[frank]

I've been using Pentax Digital Camera Utility for over a year now, kinda like its simplicity. Sometimes I'm just lazy, I use it to either do batch processing or just convert RAW to JPG w/ its default settings. Previously I used CS4/5 and SilkyPix ...

[Qwntm]

I've been using Pentax Digital Camera Utility for over a year now, kinda like its simplicity. Sometimes I'm just lazy, I use it to either do batch processing or just convert RAW to JPG w/ its default settings. Previously I used CS4/5 and SilkyPix ...

My workflow with canon was to use the canon image browser for viewing, then Canon's DPP for raw conversion and then into CS5 for PP.

I can use CS5 for the DNG conversion to Tiff, it's the viewing and marking of the images that's the issue. The Pentax program would be great for this if it was faster. I just bought a Dell i5 core gen 2 that will probably run it pretty fast... LOL. We'll see how long I can tolerate Windoze 7 now!

[dragra]

I use Pentax DCU since the days I got my K-20D. The main reason for using and preferring it to streamlined software like Lightroom etc. is because the Pentax camera specific settings. For example when shooting RAW (which I do almost all the time) you can tweak all the stuff like custom image (including the picture and scene modes), a fine lens correction (separate for lumination compensation, distortion and lateral CA) etc. Image quality from RAW files converted with DCU is top notch and up with the best - if not the best from all.

My only gripe with DCU is that on a Windoze it runs significantly faster and more stable than on a Mac. With the Mac version I'm having trouble to access and handle my files on a external USB drive. DCU would regulary hang itself up after reviewing some 10-25 images. This is very frustrating and I haven't found a workaround for this yet. Any Mac user here who is DCU power user too?

cheers,
D

[Qwntm]

I use Pentax DCU since the days I got my K-20D. The main reason for using and preferring it to streamlined software like Lightroom etc. is because the Pentax camera specific settings. For example when shooting RAW (which I do almost all the time) you can tweak all the stuff like custom image (including the picture and scene modes), a fine lens correction (separate for lumination compensation, distortion and lateral CA) etc. Image quality from RAW files converted with DCU is top notch and up with the best - if not the best from all.

My only gripe with DCU is that on a Windoze it runs significantly faster and more stable than on a Mac. With the Mac version I'm having trouble to access and handle my files on a external USB drive. DCU would regulary hang itself up after reviewing some 10-25 images. This is very frustrating and I haven't found a workaround for this yet. Any Mac user here who is DCU power user too?

cheers,
D

I just ran off and bought a new dual core I-5 Dell and run it on that. I wanted the USB 3.0 ports anyway. And windoze 7 isn't that bad, not anything close to OSX, but not bad for windoze...

[dragra]

I just ran off and bought a new dual core I-5 Dell and run it on that. I wanted the USB 3.0 ports anyway. And windoze 7 isn't that bad, not anything close to OSX, but not bad for windoze...

I am dependant on DCU because I haven't found a better way to manage my B&W workflow. When I shoot RAW and pick B&W custom image I want to see my images in black & white all the way in the sorting & developing process. Every other piece of software I tried shows me DNG files in color, because third party software can't interpret the sidecar information from a DNG properly. So I was really close to bite the bullet and go back to windoze because there DCU worked without problems. But then, I use my windoze for other things, the monitors are not so good as on my Mac and I simply love the smoothness of a Mac. Ah well...

... some time passed and I've done some troubleshooting.

I am very happy to report that I solved the DCU/Mac problem the elegant way: I reinstalled DCU thus was actually downgrading it from 4.3.3 to 4.3.0 (this version came originally shipped with K-r). Now it works absolutely flawless! I have a feeling it is also a tad faster than the 4.3.3 version. But most of all it does not hang or crash at all! I am back to my preferred workflow on a Apple machine. Couldn't be happier!

Cheers,
D

[Rupert]

I think I will load it and see.....anything with Spix is bound to give great colors. I'll get back here in a day or so and tell you what I think.....like you might be holding your breath!
Regards!

Tried it this evening...no go for me...horrible layout, confusing, and some parts would not operate. It appears it won't read DNGs either? Is that right?
Regards!