ACDSee Pro 2.5 PEF/DNG

LosAnJulien · 07-09-2009, 04:01 PM

I can't read PEF nor am I getting any thumbnails with DNG (readable though), do I need to tweak some settings?

cam is K7

**Marc Sabatella** · 07-09-2009, 04:55 PM

ACDSee has not added support for the K-7 PEF files yet. It's pretty rare for third party applications add support for a new camera so soon after the release - I beleive Adobe is the only one to have done so already for the K-7, and that's a minor miracle in itself. ACDSee is not one of the faster companies at adding support for new cameras, unfortunately, and they just released an update for a batch of other cameras last week, so it might be a while. You might want to contact them and offer to send them some PEF files to play with.

But luckily, DNG will work just fine for now. Do note that it is possible that processing you do on a DNG file now may come out looking a bit different when the PEF support is released, if they make changes to their basic color profiles. Not sure how big of any effect it would be, though. And of course, anything you actually convert to JPEG or any other format won't change - just the appearance of the DNG files themselves.

LosAnJulien · 07-09-2009, 09:48 PM

thanks for your insight!

What's the difference between PEF and DNG? succinctly...

I'm gonna try with Aperture 2.3 to see if it handles either one.

creampuff · 07-09-2009, 10:22 PM

Why not try the software that came with the camera... Pentax Digital Cmera Utility 4? It handles both PEF and DNG files. Colour rendition is very good.

**Marc Sabatella** · 07-10-2009, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by LosAnJulien

thanks for your insight!

What's the difference between PEF and DNG? succinctly...

Succinctly?

Same image data, different container.

Slightly less succinctly:

Search these forum for any of the the dozens (perhaps even hundreds?) of existing threads on the topic.

LosAnJulien · 07-10-2009, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by creampuff

Why not try the software that came with the camera... Pentax Digital Cmera Utility 4? It handles both PEF and DNG files. Colour rendition is very good.

will do thanks!

I actually installed it but I'm playing with Aperture for now.

Lowell Goudge · 07-13-2009, 12:18 PM

I have the same problem with PSP X2 and even after upgrading to PSPX2 Ultimate.

Here is what I get.

For DNG files PSPX2 could not open or display thumbnails for DNG files, but PSPX2 Ultimate opens correctly but no thumbnail displayed.

For PEF files, X2 did nothing, but X2 Ultimate can display thumbnails and open the RAW files BUT there is a terrible blue cast on things that cannot be edited out (at least with my humble abilities)

BUT I downloaded ADOBE DNG converter, and guess what, it can read the K7's PEF files and convert them to DNG that displays color correctly, and can convert the Pentax generated DNG files into something PSP X2 Ultimate can display thumbnails for.

as a result, I can get what I need with a simple walk away from batch process using the DNG converter, and still shoot pentax native RAW format when I want/need to.

As someone already commented, that is also what the pentax utility can do (and you can save it as TIFF format with full resolution, but at the loss of EXIF data

*brecklundin* · 07-14-2009, 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell Goudge

I have the same problem with PSP X2 and even after upgrading to PSPX2 Ultimate.

Here is what I get.

For DNG files PSPX2 could not open or display thumbnails for DNG files, but PSPX2 Ultimate opens correctly but no thumbnail displayed.

For PEF files, X2 did nothing, but X2 Ultimate can display thumbnails and open the RAW files BUT there is a terrible blue cast on things that cannot be edited out (at least with my humble abilities)

BUT I downloaded ADOBE DNG converter, and guess what, it can read the K7's PEF files and convert them to DNG that displays color correctly, and can convert the Pentax generated DNG files into something PSP X2 Ultimate can display thumbnails for.

as a result, I can get what I need with a simple walk away from batch process using the DNG converter, and still shoot pentax native RAW format when I want/need to.

As someone already commented, that is also what the pentax utility can do (and you can save it as TIFF format with full resolution, but at the loss of EXIF data

Question, if you are going to the trouble of converting to DNG, why not simply shoot in DNG to begin with? Is this just one of those situations that the two RAW formats are a six-of-one-half dozen-of-another?

I'm not used to having two RAW formats from which to choose.

Lowell Goudge · 07-14-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by brecklundin

Question, if you are going to the trouble of converting to DNG, why not simply shoot in DNG to begin with? Is this just one of those situations that the two RAW formats are a six-of-one-half dozen-of-another?

I'm not used to having two RAW formats from which to choose.

at the present time, there is an issue with PSPX2 Ultimate and being able to view corrrectly the DNG file from the K7.

What I have found by trial and error is that regardless of format (PEF or DNG) I can't get 100% functionality with PSP X2 at the moment, but if you run either format through the DNG Converter, the converted files both work.

THis then becomes an issue of file management on the disk, since my preference is to put converted files back into the origonal directory. To avoid writing over the origonal data, and file, and also to have the smallest space, if you save in PEF then run the DNG converter it makes DNG files, so there is never an issue with file name/extension conflict

*brecklundin* · 07-14-2009, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell Goudge

at the present time, there is an issue with PSPX2 Ultimate and being able to view corrrectly the DNG file from the K7.

What I have found by trial and error is that regardless of format (PEF or DNG) I can't get 100% functionality with PSP X2 at the moment, but if you run either format through the DNG Converter, the converted files both work.

THis then becomes an issue of file management on the disk, since my preference is to put converted files back into the origonal directory. To avoid writing over the origonal data, and file, and also to have the smallest space, if you save in PEF then run the DNG converter it makes DNG files, so there is never an issue with file name/extension conflict

Interesting since DNG is an open file format and standardized. I would not have even thought of the K7 doing something strange to the file. PNG is all about compatibility and portability. Thanks for the info...it's weird but nothing surprises me in the software world anymore.

Are others having the same issue? I ask because it almost sounds like a file might be buggered in the ACDSee setup and maybe doing a repair install could fix the issue.

It is just an odd thing to happen....when you say run the PNG through a converter are you converting them to JPG, TIFF or ???

Are the files still on the K7 when you read them or have you moved them to your system already? If they are on the card or you are access them via USB on the camera then I would try moving them to the local drive before using ACDSee....sorry if this is redundant and you have tried this already. Just spit-balling ideas is all...hope ya get it figured out.

Lowell Goudge · 07-14-2009, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by brecklundin

Interesting since DNG is an open file format and standardized. I would not have even thought of the K7 doing something strange to the file. PNG is all about compatibility and portability. Thanks for the info...it's weird but nothing surprises me in the software world anymore.

it suprised me too, because DNG is a standard, but it appars the standard is moving (reciently upgraded) I found my EXIF fiewer can view the DNG files but PSP cannot.

Are others having the same issue? I ask because it almost sounds like a file might be buggered in the ACDSee setup and maybe doing a repair install could fix the issue.

you will need to see others respond

It is just an odd thing to happen....when you say run the PNG through a converter are you converting them to JPG, TIFF or ???

no to DNG, it sounds stupid converting PEF or DNG to DNG but that's what I do

Are the files still on the K7 when you read them or have you moved them to your system already? If they are on the card or you are access them via USB on the camera then I would try moving them to the local drive before using ACDSee....sorry if this is redundant and you have tried this already. Just spit-balling ideas is all...hope ya get it figured out.

no I never transfer by wire, I always put the card into a reader and copy.