Digital Camera Utility 5 Tool Bar Customization

**k0og** · 03-27-2015, 07:11 AM

Greetings,

I recently installed the Pentax Digital Camera Utility 5.3.1, after having used PDCU4.4 up until now.

It seems that PDCU 5 is basically the same as PDCU 4 in functionality and layout, and seems to perform similarly when processing RAW files (maybe a little faster here and there, but not much different).

The biggest difference is the button-bar layout. On my screens (desktop and laptop) the button bar wraps so it takes up twice the button bar space at the top of the screen. If I customize it by eliminating infrequently-used buttons and rearranging it into a single button bar, I now have a nice layout. In addition, I customize the tools (windows) that are available to my liking. However, when I exit PDCU 5 and open it again later, all my customizations are gone. I can find no way to save my customizations or make them sticky from session to session. It is getting frustrating to constantly have to re-customize the screen every time I open PDCU 5.

Is there a way to save my customized layout in PDCU 5? I run it on both WinXP and Win7, and have the same issue with both operating systems.

Thanks.
-Joe-

Rimfiredude · 03-27-2015, 08:46 AM

Originally posted by k0og

Greetings,

I recently installed the Pentax Digital Camera Utility 5.3.1, after having used PDCU4.4 up until now.

It seems that PDCU 5 is basically the same as PDCU 4 in functionality and layout, and seems to perform similarly when processing RAW files (maybe a little faster here and there, but not much different).

The biggest difference is the button-bar layout. On my screens (desktop and laptop) the button bar wraps so it takes up twice the button bar space at the top of the screen. If I customize it by eliminating infrequently-used buttons and rearranging it into a single button bar, I now have a nice layout. In addition, I customize the tools (windows) that are available to my liking. However, when I exit PDCU 5 and open it again later, all my customizations are gone. I can find no way to save my customizations or make them sticky from session to session. It is getting frustrating to constantly have to re-customize the screen every time I open PDCU 5.

Is there a way to save my customized layout in PDCU 5? I run it on both WinXP and Win7, and have the same issue with both operating systems.

Thanks.
-Joe-

It has been so long since even thinking about installing the Pentax Camera Utility that I don't know the features of it and don't even have a copy. I use Silky Pix 3.0 to process Raw Files and Photo Shop if I need further correction. Is there any advantage using the Pentax Camera Utility?

**k0og** · 03-27-2015, 09:13 AM

Originally posted by Rimfiredude

It has been so long since even thinking about installing the Pentax Camera Utility that I don't know the features of it and don't even have a copy. I use Silky Pix 3.0 to process Raw Files and Photo Shop if I need further correction. Is there any advantage using the Pentax Camera Utility?

Rimfire,

It does an excellent job of processing RAW files. I like the results better than what I get out of the Lightroom or Photoshop RAW developer for critical processing. For quick & dirty snapshots, the Adobe RAW is fine. Also, the PDCU is FREE!

-Joe-

Rimfiredude · 03-27-2015, 10:35 AM

Originally posted by k0og

Rimfire,

It does an excellent job of processing RAW files. I like the results better than what I get out of the Lightroom or Photoshop RAW developer for critical processing. For quick & dirty snapshots, the Adobe RAW is fine. Also, the PDCU is FREE!

-Joe-

Thanks, I just wonder if it does a better job than Silky Pix.

**boriscleto** · 03-27-2015, 10:47 AM

Originally posted by Rimfiredude

Thanks, I just wonder if it does a better job than Silky Pix.

It is Silky Pix. Just a different interface and more features. At least more features than the free version of Silky Pix.

Rimfiredude · 03-27-2015, 01:50 PM

My Silky Pix just stopped working with my K5. Still works with the Q files. Oh well, I found the copy of the Pentax Digital Camera Utility and installed it. It works and does have more features than Ver. 3 Silky Pix. Thanks for the tip.

