual raw is not touch or modified for real.</p>

<p>3_for a quick 15 hours of how to use Ligthroom, go to www.lynda.com, the time you *think* you loose by doing so will speed up your workflow and will quickly pay for itself.</p>

<p>I have the same combination (5D2 & CS3), and I'm using Adobe DNG converter. It's a free download from Adobe. Also, it's a stand-alone program, not tied to the latest versions of Photoshop although the website makes it look like it is. DNG uses a batch conversion/batch renaming process that takes very little time. DNG files are basically just RAW files in a different format. They open in ACR and process like any other RAW file. One suggestion: Don't discard your CR2 files after converting to DNG. Archive them someplace for future needs (mine go to DVD).</p>

<p>[[Where does LR save the editing informations?]]</p>

<p>The information is stored in Lightroom's database. You can export that information to "Sidecar" files (.XMP) and you can also apply the information to an exported JPG or TIFF file. The key to understanding Lightroom is that changes are not made to your RAW files in any way.</p>

 

<p>Thank you all for your fast answers! Before trying LR 3 I can follow William's suggestion (thank you)!<br>

Just another question: is Adobe Camera Raw in CS5 very different towards Camera Raw in CS3?</p>

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<p>more power (well sort of)</p>

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<p>LR 3 is not a substitute for Photoshop. It is an image-management program with some much cruder editing capabilities. Eventually you'll want to upgrade your PS so unless you want Lightroom for what it does best, just use the Adobe DNG in the meantime.</p>

<p>yes. faster, better, more option... but if you think about updating your CS5.. dont do it.</p>

<p>Seriously, you will be better serve with Lightroom and CS3.</p>

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<p>LR 3 is not a substitute for Photoshop</p>

 

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<p>Hell yes it is for most of what you need to do, for 98% of the photog out there; darkroom.</p>

<p>you can manage, develop, slideshow, print and create web page to showcase your work.</p>

<p>you can do all you need darkroom wise, dodge and burn, conversion from color to bw etc...</p>

<p>even spot retouching.. Oh you need to remove a bird from a tree or add a licorn to your image? then yes you will need Photoshop, Element or CS.. even Gimp could do it...</p>

<p>This is why i think that Ligthroom is a better upgrade than CS5 .. and that come from someone who use Photoshop for the past 18 years ; )</p>

 

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<p>Eventually you'll want to upgrade your PS</p>

 

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<p>why?</p>

<p>If what you do is fairly simple, that's stuff that LR can do. Otherwise there's no substitute for the real thing. Maybe it would be enough for Alberto, but the simple editing (most of which as I recall was in <em>much</em> earlier versions of PS) is not the purpose of LR, its presence there is as a convenience.</p>

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<p>Oh you need to remove a bird from a tree or add a licorn to your image? then yes you will need Photoshop, Element or CS.. even Gimp could do it...</p>

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<p>If that's what you think PS is for, no wonder you're happy with Lightroom.<br /> I personally have used PS since version 2.5 and wouldn't choose to be without it. And I have tried GIMP and found it LIMP, but I admit I'm imprinted on PS.</p>

<p>JDM, maybe you dont know what i do for a living? .. im a pro photoretoucher, so PS is not just part of my life.. it is what i use everyday on more images per week that you can dream on (well some week is more like a bad dream between you and me) I use it since v2 on my LC 475...when the gaussian blur didtn have a preview.. came out with v2.5 as a update.</p>

<p>Lr is what a modern photographer need and it have been created by photographer. it is not a simple tool do to simple editing, it is what photographer was waiting for; a software that speak the same language at them with easy tool to get what they need.. no need to learn the complex mask, just brush away what you need...</p>

<p>Do you use Ligthroom yourself? from your comment it doestn seem like it ...what is your experience with it? again it doestn sound like you use it enough...no offence but this is what i felt. (same with your NEC comment ; )</p>

<p>What can you do that you really cant do with Lr? other than the mask, cmyk, complex transformation or specialized retouching...Now ask yourself, what can Lr do that Photoshop cant do.. maybe not much if you talk about Photoshop / ACR / Bridge all together.. but it does it simply and fast.</p>

<p>You have take my licorn comment to the first degree.. what i meant is if you dont need to remove / add / liquify / 3D your image, Ligthroom is all you need. For me, im working in the fashion, lingerie and ad world.. so PS is always up to date, because i need it (also because i give conference and workshop about retouching) but for many, that dont need those special tool.. i dont see why they will need Photoshop CS5.. for CMYK? for Mask? to use plugin that convert there image to BW?</p>

<p>I cant give a honest comment on Gimp because i use it 5min, but it seem that many people who like free stuff love it.</p>

