[indytax]

I'm a newbie. I got a hold of a Photoshop 7.0 program. Does anyone have it? Can you tell me if it has the ability to open raw files directly?

According to Adobe, PEF files (the Pentax version of RAW files) can only be opened by Camera Raw 3.3 and newer, which is compatable only with Photoshop CS2 and newer.

However, set your K20D to record RAW files in the DNG format, and Photoshop 7 can open that filetype, IIRC. The only downside is that DNG files are a bit larger than PEF files, but an extra memory card (or emptying your existing memory card more often) is a much smaller price to pay than a current version of Photoshop. If you do want to update, consider the current version Photoshop Elements (7 for Windows, 6 for Mac, under $100 retail) which can handle PEF files with ease and do most everything you'll find yourself wanting to do to your photos.

[Marc Sabatella]

The only downside is that DNG files are a bit larger than PEF files, but an extra memory card (or emptying your existing memory card more often) is a much smaller price to pay than a current version of Photoshop.

Also note that while it won't do anything about how many images you can fit on a card, the Adobe DNG Converter can be run on the DNG file from th camera to compress it pretty significantly, allowing you to at least fit more images on your hard drive.

[Susan]

Also note that while it won't do anything about how many images you can fit on a card, the Adobe DNG Converter can be run on the DNG file from th camera to compress it pretty significantly, allowing you to at least fit more images on your hard drive.

Would I just open up the DNG Converter and bring the files from my memory card into the converter to compress them?

Thanks for Marc & Indytax for your help! Susan

[Marc Sabatella]

Would I just open up the DNG Converter and bring the files from my memory card into the converter to compress them?

Yes. There's a couple of different ways to use it, but it's a pretty simple program and more or less self-explanatory. I think you can even drag a folder onto the DNG Converter and it will go from there. I think by default it would not overwrite your original DNG files but instead make compressed copies - not sure if that behavior can be changed or not. The first you open it, you'll get a dialog with a bunch of options, but then it remembers your settings for next time.

[ivoire]

Good info on raw vs jpg:

Understanding RAW Files Explained

[chhayanat]

According to Adobe, PEF files (the Pentax version of RAW files) can only be opened by Camera Raw 3.3 and newer, which is compatable only with Photoshop CS2 and newer.

However, set your K20D to record RAW files in the DNG format, and Photoshop 7 can open that filetype, IIRC.

DNG format RAW files from a k200D did not open in Photoshop 7.01 working from win98se. Perhaps they will open on windows xp? It would nice if someone could settle the matter.

[Ash]

Are you sure PS 7 can read this file format?
Might be worthwhile looking that up on your software help centre or Camera Raw.

[Susan]

I took a couple of pictures today in PEF and DNG. I used the converter (which I downloaded from Adobe, it is not a plug in or anything on Photoshop 7.0). Both files were converted to dng files, but Photoshop 7.0 did not recognize the files. I also tried opening the dng from my SanDisk directly in PS, but that didn't work either. I did notice, however, that PS 7.0 looks like it will open .raw files. Here is my question....could I use say RawTherapee to open the dng files from my SanDisk and then save them as raw files, which might allow me to work on them using photoshop? Thanks! Susan

[Marc Sabatella]

As far as I know, the only thing that can ever produce a PEF file (Pentax's version of a "RAW" file) is a Pentax camera. If your version of photoshop cannot read a PEF created by the camera, or a DNG created from it by the Adobe DNG Converter, and there are no updates that allow it to, then I'd say you're out of luck. When you say it will open a ".raw" file, that is presumably referring to the specific RAW file product by some ancient camera or other that happened to use that specific extension, not to all RAW files in general.

When you say Photoshop 7, if you mean regular Photoshop and not Elements, I'd have to guess that it is *hopelessly* old - that's from last century, right? 7 is the current version of Photoshop Elements, though, so if you've got that, it should definitely work.

[Susan]

Sadly, I have the "old" photoshop 7! Oh, well, I'll have to save up my bucks!
Thanks for your time and help! Susan

[jeffkrol]

As far as I know, the only thing that can ever produce a PEF file (Pentax's version of a "RAW" file) is a Pentax camera. If your version of photoshop cannot read a PEF created by the camera, or a DNG created from it by the Adobe DNG Converter, and there are no updates that allow it to, then I'd say you're out of luck. When you say it will open a ".raw" file, that is presumably referring to the specific RAW file product by some ancient camera or other that happened to use that specific extension, not to all RAW files in general.

When you say Photoshop 7, if you mean regular Photoshop and not Elements, I'd have to guess that it is *hopelessly* old - that's from last century, right? 7 is the current version of Photoshop Elements, though, so if you've got that, it should definitely work.

I love the "codenames".............
Adobe Photoshop release history - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia