[Transit]

Coming from a generation where the radio was the only UI in the house, with three knobs
I find that this program continues the fine tradition of PC stuff and hides the go button
I need to know where the 'convert' button is...
having made all these marvelous adjustments I am left in this no-mans land of where the feck is the DO IT button !
LR was the same and Rawtherapee, no bloody button
I think it's done to punish old people

[audiobomber]

having made all these marvelous adjustments I am left in this no-mans land of where the feck is the DO IT button !

Highlight the file or files you want to convert and click "Save As".

[Billy525]

I shoot raw only also. When you view an image taken on the lcd screen of your camera, you are actually looking at an embedded jpeg that is in the raw file for quick viewing. Since the raw file is just data, there has to be something that you can view. Also, depending on what you use for you image editing, when you are looking at the thumbnails of your raw images, you are probably looking at the embedded jpeg until you actually open the raw file in a main window to start developing/editing. I know this is how it works with Acdsee Pro 6 and FastStone. With that said, the embedded jpeg is generated by the jpeg settings in your camera. Try it out with your camera - change the settings in "Custom Image" settings - these will affect only jpeg files, but it will also affect the thumbnail view of the raw file. Maybe I am way off here - someone may very well correct me.

What version of PDCU are you running? The latest version is 4.31. I remember a while back that I had the same issue as you say - just plain hanging up to the point of having to close it out with the task manager. Another thing I noticed, even with the newest version, that if you open a folder with a lot of files, it takes a while the first time as it seems to be generating its own thumbnails from the raw files. Once it does it the first time, the images come up quickly. Maybe try to open a folder with just 10 or so images first then watch for the thumbnails generate in the bottom filmstrip row.

I was frustrated the first couple times with the same issues as you say you just had - to the point I even un-installed it. For some reason though this time around I got it working great. It opens just as fast as any of my other programs and now that most of the thumbnails have been generated from the raw files, it is plenty fast for me.

Hope I answered your questions. Plus, I'm not trying to get anyone to use or like this program - just that it does have some very nice unique features and I really do like the the final image output.

PDCU now has update 4.40 available:

Downloads & Literature - PENTAX Imaging USA

[Bengan]

I'd like to try it out, but I can't open it. It just crashes upon launching.

I've had the same probleme. I run it under Windows XP SP3 and I now have to run it with administrative priviledges. So if you are using normal user priviledges (which you should for obvious security reasons) try right click and chose run as.... Select an adminitrator account type the password and click OK. It looks like the application needs to write something to the registry or a catalog that is located in the administrative account profile used to install it.

[Billy525]

Besides PDCU, my K-r came with PhotoStudio Darkroom 2. Does anyone use/like this program and if so, how does it differ in purpose from PDCU and what do you use it for?

I'm new to the forum. I probably need to search for a thread on Darkroom to learn more about this software.

[Billy525]

Highlight the file or files you want to convert and click "Save As".

Can you edit the photographer part of the EXIF data? If so, how?

[audiobomber]

Can you edit the photographer part of the EXIF data? If so, how?

I believe you would need to do that in the camera (i.e. before you take the photo).

[GeoJerry]

I've had the same probleme. I run it under Windows XP SP3 and I now have to run it with administrative priviledges. So if you are using normal user priviledges (which you should for obvious security reasons) try right click and chose run as.... Select an adminitrator account type the password and click OK. It looks like the application needs to write something to the registry or a catalog that is located in the administrative account profile used to install it.

Thanks, and I was hopeful this would do the trick.... but I forgot my administrator password on my 7 year old computer. :-/

[Billy525]

I believe you would need to do that in the camera (i.e. before you take the photo).

Thanks. I was suspecting that but wasn't sure.

[audiobomber]

Thanks. I was suspecting that but wasn't sure.

I've seen edited exif data, so there must be some sort of software to do it. I have no idea what or where.

[Bengan]

Thanks, and I was hopeful this would do the trick.... but I forgot my administrator password on my 7 year old computer. :-/

OK I just noticed that this was a temporary fix anyway, I have another suggestion.
Open the file explorer.
Go to C:\Documents and Settings\"username"\Local Settings\Application Data\Pentax\Digital Camera Utility 4
Except for UTL4_OP.ini and UTL4_POSIT.ini, delete all other files and check that the subfolders are empty.
Now try to start PDCU.
This worked for me and I now no longer have to run PDCU as administrator.

[mcgregni]

Regarding the EXIF - AFAIK PDCU does not provide an exif data editor. It gives you an exif viewing panel with comprehensive info as recorded at time of capture. This includes most of the camera settings, and with DA lenses also focal length.

More specialised cataloging & image database software will offer an exif editor, and I'm sure there are small freeware programs avaliable. You could try in Windows opening the file property box (right click, at the bottom of the context menu choose 'properties') - under the 'details' tab you will see a selection of exif data. Some of these fields may be able to be changed - worth a try.

[GeoJerry]

OK I just noticed that this was a temporary fix anyway, I have another suggestion.
Open the file explorer.
Go to C:\Documents and Settings\"username"\Local Settings\Application Data\Pentax\Digital Camera Utility 4
Except for UTL4_OP.ini and UTL4_POSIT.ini, delete all other files and check that the subfolders are empty.
Now try to start PDCU.
This worked for me and I now no longer have to run PDCU as administrator.

Yes, that worked, thanks!

But now having opened it, and after staring at the interface (is it designed for an alien race or something?) for a few moments, I was puzzled. Apparently the folks at Pentax want us to really work for our supper!

After double clicking on one image, and watching it open in another window for some reason (even though there was a large, empty image area in the original window), and then not being able to find any editing tools at all, I gave up. People on this thread are saying it's useful and I have no reason to think it isn't, but it looks like one needs to invest a lot of time poring through instructions to get fluent in it. Maybe I'll try it while on a cruise in the mid-Atlantic sometime when I have a lot of time on my hands. But for now, my question is: why would a programmer design such an interface? It's as if Pentax intentionally tried to make it difficult.

After writing this, my curiosity made me try one more time to see what this software is all about. PDCU failed to open - same error as before. I think I'll stick with Aperture, and use that time on the cruise for something else. :-)

[audiobomber]

After double clicking on one image, and watching it open in another window for some reason (even though there was a large, empty image area in the original window), and then not being able to find any editing tools at all, I gave up. People on this thread are saying it's useful and I have no reason to think it isn't, but it looks like one needs to invest a lot of time poring through instructions to get fluent in it.

Don't double click to edit, that's just for viewing. Click once on the photo you want to edit, it should appear onscreen.
Note that you can only edit raw files, not ooc jpegs.

[ChopperCharles]

So what's the difference between this pentax digital camera utility and silkypix? My cameras came with silkypix...

Charles.