[GeoJerry]

This software has been sitting unused on my desktop for two years. I opened it once but the interface seemed pretty daunting and unfriendly, so I put it aside and continued on with Aperture. Has anyone used the Pentax software much? Does it excel in certain areas?

[hcc]

I use PDCU most often, but I acknowledge that I have limited extensive experience with other image processing software.

PDCU must be used in its latest version (v 4.35) which is more stable and compatible with the latest hardware (lens, card...).

Generally PDCU is acknowledged in PD discussions as providing post-processed IQ equivalent to the leading image processing software.

PDCU on the other hand does not manage well memory to proces large batch of photographs.

Personally, I like some simple features of PDCU like noise reduction, lens distortion and aberation correction. I like the outputs and I found these better than Photoshop and Sylkpix.

To use PDCU, you need to select a directory in the Browser mode. Thenn select the Laboratory Mode. In laboratory mode, you can go photograph by photograph to change the settings (on the right handside in my case). You can create and save parameter profiles to use these on several photographs. You can do batc processing (within some memory limitations).

In my case, I complement PDCU by three stand-alone software for specific task:
- Noiseware for noise reduction - PDCU does a good job, but I feel that Noiseware output is more pleasant for strong NR at high ISO.
- PTLens for lens distortion correction - in my opinion, PTLens is the best software for that task, eg for architecture or engineering.
- Hugin for stiching images, for example for a panorama.

I hope that the comment may help.

[stormtech]

I just installed the PDCU about a month ago after using my K-5 since last November.

My main reason at first was to experiment with the custom image settings. I shoot primarily raw, but like the embedded jpeg my K-5 produces which I found is directly related to how you have the custom image settings set in the camera. I use a couple different applications for processing my raw images, but was having a hard time matching the embedded jpeg. So I took the PDCU for a spin, and really liked being able to change the custom image setting so easily, and it works the same for jpegs and raw.

I have since taken the time to make myself the perfect preset in Acdsee Pro 6 that mimics the embedded jpeg almost perfectly. But now that I have become familiar with working in PDCU, I find myself using it much more often. If I have an image that I just can't get right with my normal work flow, I seem to find what I am looking for when I process it in PDCU.

If you are working with one image at a time, it is fine. But as hcc says, it gets really slow if trying to do a batch of images.

I'm glad I installed it now, and find myself using it a lot more than I thought I would. As far as using it, I simply use the Labratory tab and have my file tree list on the left side. Once you click on a folder there, the individual images show on a filmstrip at the bottom. Then just simply double click on one image and it will open in the main window. All the controls for manipulation are on the right. There is a smaller pop-up window that usually comes up when I first open it which shows the histogram and some other details, but I usually just close that out and work within the main laboratory window. Once done with an image, you can save it with your changed "parameters" as they call it - your original file is not altered and is recoverable just like any non-destructive editor. If you want to use the same "parameter" on other images, you right click on the image you are working on, and hit "copy parameter" - then select one or how ever many other images you would like to apply the same corrections to, right click and hit "paste parameter" and all the selected images will be changed with the same edits. You can also export. Most all this is pretty self explanatory, but I found that using the right click menu works great and has all the options right there.

Click on images for full size:

[SpecialK]

I migrated from PDCU (it was Photo Browser/Photo Lab back then) to Elements some time ago. At the time, PDCU had no spot-healing brush, and the rotating tool was a bit clunky. It would lock up with large number (200+ or so) of files, and was tedious opening files. And too much white space on the screen.

The minor upgrade (about a year ago?) to PDCU which was supposed to "add stability when handling large numbers of files" had no effect on that. Still hangs most of the time with volume and is always tedious opening files, so I do not even use it as a browser for raw files. Faststone is much quicker for browsing and can compare up to 4 images at time. The speed may be because it is opening the embedded jpg, but it is fine for chimping purposes.

I only use PDCU for creating the exif file database, and moving files (Faststone does not see the processing sidecar files).

