Viewing Images

Na Horuk · 08-27-2013, 08:39 AM

Yes, be careful with image preview software, because some of it will simply show you the embedded jpeg preview, which is already processed and is not the same as the raw file.(the camera also shows you an embedded jpeg preview. That is why if you have the camera set to sepia and shoot raw, the preview might look sepia, but the raw data is always full colour)
Get a reputable software to process the raw files. I use Lightroom, and it catalogs and shows photos faster than the windows pef codec did (so I got rid of the windows preview thingy). Faststone will also let you sort photos very quickly, and you can delete them from within the software. A lot of this software also lets you compare photos side by side, in case you take multiple photos of the same frame and want to keep the one with better sharpness or whatever.
Once you get the hang of it, photography software is convenient and stable. But read about how it sorts photos before you start.

**NS_Sailor** · 08-29-2013, 10:54 AM

Have you loaded on to your computer the Pentax software that came with the camera?
Most may discourage using the software that came with the camera however I have found Pentax Digital Utility 4 which came with my K-R in advanced mode easy to use to view and edit both PEF & DNG RAW files.

davea66 · 08-30-2013, 08:53 AM

Having tried FastStone, I am really impressed with it's speed and features!
The RAWs do look better in it too.
I have tried The Pentax software, but couldnt really get to grips with it - but that may be my lack of understanding.
I usually use PSE 9 which I am getting to know my way around fairly well now...
But for a fast viewer for sorting a deleting, the FastStone one seem to hit the spot for me!

**JimJohnson** · 08-30-2013, 01:03 PM

Originally posted by davea66

Having tried FastStone, I am really impressed with it's speed and features!
The RAWs do look better in it too.
I have tried The Pentax software, but couldnt really get to grips with it - but that may be my lack of understanding.
I usually use PSE 9 which I am getting to know my way around fairly well now...
But for a fast viewer for sorting a deleting, the FastStone one seem to hit the spot for me!

I'm running an i5 based PC with 6GB and a hybrid hard drive on Win7 Pro 64bit. It's not THE fastest, but plenty fast. My monitors are calibrated with a Huey Pro. I have Faststone, Picassa, LR4 and PSE 11. I've installed Adobe's codec to view DNG files directly from Explorer, but rarely wait for that to happen.

Okay, that's the background.... While LR4 is a great editor, I don't like the enforced workflow. My choice in all this is to shoot RAW+ using the Adobe color scheme. I preview the jpegs, then right-click on the DNGs and open with PSE 11. PSE 11's Adobe Camera Raw has all the same basic sliders as LR4. Preview from jpegs is very fast and I only open those RAW images I want to work on. I save the results from PSE 11 as sRGB jpegs. That way my images only make one color profile change from start to end.

If somebody likes this work flow, great. If you have something that works well for you, that's great too.

davea66 · 09-02-2013, 08:03 AM

Having had a search on the forum for another issue I had, I think I may now know why the images are so dark now, when I am sure they used to look OK.
I had also been unable to get the ISO lower than 400, which had caused me some issues on holiday given how bright the sun was

I *may* have highlight correction switched on. Not sure how/why I would have done this, but will have a look at the camera when I get home!
As far as I can tell the highlight correction DOES affect RAW images and can make them look underexposed unless processing with the Pentax untility?

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08-27-2013, 08:39 AM	#16
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Yes, be careful with image preview software, because some of it will simply show you the embedded jpeg preview, which is already processed and is not the same as the raw file.(the camera also shows you an embedded jpeg preview. That is why if you have the camera set to sepia and shoot raw, the preview might look sepia, but the raw data is always full colour) Get a reputable software to process the raw files. I use Lightroom, and it catalogs and shows photos faster than the windows pef codec did (so I got rid of the windows preview thingy). Faststone will also let you sort photos very quickly, and you can delete them from within the software. A lot of this software also lets you compare photos side by side, in case you take multiple photos of the same frame and want to keep the one with better sharpness or whatever. Once you get the hang of it, photography software is convenient and stable. But read about how it sorts photos before you start.

08-29-2013, 10:54 AM	#17
NS_Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Dartmouth Nova Scotia Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,020	Have you loaded on to your computer the Pentax software that came with the camera? Most may discourage using the software that came with the camera however I have found Pentax Digital Utility 4 which came with my K-R in advanced mode easy to use to view and edit both PEF & DNG RAW files.

08-30-2013, 08:53 AM	#18
davea66 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Devon Posts: 44 Original Poster	Having tried FastStone, I am really impressed with it's speed and features! The RAWs do look better in it too. I have tried The Pentax software, but couldnt really get to grips with it - but that may be my lack of understanding. I usually use PSE 9 which I am getting to know my way around fairly well now... But for a fast viewer for sorting a deleting, the FastStone one seem to hit the spot for me!

08-30-2013, 01:03 PM	#19
JimJohnson Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Summer:Lake Superior - Michigan Winter:Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,772	Originally posted by davea66 Having tried FastStone, I am really impressed with it's speed and features! The RAWs do look better in it too. I have tried The Pentax software, but couldnt really get to grips with it - but that may be my lack of understanding. I usually use PSE 9 which I am getting to know my way around fairly well now... But for a fast viewer for sorting a deleting, the FastStone one seem to hit the spot for me! I'm running an i5 based PC with 6GB and a hybrid hard drive on Win7 Pro 64bit. It's not THE fastest, but plenty fast. My monitors are calibrated with a Huey Pro. I have Faststone, Picassa, LR4 and PSE 11. I've installed Adobe's codec to view DNG files directly from Explorer, but rarely wait for that to happen. Okay, that's the background.... While LR4 is a great editor, I don't like the enforced workflow. My choice in all this is to shoot RAW+ using the Adobe color scheme. I preview the jpegs, then right-click on the DNGs and open with PSE 11. PSE 11's Adobe Camera Raw has all the same basic sliders as LR4. Preview from jpegs is very fast and I only open those RAW images I want to work on. I save the results from PSE 11 as sRGB jpegs. That way my images only make one color profile change from start to end. If somebody likes this work flow, great. If you have something that works well for you, that's great too.

09-02-2013, 08:03 AM	#20
davea66 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Devon Posts: 44 Original Poster	Having had a search on the forum for another issue I had, I think I may now know why the images are so dark now, when I am sure they used to look OK. I had also been unable to get the ISO lower than 400, which had caused me some issues on holiday given how bright the sun was I may have highlight correction switched on. Not sure how/why I would have done this, but will have a look at the camera when I get home! As far as I can tell the highlight correction DOES affect RAW images and can make them look underexposed unless processing with the Pentax untility?