**k0og** · 03-27-2015, 02:09 PM

Let me know if you are having the same issue as I am. If I customize the button bar, I lose the customization if I get out and back into PDCU 5.

Also, what operating system are you running?

Thanks.
-Joe-

Originally posted by Rimfiredude

My Silky Pix just stopped working with my K5. Still works with the Q files. Oh well, I found the copy of the Pentax Digital Camera Utility and installed it. It works and does have more features than Ver. 3 Silky Pix. Thanks for the tip.

Rimfiredude · 03-27-2015, 04:24 PM

Originally posted by k0og

Let me know if you are having the same issue as I am. If I customize the button bar, I lose the customization if I get out and back into PDCU 5.

Also, what operating system are you running?

Thanks.
-Joe-

I am running Windows 7 and don't plan on customizing anything. Question...Maybe I am blind but is there a crop feature?

**k0og** · 03-27-2015, 05:19 PM

You must have a bigger wide-screen monitor. I have an older 1280x1024 monitor and the tool bar wraps on mine.

Yes, it does a crop. Go to the "Window" menu item and pull down to "Cropping" to select it. A Cropping tab will appear in the tool window in the lower-left corner of the screen.

Now, here is where customization comes in handy. After you select "Cropping" and use it, then close PDCU 5, then re-open it, the Cropping window will no longer be there for you to use, and you must again go to the "Window" menu and pull down to "Cropping" to get the tool back. Irritating!

With PDCU 4, it would remember those settings for the next session, but not with PDCU 5.

-Joe-

Originally posted by Rimfiredude

I am running Windows 7 and don't plan on customizing anything. Question...Maybe I am blind but is there a crop feature?

---------- Post added 03-27-15 at 20:06 ----------

Rimfiredude · 03-27-2015, 06:06 PM

Originally posted by k0og

You must have a bigger wide-screen monitor. I have an older 1280x1024 monitor and the tool bar wraps on mine.

Yes, it does a crop. Go to the "Window" menu item and pull down to "Cropping" to select it. A Cropping tab will appear in the tool window in the lower-left corner of the screen.

Now, here is where customization comes in handy. After you select "Cropping" and use it, then close PDCU 5, then re-open it, the Cropping window will no longer be there for you to use, and you must again go to the "Window" menu and pull down to "Cropping" to get the tool back. Irritating!

With PDCU 4, it would remember those settings for the next session, but not with PDCU 5.

-Joe-

I found it, but has to be the dumbest cropping tool I have ever seen. Much easier to take the photo into PS and crop.

**k0og** · 03-27-2015, 06:06 PM

I found that if I open the OPTIONS->Basic Settings tab, in the upper-left of the resulting window there is a setting called "Status at startup" that needs to be changed from "Default" to "Status at last exit." The customized layout will then be saved! Hurrah!

-Joe-

arkav · 03-28-2015, 05:59 AM

Originally posted by Rimfiredude

Thanks, I just wonder if it does a better job than Silky Pix.

I believe it depends to some extent on your preferences. Most of my Silkypix experience comes from using the 3.0 version that came bundled with my K30. I generally find the camera JPG output is more pleasing than what I can get using Silkypix. Even with considerable fiddling, I find that the camera's JPG engine does a better job on balancing noise reduction vs detail retention.

I realize that the camera's JPG engine is supposed to be based on Silkypix, but I'm guessing that it has been optimized for Pentax cameras, while the branded Silkypix converter is a generic converter. Since PDCU seems to be able to replicate the camera output with ease, I would guess that PDCU is the camera's JPG engine with a quick and dirty UI bolted on. In other words, I think PDCU and Silkypix are related ( perhaps very closely ), but are not identical.

So if you like the Pentax camera rendering, you will probably like the output of PDCU ( and I do ). I'm not crazy about the PDCU UI however. Lots of people complain about Silkypix as well, but I found that once I figured it out, it's one of the most "usable" converters I've ever tried, and works very well with my workflow. But generally, I still prefer the PDCU output.

