My Favourite RAW Converter

I always try to get the most from my photos which means as much info as I can. This would consider shooting RAW and using it's features. For this, one needs a very good RAW Converter - the software that reads the real, true and full image information from the RAW file.

During my attempts of using different commercial software and reading tons of tutorials, I realised that actually it is not me who deals with those genuine pixels from my RAW file but the software I was using.

One day (can't remember how, honestly :)) I came across DCRAW, a small open source .exe file that can be used with the command line for decoding RAW files.

This is what Guillermo Luijk has to say about DCRAW: "My personal opinion is that I love DCRAW as a RAW development tool not only for experimenting but in a regular workflow. The key is to do in Photoshop all those extra features that other RAW developers can do apart from pure development, and consider DCRAW as a tool that provides a rough image without any kind of processing applied on it, just a high quality development under absolute control. "

I started to use it and was using it all the time until one day when I decided to check the link for PerfectRAW from the last paragraph of Guillermo's tutorial about DCRAW.

PerfectRAW Development Forum: http://www.ojodigital.com/foro/perfectraw-perfectblend/

I downloaded the initial testing versions of PerfectRAW and started to use them. I was fascinating about the reality of the moment and information it was bringing to my images (will upload some test images and screenshots soon).

Using PerfectRAW:

1. Download DCRAW.exe file from: http://www.insflug.org/raw/ by clicking on the respective specifications of the OS you are using. In my example I'm using Windows so I downloaded the "dcraw: Windows build updated v.8.88 release ". Save the dcraw.exe file to C:WINDOWS

Update: No need to dcraw.exe. It is compiled into the dcraw.dll library from PerfectRAW folder.

2. Download PerfectRAW from: http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http://www.ojodigital.com/foro/perfectraw-perfectblend/206898-perfectraw-0-5-a.html&usg=ALkJrhjBfpxIn9HJRIFqdvh9nmCiYcVVMA by clicking on the "Permanent Link to the latest version ( o.5 alpha2 IN)".

3. Unzipp it and save the forder to your Program Files folder, in my case: C:Program Files

4. Open the folder, it must contain 10 files and copy the Victor font file to C:WINDOWSFonts

5. From the same folder copy the 2 color profile to C:WINDOWSsystem32spooldriverscolor

6. From the same folder open the config file by right click and chosing edit. Initially the config file is looking like this:

<xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8">
<Config>
<ICC>
<CameraProfile></CameraProfile>
<CameraGamma></CameraGamma>
<OutputProfile>c:windowssystem32spooldriverscolorsRGB Color Space Profile.icm</OutputProfile>
<OutputGamma>sRGB</OutputGamma>
<DisplayProfile>c:windowssystem32spooldriverscolorSpyder2express.icm</DisplayProfile>
<DisplayGamma>sRGB</DisplayGamma>
</ICC>
</Config>
</xml>

You must rewrite to this:

<xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8">
<Config>
<ICC>
<CameraProfile></CameraProfile>
<CameraGamma></CameraGamma>
<OutputProfile>c:windowssystem32spooldriverscolorsRGB.icm</OutputProfile>
<OutputGamma>sRGB</OutputGamma>
<DisplayProfile>c:windowssystem32spooldriverscolorSpyder.icm</DisplayProfile>
<DisplayGamma>sRGB</DisplayGamma>
</ICC>
</Config>
</xml>

Do you notice the difference ? You must just to delete this: "Color Space Profile" and this: "2express" because the names of the color profiles you copied are not "sRGB Color Space" and "Spyder2express", but are: "sRGB" and "Spyder".

7. From the same folder with 10 components double click on the PerfectRAW exe file. If you did everything correctly you'll see the program starting.

Requirements: .NET Framework # , OS, RAW Images and nice mood. :)

In my further posts I'll concentrate on examples, updates and using PerfectRAW.

Enjoy.