Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
07-29-2020, 07:23 PM - 1 Like   #16
Pentaxian




Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 476
As a Novice, take a look at Faststone image viewer. It will do basic editing, is easy And Free.

07-29-2020, 09:09 PM - 2 Likes   #17
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
UncleVanya's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 28,177
I like dxo myself. It's very simple with excellent results but it isn't cheap.
07-30-2020, 02:43 AM - 2 Likes   #18
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: May 2014
Location: Springhill Nova Scotia
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 397
When you are set and ready, go here and try the free month long trial. I dont like sitting and processing photos either and find DXO pretty easy and quick. DxO PhotoLab 3 - The Most Advanced Photo Editing Software
07-30-2020, 03:02 AM - 1 Like   #19
Unregistered User
Guest




@Toddster - I recommend Serif Affinity Photo for editing raw data; if you're using JPEG output from your camera only, then you don't need special software, Windows Photo Viewer is good enough for review and Windows Paint for simple editing. Alternatively, PhotoImpact 10 will run on Win 7 (but not 10 except in a virtual machine with XP running), and it's the best I've ever seen for JPEG/TIFF image editing. The one stop solution is Affinity Photo, which can handle pretty much whatever you throw at it. The free stuff is way too complicated for me because of the "too many chefs" problem with open-source software.

07-30-2020, 03:06 AM   #20
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: SW Bavaria
Posts: 546
As jatrax said, if you were using JPEG only you do not need any spezial software at all. I would suggest to stop using RAW. If you do not have the time to bring the pictures from SD-card to your cpomputer, RAW does not make any sense.
The issue is what to do with the existing RAW-files. If you do have used RAW+, i.e. you have a JPEG copy as well, think about discarding the PEF-files. You should look through the JPEGs before and if you find an unusable JPEG, you could develop the RAW file. I guess you will stop that after the second picture.

The second possibility is to download a trial version of say ACDsee professional (or any other RAW converter) and use it's batch capability to convert all the RAW files to JPEG. Then look through the raws and develop the RAWs, where the batch process did not do a good job.

Now you have a set of JPEG pictures, as you already thought about, bring them into a folder/subfolder structure. I have mine sorted in years, and then in logical categories. For example 2019/holidays/tuscany. That solution is the most basic, some more thoughts further downwards.
Having a backup of all the pictures is a good idea. If you have sufficient cloudspace, the better.

To print the pictures by yourself you use the software of your printer or a basic graphics editor. If you show the pictures on a TV, on screen orprint them at your local dealer you even do not need a graphics editor, just an USB stick

I'am taking digital pictures since 2003, over 1.000 pictures to keep every year and that is my basic procedure.
The idea behind this is to have a good JPEG from the start. You control your pictures after taking them. If they are not sufficient, take another one. If you fail you will have to live with a subpar picture or none at all.

Further thoughts:

Having a basic graphics editor is still a good idea. You might want to do some minor corrections on some pictures, like croping them or minor corrections of the exposure. Any graphics editor (beside windows paint) will be able to do that. Mostly even your printers software package. There even is a lot of software available for free. Sadly I can give you no suggestion for a software, as I am using Corel Photo Paint, which works for me, but I would not suggest it to a novice or as an all around solution.
EDIT: All the software suggested so far in this thread is worth a look.

A picture database is worth a thought. Organizing your pictures into a folder/subfolder structure is very limiting. For example, if I want all the pictures of my holidays in tuscany, I have to go through all the years and find the "tuscany" folder. A database will save this problem. BUT you have to catagorize all the pictures you are taking in the database for all the multiple catagories you will be using for search. This work is the reason, why I am still not using a picture database, despite some efforts every few years.

There is one software, that will address all the issues mentioned (RAW developer, basic graphics editor, database) and that is ACDSee professional. It has a 30 days trial version, so you can have a look at it. Just make sure to have some days time availabel to really try it in those thirty days. Mind, that this is no recommendation to use it, as I do not use it (yet). But it is the one I will try (again) if I find some spare time. So you might just have a look at it.

Last edited by Papa_Joe; 07-30-2020 at 03:12 AM.
07-30-2020, 03:52 AM   #21
Seeker of Knowledge
Loyal Site Supporter
aslyfox's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Topeka, Kansas
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 24,563
as far as sharing your photos with others you might want to check out Flickr.com

you can organize what ever you upload to flickr any way you want [ check out my account if you want, the link is in the signature block ]

QuoteQuote:
about Flickr
Flickr - almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world - has two main goals:
1. We want to help people make their photos available to the people who matter to them. . .

Maybe they want to keep a blog of moments captured on their cameraphone, or maybe they want to show off their best pictures or video to the whole world in a bid for web celebrity. Or maybe they want to securely and privately share photos of their kids with their family across the country. Flickr makes all these things possible and more!

To do this, we want to get photos and video into and out of the system in as many ways as we can: from the web, from mobile devices, from the users' home computers and from whatever software they are using to manage their content. And we want to be able to push them out in as many ways as possible: on the Flickr website, in RSS feeds, by email, by posting to outside blogs or ways we haven't thought of yet. What else are we going to use those smart refrigerators for?

2. We want to enable new ways of organizing photos and video.
Once you make the switch to digital, it is all too easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer number of photos you take or videos you shoot with that itchy trigger finger. Albums, the principal way people go about organizing things today, are great -- until you get to 20 or 30 or 50 of them. They worked in the days of getting rolls of film developed, but the "album" metaphor is in desperate need of a Florida condo and full retirement. . . .

Flickr continues to evolve in myriad ways, all of which are designed to make it easier and better. Check out the Flickr Blog to stay apprised of the latest developments. The fact that you've read to the end of this entire document and are hanging out at the bottom of this page with nothing but this silly text to keep you company is proof of a deep and abiding interest on your part. What are you waiting for? Go explore!
About Flickr

be advised that there are two accounts, one free with limits on how many photos you can post and it has ads, one you pay for without limitations on photos posted and no ads

Ad-free browsing and ad-free sharing of photos
07-30-2020, 04:20 AM - 2 Likes   #22
GUB
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
GUB's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wanganui
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 5,735
QuoteOriginally posted by dlh Quote
The free stuff is way too complicated for me because of the "too many chefs" problem with open-source software.
That is the usual generalisation we hear.
The one with the worst reputation is Gimp. There is two aspects that create this impression. One is the shear comprehensiveness of the program and the other is because it is free so inexperienced people check it out. They would be just as confused if they started with Photoshop as their first editor. As I said earlier I was viewing Affinity just last night for the first time and the flashy eye candy approach was every bit as confusing. .

07-30-2020, 04:26 AM - 2 Likes   #23
Digitiser of Film
Loyal Site Supporter
BigMackCam's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: North East of England
Posts: 20,574
QuoteOriginally posted by GUB Quote
That is the usual generalisation we hear.
The one with the worst reputation is Gimp. There is two aspects that create this impression. One is the shear comprehensiveness of the program and the other is because it is free so inexperienced people check it out. They would be just as confused if they started with Photoshop as their first editor. As I said earlier I was viewing Affinity just last night for the first time and the flashy eye candy approach was every bit as confusing. .
I agree.

There's some truth that the earlier versions of GIMP, Darktable and RawTherapee were a little scrappy and inconsistent in presentation, but they're very polished nowadays... more so than many a commercial package, I dare say. The only thing one might reasonably be overwhelmed by - at first - is just how many features are provided and power exposed; the "shear comprehensiveness" you mention. But the "too many cooks" aspect no longer shows through in the user interfaces for these tools... and the online documentation for them is excellent, for anyone who cares to read it...
07-30-2020, 04:39 AM - 1 Like   #24
GUB
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
GUB's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wanganui
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 5,735
QuoteOriginally posted by BigMackCam Quote
I agree.

There's some truth that the earlier versions of GIMP, Darktable and RawTherapee were a little scrappy and inconsistent in presentation, but they're very polished nowadays... more so than many a commercial package, I dare say. The only thing one might reasonably be overwhelmed by - at first - is just how many features are provided and power exposed; the "shear comprehensiveness" you mention. But the "too many cooks" aspect no longer shows through in the user interfaces for these tools... and the online documentation for them is excellent, for anyone who cares to read it...
One of the changes that has made a big difference is up to a year or two ago on installation it opened into multi window mode. Three or four panes floating around the monitor. You were supposed to lay them out as you wished and save the positions in preferences. Now it opens into single window mode as default. Much less daunting for a newbie.
07-30-2020, 04:44 AM - 1 Like   #25
GUB
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
GUB's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wanganui
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 5,735
QuoteOriginally posted by BigMackCam Quote
and the online documentation for them is excellent, for anyone who cares to read it...
Oh yes I use it!! But it also says a lot that PS literature is easily translated into Gimperish. And in fact today I posted a link to an independant PS tutorial on layer masks on our camera club FB page to help the Affinity users grasp layer masks. A lot of the concepts are quite standardised. (as are strangely the icons!)
07-30-2020, 06:35 AM - 1 Like   #26
Forum Member




Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 57
I've been using darktable since 2017 or 2018 and find that it's a good alternative to Lightroom. The profiled noise reduction module has presets at least for my K-5, not sure about K-3. There are also some lens correction profiles for Pentax lenses. There don't seem to be as many profiles as Lightroom for cameras and lenses last time I checked though.

Last edited by Nayu; 07-30-2020 at 06:42 AM.
07-30-2020, 06:42 AM   #27
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
Denver's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Denver Colorado
Posts: 215
Hi
Some free and effective options are Print.net and RawTherapee. Paint.net is very capable and is updated with new features regularly. RawTherapee does a good job of editing you raw files.

Enjoy
07-30-2020, 03:50 PM   #28
Senior Member




Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 148
ON1 Photo Raw 2020.5 is on sale for $50 through July 31. It resembles Lightroom in many ways. It does not require a subscription.
07-31-2020, 02:23 PM   #29
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Credit River, MN
Posts: 12
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by GUB Quote
Well it beats watching TV!
I don’t watch much TV and occasionally some YouTube. I just need to rearrange my routines a bit to make time.
07-31-2020, 04:05 PM - 1 Like   #30
Pentaxian
35mmfilmfan's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Norfolk, UK
Posts: 4,256
For free editing / organisation software, try :

IrfanView

XnView

Faststone (already suggested.

They are what I use, with .DNG files (tried PEF, but .DNG suited me better), and .JPG, and I have had no issues.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
base, card, cards, cloud, collection, computer, data, film, lightroom, novice, options, photo, photography, photos, photoshop, pictures, print, prints, programs, scan, shot, software, step, subscription, todd, tv
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Humble Software Bundle: Professional Photography. Is any of this software good? roberts_camera Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 18 12-30-2018 06:21 AM
Best free software for novice Bob from Aus Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 11 11-22-2011 02:47 PM
K1000 - Novice Needs Help Please dkinkaid Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 34 11-28-2010 09:19 PM
K10D needs some software update mseremet Ask B&H Photo! 2 05-27-2010 12:12 PM
K20 Novice needs advice holdgaj Pentax DSLR Discussion 2 01-08-2009 02:03 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:57 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top