[GeoJerry]

Thanks hcc, stormtech, and special for the comments. They were pretty helpful and have made me decide to try it out.

stormtech, one clarification. I shoot in RAW only. By "embedded jpeg", do you mean that you shoot in combined RAW/JPEG mode? Or do you mean the JPEG that would have resulted if you shot in JPEG format with the in-camera settings? I have to admit that I mostly ignore the in-camera settings and do everything in RAW editing in Aperture. Do the in-camera settings then not affect the RAW pictures I import into Aperture? And do the settings in PDCU mimic those in-camera settings so that you can create the desired JPEG according to what that camera setting was?

[GeoJerry]

Hmmmm... so far not impressed.
I opened PDCU, selected a folder with the picture (JPEG format) I wanted to test, and the program hung.
Tried the same thing again, waited longer this time. But manipulating the browser to locate the image was too slow for practical use. The program was essentially hanging.
Apparently the folder I was accessing had too many files? So I moved the image onto the desktop and launched PDCU again.
This time I was able to select the image for editing, but all the controls are grayed out/inactive. I see no obvious button to activate them.
What next?

[stormtech]

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.

[altopiet]

Apparently the folder I was accessing had too many files?

I also tried it again last week, with the same result. The moment I try to open a folder with too many files in it......I haven't got time to waste, so will try again if they fix the problem.

[stormtech]

Ha - I was playing around some more to help answer some of GeoJerry's questions, and mine crashed also when I tried to open a folder with lots of raw images that I hadn't opened before.

Oh well............

[GeoJerry]

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.

Interesting. I never realized that the camera settings only applied to JPEG's. I can see how the settings affect the images in the playback mode, but I've never experimented with how they affect the RAW image I import into Aperture, if at all. I'll have to check that out, thanks!

I've just left home for 3 days so I don't know what version of PDCU I have. I installed it about 2 1/2 years ago, so maybe that's all you need to know to determine the version?

One question you didn't get to.... Once I've loaded a picture into the PDCU editor, how do I activate the editor? I see the image, but all editing controls are inactive. I don't see how to make any edits at all. The image is a JPEG, if that makes a difference.

[SpecialK]

The program was essentially hanging.
Apparently the folder I was accessing had too many files?

I also tried it again last week, with the same result. The moment I try to open a folder with too many files in it......

I was playing around some more to help answer some of GeoJerry's questions, and mine crashed also when I tried to open a folder with lots of raw images that I hadn't opened before.

That's what I said :-) It was too slow with a clunky interface - the common complaints...

[stormtech]

One question you didn't get to.... Once I've loaded a picture into the PDCU editor, how do I activate the editor? I see the image, but all editing controls are inactive. I don't see how to make any edits at all. The image is a JPEG, if that makes a difference.

Upper left corner of the main window - click on Laboratory and or Custom - the editing functions will appear in the right panel.

Yeah - if you want to continue trying it, I would definitely update to the latest version.

[GeoJerry]

Yes I was in the Laboratory tab. I saw all the editing tools, but nothing would activate. At least I thought I was in Lab mode - is it possible to see those tools if I wasn't in Laboratory?

[audiobomber]

One question you didn't get to.... Once I've loaded a picture into the PDCU editor, how do I activate the editor? I see the image, but all editing controls are inactive. I don't see how to make any edits at all. The image is a JPEG, if that makes a difference.

It's a raw editor only. You can touch up jpegs, but only if they were converted from raw in PDCU4.

I use DCU4 all the time. I find the main interface extremely simple to understand, because the software uses the same menus as the camera. I find the cropping feature clumsy, so I use another program. I set NR on the camera, if that's not good enough, I use Noiseware.

I tried several Adobe programs, but I get better conversions with the Pentax software. Normal operation is slow, but I rarely have trouble with crashes or hangups. I did have trouble with older versions of the program. The current version is 4.35, available for download on any Pentax Imaging site.

[riff]

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.

Is it worth noting the in camera histogram is a histogram of the embedded jpeg not the raw.