For a long time, the only version of PDCU I had was an older version that came with my K200D. I liked the output but wasn't crazy about the interface. Plus, it wouldn't work with my K30 RAW files. The Silkypix that came with my K30 was more usable, but I didn't like the output quite as much, and it wouldn't convert my K200D raw files. I tested a number of other converters - ACR via Elements, Rawtherapee, Silkypix 6.0, DxO - hoping to find a single converter that was usable, yielded pleasing output, and would handle RAW files from both cameras. DxO 8.0 generally had the best output of the bunch, but I found it had a few shortcomings in the usability department. Of course that's subjective and opinions will differ.

I only recently discovered that the most recent version of PDCU will convert my K30's RAW files, and have not yet had time to familiarize myself with the UI. A few quick tests confirm that the output looks very good indeed.

In conclusion, my own opinion is that Silkypix is much more usable than PDCU ( especially if you exploit the presets/tastes that can be set up ), but I prefer PDCU's output.

Rimfiredude · 03-28-2015, 07:49 AM

Originally posted by arkav

I believe it depends to some extent on your preferences. Most of my Silkypix experience comes from using the 3.0 version that came bundled with my K30. I generally find the camera JPG output is more pleasing than what I can get using Silkypix. Even with considerable fiddling, I find that the camera's JPG engine does a better job on balancing noise reduction vs detail retention.

I realize that the camera's JPG engine is supposed to be based on Silkypix, but I'm guessing that it has been optimized for Pentax cameras, while the branded Silkypix converter is a generic converter. Since PDCU seems to be able to replicate the camera output with ease, I would guess that PDCU is the camera's JPG engine with a quick and dirty UI bolted on. In other words, I think PDCU and Silkypix are related ( perhaps very closely ), but are not identical.

So if you like the Pentax camera rendering, you will probably like the output of PDCU ( and I do ). I'm not crazy about the PDCU UI however. Lots of people complain about Silkypix as well, but I found that once I figured it out, it's one of the most "usable" converters I've ever tried, and works very well with my workflow. But generally, I still prefer the PDCU output.

For a long time, the only version of PDCU I had was an older version that came with my K200D. I liked the output but wasn't crazy about the interface. Plus, it wouldn't work with my K30 RAW files. The Silkypix that came with my K30 was more usable, but I didn't like the output quite as much, and it wouldn't convert my K200D raw files. I tested a number of other converters - ACR via Elements, Rawtherapee, Silkypix 6.0, DxO - hoping to find a single converter that was usable, yielded pleasing output, and would handle RAW files from both cameras. DxO 8.0 generally had the best output of the bunch, but I found it had a few shortcomings in the usability department. Of course that's subjective and opinions will differ.

I only recently discovered that the most recent version of PDCU will convert my K30's RAW files, and have not yet had time to familiarize myself with the UI. A few quick tests confirm that the output looks very good indeed.

In conclusion, my own opinion is that Silkypix is much more usable than PDCU ( especially if you exploit the presets/tastes that can be set up ), but I prefer PDCU's output.

You have certainly done your homework. I think I will stick with PDCU and Photoshop, mainly because I am retired and on a limited budget. And they work.

arkav · 03-28-2015, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by Rimfiredude

You have certainly done your homework. I think I will stick with PDCU and Photoshop, mainly because I am retired and on a limited budget. And they work.

Rawtherapee = free
DxO version 8.0 was offered as a free download at one point, not sure if it still is
Silkypix 3.0 - free with some Pentax cameras, but will only convert RAW files from those cameras
Silkypix 6.0 - free 30 day trial, discounted if you have the bundled 3.0 that came with a Pentax camera

My preference was to use something that was free/cheap as well.