<p> </p>

 

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<p><em>Just another question: is Adobe Camera Raw in CS5 very different towards Camera Raw in CS3?</em></p>

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<p>Much much better. Yes. Not even a fair fight. Go for it.</p>

<p>I was very suprised to hear that you are unable to open CR2 files in Photoshop CS3 - I only use Elements 7 (with no such problems) so I was prompted to search the net and found many possible solutions<br />The best seems to be on this site:- <a href="http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-57723-photoshop-cs3-can-t-open-raw-files">http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-57723-photoshop-cs3-can-t-open-raw-files</a> and I quote as follows :-<br />"To install with Adobe Creative Suite 3 or Photoshop CS3: <br />1. Exit Photoshop CS3. <br />2. Open My Computer. <br />3. Double-click Local Disk (C:). <br />4. Navigate to: c:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CS3\File Formats <br />5. Move the existing Camera Raw.8bi plug-in to another location (for example, a new folder on your desktop). Ensure you keep this version in case you need to revert back. <br />6. Copy the Camera Raw plug-in, Camera Raw.8bi, from the download into the same folder as in step 4. <br />7. Launch Photoshop CS3 or Adobe Bridge. <br /><br />Note: If generic camera thumbnails appear in Adobe Bridge, follow these steps: <br /><br />1. Check to make sure the plug-in was installed in the correct directory in step 4 above. <br />2. Start Bridge. <br />3. Choose Tools > Cache > Purge Central Cache. <br /><br />OK. Now, I can open the .CR2 Raw files in Adobe Photoshop CS3. "<br>

I hope this helps</p>

<p>Ian, the problem is not opening CR2 files per se, it's opening EOS 5D Mk. II CR2 files. The latest (and final) update to Adobe Camera Raw for CS3 does not support that camera...</p>

<p>Thanks William - I did not appreciate that - I have a 5D mk1 : Whilst writing I would mention that I have also used the DNG converter as suggested above but, as Windows will not open CR2 files, I find it handy to use the FastStone Image Viewer (Freeware) to display the images prior to editing</p>

<p>Be sure and try out Lightroom before you buy it. I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority, but I didn't like Lightroom and it's a beeyoch to try to return. I don't like the way it organizes files and I don't like the idea of a sidecar file with my changes in it. I name everything so it sorts the way I like and keep them in folders that make sense to me. JUST A THOUGHT.</p>

<p>Be sure and try out Lightroom before you buy it. I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority, but I didn't like Lightroom and it's a beeyoch to try to return. I don't like the way it organizes files and I don't like the idea of a sidecar file with my changes in it. I name everything so it sorts the way I like and keep them in folders that make sense to me. JUST A THOUGHT.</p>

<p>Albert,<br>

Depending on what your purposes are, you may want to try out DPP the Canon raw development tool that comes with the 5D Mark II before you commit to one of the adobe products. I find it's pretty good and allows all the basic adjustments from raw... white balance, exposure, sharpen, contrast, crop/trim, etc. It also handles the canon lens data for distortion correction. It can output several versions of TIF/JPG with EXIF data for further processing in your image editor (e.g. photoshop). It probably doesn't do a lot of fancy things that LR does, someone who has used both will have to detail the differences.</p>

<p>Canon's own software contains Digital Photo Professional, which will convert RAW files. I usually batch convert them to TIFFs and go from there.</p>

<p>Is it optimal? No, but it actually works pretty well--and it is the software that comes with the camera, after all. I've used it with the 5D, 1Ds II, and now the 5D II. I get pretty decent results. I usually shoot large JPEGs and RAW together (although it does fill up a card pretty fast). For processing I have CS2 and CS4, no LR. Most of my processing is done on CS2, or even Paint Shop Pro if I only want to resize and make the usual adjustments.</p>

<p>Don't spend a fortune on software. Get yourself a couple of external drives and backup your backups. Backup those RAWS and keep them if you can't convert them right away, but protect your files.<br>

<br />Of course, if you have the money and the machine to handle the latest software, buy it all--but you won't need it all.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

<p>I second the comments to use a combination of Lightroom 3 and CS3. It's what I use and I spend way more time in Lightroom these days, despite the fact I started on Photoshop and am very comfortable with it.</p>

<p>Alberto,</p>

<p>The upgrade to Photoshop CS5 from CS3 costs less than 1/10th of the price of your new camera. Why continue to use an older product instead of one that has been improved?</p>

<p>Lightroom 3 is an excellent option unless you do a lot of extreme edits (e.g. overlaying a moon from one photo to another) or unless you need to combine multiple images into one (panoramas, HDR, focus stacking). LR3 handles all basic adjustments brilliantly.</p>

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