03-27-2015, 07:11 AM	#1
k0og Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Rolla, Missouri Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 696	Digital Camera Utility 5 Tool Bar Customization Greetings, I recently installed the Pentax Digital Camera Utility 5.3.1, after having used PDCU4.4 up until now. It seems that PDCU 5 is basically the same as PDCU 4 in functionality and layout, and seems to perform similarly when processing RAW files (maybe a little faster here and there, but not much different). The biggest difference is the button-bar layout. On my screens (desktop and laptop) the button bar wraps so it takes up twice the button bar space at the top of the screen. If I customize it by eliminating infrequently-used buttons and rearranging it into a single button bar, I now have a nice layout. In addition, I customize the tools (windows) that are available to my liking. However, when I exit PDCU 5 and open it again later, all my customizations are gone. I can find no way to save my customizations or make them sticky from session to session. It is getting frustrating to constantly have to re-customize the screen every time I open PDCU 5. Is there a way to save my customized layout in PDCU 5? I run it on both WinXP and Win7, and have the same issue with both operating systems. Thanks. -Joe-

03-27-2015, 05:19 PM	#9
k0og Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Rolla, Missouri Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 696 Original Poster	You must have a bigger wide-screen monitor. I have an older 1280x1024 monitor and the tool bar wraps on mine. Yes, it does a crop. Go to the "Window" menu item and pull down to "Cropping" to select it. A Cropping tab will appear in the tool window in the lower-left corner of the screen. Now, here is where customization comes in handy. After you select "Cropping" and use it, then close PDCU 5, then re-open it, the Cropping window will no longer be there for you to use, and you must again go to the "Window" menu and pull down to "Cropping" to get the tool back. Irritating! With PDCU 4, it would remember those settings for the next session, but not with PDCU 5. -Joe- Originally posted by Rimfiredude I am running Windows 7 and don't plan on customizing anything. Question...Maybe I am blind but is there a crop feature? ---------- Post added 03-27-15 at 20:06 ---------- Last edited by k0og; 03-27-2015 at 06:06 PM.

03-27-2015, 06:06 PM	#11
k0og Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Rolla, Missouri Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 696 Original Poster	Problem Solved! I found that if I open the OPTIONS->Basic Settings tab, in the upper-left of the resulting window there is a setting called "Status at startup" that needs to be changed from "Default" to "Status at last exit." The customized layout will then be saved! Hurrah! -Joe-

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03-27-2015, 08:46 AM	#2
Rimfiredude Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Washington Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,176	Originally posted by k0og Greetings, I recently installed the Pentax Digital Camera Utility 5.3.1, after having used PDCU4.4 up until now. It seems that PDCU 5 is basically the same as PDCU 4 in functionality and layout, and seems to perform similarly when processing RAW files (maybe a little faster here and there, but not much different). The biggest difference is the button-bar layout. On my screens (desktop and laptop) the button bar wraps so it takes up twice the button bar space at the top of the screen. If I customize it by eliminating infrequently-used buttons and rearranging it into a single button bar, I now have a nice layout. In addition, I customize the tools (windows) that are available to my liking. However, when I exit PDCU 5 and open it again later, all my customizations are gone. I can find no way to save my customizations or make them sticky from session to session. It is getting frustrating to constantly have to re-customize the screen every time I open PDCU 5. Is there a way to save my customized layout in PDCU 5? I run it on both WinXP and Win7, and have the same issue with both operating systems. Thanks. -Joe- It has been so long since even thinking about installing the Pentax Camera Utility that I don't know the features of it and don't even have a copy. I use Silky Pix 3.0 to process Raw Files and Photo Shop if I need further correction. Is there any advantage using the Pentax Camera Utility?

03-27-2015, 09:13 AM	#3
k0og Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Rolla, Missouri Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 696 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rimfiredude It has been so long since even thinking about installing the Pentax Camera Utility that I don't know the features of it and don't even have a copy. I use Silky Pix 3.0 to process Raw Files and Photo Shop if I need further correction. Is there any advantage using the Pentax Camera Utility? Rimfire, It does an excellent job of processing RAW files. I like the results better than what I get out of the Lightroom or Photoshop RAW developer for critical processing. For quick & dirty snapshots, the Adobe RAW is fine. Also, the PDCU is FREE! -Joe-

03-27-2015, 10:35 AM	#4
Rimfiredude Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Washington Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,176	Originally posted by k0og Rimfire, It does an excellent job of processing RAW files. I like the results better than what I get out of the Lightroom or Photoshop RAW developer for critical processing. For quick & dirty snapshots, the Adobe RAW is fine. Also, the PDCU is FREE! -Joe- Thanks, I just wonder if it does a better job than Silky Pix.

03-27-2015, 10:47 AM	#5
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,242	Originally posted by Rimfiredude Thanks, I just wonder if it does a better job than Silky Pix. It is Silky Pix. Just a different interface and more features. At least more features than the free version of Silky Pix.

03-27-2015, 01:50 PM	#6
Rimfiredude Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Washington Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,176	My Silky Pix just stopped working with my K5. Still works with the Q files. Oh well, I found the copy of the Pentax Digital Camera Utility and installed it. It works and does have more features than Ver. 3 Silky Pix. Thanks for the tip.

03-27-2015, 02:09 PM	#7
k0og Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Rolla, Missouri Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 696 Original Poster	Let me know if you are having the same issue as I am. If I customize the button bar, I lose the customization if I get out and back into PDCU 5. Also, what operating system are you running? Thanks. -Joe- Originally posted by Rimfiredude My Silky Pix just stopped working with my K5. Still works with the Q files. Oh well, I found the copy of the Pentax Digital Camera Utility and installed it. It works and does have more features than Ver. 3 Silky Pix. Thanks for the tip.

03-27-2015, 04:24 PM	#8
Rimfiredude Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Washington Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,176	Originally posted by k0og Let me know if you are having the same issue as I am. If I customize the button bar, I lose the customization if I get out and back into PDCU 5. Also, what operating system are you running? Thanks. -Joe- I am running Windows 7 and don't plan on customizing anything. Question...Maybe I am blind but is there a crop feature?

03-27-2015, 06:06 PM	#10
Rimfiredude Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Washington Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,176	Originally posted by k0og You must have a bigger wide-screen monitor. I have an older 1280x1024 monitor and the tool bar wraps on mine. Yes, it does a crop. Go to the "Window" menu item and pull down to "Cropping" to select it. A Cropping tab will appear in the tool window in the lower-left corner of the screen. Now, here is where customization comes in handy. After you select "Cropping" and use it, then close PDCU 5, then re-open it, the Cropping window will no longer be there for you to use, and you must again go to the "Window" menu and pull down to "Cropping" to get the tool back. Irritating! With PDCU 4, it would remember those settings for the next session, but not with PDCU 5. -Joe- I found it, but has to be the dumbest cropping tool I have ever seen. Much easier to take the photo into PS and crop.

03-28-2015, 05:59 AM	#12
arkav Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 366	Originally posted by Rimfiredude Thanks, I just wonder if it does a better job than Silky Pix. I believe it depends to some extent on your preferences. Most of my Silkypix experience comes from using the 3.0 version that came bundled with my K30. I generally find the camera JPG output is more pleasing than what I can get using Silkypix. Even with considerable fiddling, I find that the camera's JPG engine does a better job on balancing noise reduction vs detail retention. I realize that the camera's JPG engine is supposed to be based on Silkypix, but I'm guessing that it has been optimized for Pentax cameras, while the branded Silkypix converter is a generic converter. Since PDCU seems to be able to replicate the camera output with ease, I would guess that PDCU is the camera's JPG engine with a quick and dirty UI bolted on. In other words, I think PDCU and Silkypix are related ( perhaps very closely ), but are not identical. So if you like the Pentax camera rendering, you will probably like the output of PDCU ( and I do ). I'm not crazy about the PDCU UI however. Lots of people complain about Silkypix as well, but I found that once I figured it out, it's one of the most "usable" converters I've ever tried, and works very well with my workflow. But generally, I still prefer the PDCU output. For a long time, the only version of PDCU I had was an older version that came with my K200D. I liked the output but wasn't crazy about the interface. Plus, it wouldn't work with my K30 RAW files. The Silkypix that came with my K30 was more usable, but I didn't like the output quite as much, and it wouldn't convert my K200D raw files. I tested a number of other converters - ACR via Elements, Rawtherapee, Silkypix 6.0, DxO - hoping to find a single converter that was usable, yielded pleasing output, and would handle RAW files from both cameras. DxO 8.0 generally had the best output of the bunch, but I found it had a few shortcomings in the usability department. Of course that's subjective and opinions will differ. I only recently discovered that the most recent version of PDCU will convert my K30's RAW files, and have not yet had time to familiarize myself with the UI. A few quick tests confirm that the output looks very good indeed. In conclusion, my own opinion is that Silkypix is much more usable than PDCU ( especially if you exploit the presets/tastes that can be set up ), but I prefer PDCU's output.

03-28-2015, 07:49 AM	#13
Rimfiredude Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Washington Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,176	Originally posted by arkav I believe it depends to some extent on your preferences. Most of my Silkypix experience comes from using the 3.0 version that came bundled with my K30. I generally find the camera JPG output is more pleasing than what I can get using Silkypix. Even with considerable fiddling, I find that the camera's JPG engine does a better job on balancing noise reduction vs detail retention. I realize that the camera's JPG engine is supposed to be based on Silkypix, but I'm guessing that it has been optimized for Pentax cameras, while the branded Silkypix converter is a generic converter. Since PDCU seems to be able to replicate the camera output with ease, I would guess that PDCU is the camera's JPG engine with a quick and dirty UI bolted on. In other words, I think PDCU and Silkypix are related ( perhaps very closely ), but are not identical. So if you like the Pentax camera rendering, you will probably like the output of PDCU ( and I do ). I'm not crazy about the PDCU UI however. Lots of people complain about Silkypix as well, but I found that once I figured it out, it's one of the most "usable" converters I've ever tried, and works very well with my workflow. But generally, I still prefer the PDCU output. For a long time, the only version of PDCU I had was an older version that came with my K200D. I liked the output but wasn't crazy about the interface. Plus, it wouldn't work with my K30 RAW files. The Silkypix that came with my K30 was more usable, but I didn't like the output quite as much, and it wouldn't convert my K200D raw files. I tested a number of other converters - ACR via Elements, Rawtherapee, Silkypix 6.0, DxO - hoping to find a single converter that was usable, yielded pleasing output, and would handle RAW files from both cameras. DxO 8.0 generally had the best output of the bunch, but I found it had a few shortcomings in the usability department. Of course that's subjective and opinions will differ. I only recently discovered that the most recent version of PDCU will convert my K30's RAW files, and have not yet had time to familiarize myself with the UI. A few quick tests confirm that the output looks very good indeed. In conclusion, my own opinion is that Silkypix is much more usable than PDCU ( especially if you exploit the presets/tastes that can be set up ), but I prefer PDCU's output. You have certainly done your homework. I think I will stick with PDCU and Photoshop, mainly because I am retired and on a limited budget. And they work.

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03-28-2015, 11:02 AM	#14
arkav Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 366	Originally posted by Rimfiredude You have certainly done your homework. I think I will stick with PDCU and Photoshop, mainly because I am retired and on a limited budget. And they work. Rawtherapee = free DxO version 8.0 was offered as a free download at one point, not sure if it still is Silkypix 3.0 - free with some Pentax cameras, but will only convert RAW files from those cameras Silkypix 6.0 - free 30 day trial, discounted if you have the bundled 3.0 that came with a Pentax camera My preference was to use something that was free/cheap as well.