best app for processing raw files

Marc Sabatella · 07-26-2010, 03:16 PM

My point is, no matter what crops you post, it's going to be largely subjective to say which is "better" (two people might disagree on the same images, as they did here), or a given person might feel program performs better on one image and another better on another image. So I have no doubt you'll be able to find an imag where you think one program clearly did better - but someone else will probably still feelotherwise, and there will most likely still be images where even you would feel the other program handled better. And given tha thtet entire point of shooting RAW is to give you more control over the developing process, these sort of subtle subjective differences really needn't be a particularly significant part of the decision-making process in choosing an application, If one program did *much* better *very* consistently, and there was no way to create a preset that easily produced results you found more satisfactory, that would be notable, but that's just not generally the case.

tuco · 07-26-2010, 03:35 PM

Actually, iPhoto will open and edit raw files. But its output is not a raw.

Wilson_Kx · 07-26-2010, 04:32 PM

i use the software that came with my kx and its great.

deejjjaaaa · 07-26-2010, 04:38 PM

Originally posted by Wilson_Kx

i use the software that came with my kx and its great.

I used to drink a milk that came w/ my mom and it was great too... was.

deejjjaaaa · 07-26-2010, 04:43 PM

Originally posted by audiobomber

I'll upload some crops later.

just upload the original raw file, that will do it

adwb · 07-26-2010, 05:33 PM

I'm surprised no one has suggested rawtherapee to the OP. free and works well, nice viewing features and prcessing options,
RawTherapee 3.0 alpha 1 and license changes
I have to say that having found how to open any format in camera raw in elements thats all I use now for raw and jpeg processing, don't often use the editor any more for that side of things.
Alistair

tuco · 07-26-2010, 07:42 PM

Originally posted by adwb

I'm surprised no one has suggested rawtherapee to the OP. free and works well, nice viewing features and prcessing options,

Alistair

Maybe no one suggested it for a good reason. The OP complained about iPhoto. So Mac OS X, right? No OS X version in your link.

Wilson_Kx · 07-26-2010, 09:24 PM

Originally posted by deejjjaaaa

I used to drink a milk that came w/ my mom and it was great too... was.

I should of been clearer in my comment. for general images i use the pentax software to bulk convert most of my raw images to jpg, for that task i find it perfectly acceptable to use. for my creative and special shots however i use lightroom 3 or photoshop cs3 to tweak and manually correct the image.

DaveHolmes · 07-27-2010, 02:13 AM

Originally posted by deejjjaaaa

I used to drink a milk that came w/ my mom and it was great too... was.

Wilson. I don't think you should have to clarify anything mate. Deejjjaaa's comment was just rude and uncalled for.

Hopefully one of the sites moderators will have a quiet word with him/her about the value of respect and common curtesy.

simico · 07-27-2010, 02:27 AM

"Best app" is totally subjective. If there was a "best app" (being best for everybody) then everybody would just use that app and all other apps would fade to oblivion...
You have to find out which app is best for you. Nobody else can tell it.

adwb · 07-27-2010, 05:16 AM

Originally posted by tuco

Maybe no one suggested it for a good reason. The OP complained about iPhoto. So Mac OS X, right? No OS X version in your link.

Sorry, I did not realise that it was not obvious to go the download section and find the Mac [computer not truck] section, please go to and look for linux version which I belive is for a Mac.
apologies if that is wrong info as well.
Download RT v3.0 alpha 1
Alistair

audiobomber · 07-27-2010, 05:50 AM

Originally posted by Marc Sabatella

My point is, no matter what crops you post, it's going to be largely subjective to say which is "better" (two people might disagree on the same images, as they did here), or a given person might feel program performs better on one image and another better on another image.

I don't see how anyone would prefer the CS3 image to the richer DCU4 image. If the crops below were lens comparisons, it would be like the kit lens vs the FA 31. (Note again that this is a poor copy of what I see on my screen. The differences are not as evident after uploading and posting. There's a lustre to the DCU4 version that's lost here.)

DCU4, extracted jpeg, 100% crop

CS3, extracted jpeg, 100% crop

I tried sharpening the CS3 image, boosted saturation, cooled the temperature, and could not reproduce the look of the DCU4 image. Even if I had the post-processing skills to reproduce what I like about the DCU4 image, it would take some processing, as opposed to just extracting the jpeg.

We've had a previous disagreement about Pentax colours. AFAIC if you aren't shooting in-camera jpegs, or converting raw photos with Pentax software, then you aren't seeing Pentax colours and may as well be using a Sonympus Canikon. I have friends with Nikon and Canon cameras. I prefer the look of my Pentax images, and DCU4 is integral to that. I know it's a very basic program, but for straight raw conversion I won't consider anything else. For further processing, if one is into that, there are much more powerful softwares.

audiobomber · 07-27-2010, 05:56 AM

Originally posted by deejjjaaaa

just upload the original raw file, that will do it

There's no point in uploading a raw photo. My demonstration is intended to show that straight from the camera raw conversion is superior with DCU4 vs Adobe Photoshop CS3. If you were to do the extraction with CS3, it would produce the same jpeg.

tuco · 07-27-2010, 06:26 AM

Originally posted by adwb

Sorry, I did not realise that it was not obvious to go the download section and find the Mac [computer not truck] section, please go to and look for linux version which I belive is for a Mac.
apologies if that is wrong info as well.
Download RT v3.0 alpha 1
Alistair

I still do not see OS X as a support platform in the download section. And, no, if they have a tar ball that says Linux, they mean Linux!

Download RT v3.0 alpha 1

January 04, 2010

Requirements:

a fast processor with SSE support is recommended (but not required)
at least 512 MB of RAM.
Minimum recommended screen resolution 1024x768
Windows version: Windows 2000, XP or Vista (32bit) is required
For the linux version: gtk+ 2.12, gtkmm 2.14 series required
Download:

Windows version can be downloaded here (SSE support).
Linux version: rawtherapee30a1.tgz (SSE support), 64-bit version: rawtherapee30a1_64.tgz
Source code: rawtherapee30src.tgz

Q Bahorel · 07-27-2010, 06:29 AM

Originally posted by tuco

Actually, iPhoto will open and edit raw files. But its output is not a raw.

QFT
All the edits are done in jpeg after converting from raw; so quality will be lower than if a real real raw processor was used.

Originally posted by adwb

Sorry, I did not realise that it was not obvious to go the download section and find the Mac [computer not truck] section, please go to and look for linux version which I belive is for a Mac.
apologies if that is wrong info as well.
Download RT v3.0 alpha 1
Alistair

Linux is a different OS, and I doubt the OP wants to compile from source anyway

07-27-2010, 05:50 AM	#27
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by Marc Sabatella My point is, no matter what crops you post, it's going to be largely subjective to say which is "better" (two people might disagree on the same images, as they did here), or a given person might feel program performs better on one image and another better on another image. I don't see how anyone would prefer the CS3 image to the richer DCU4 image. If the crops below were lens comparisons, it would be like the kit lens vs the FA 31. (Note again that this is a poor copy of what I see on my screen. The differences are not as evident after uploading and posting. There's a lustre to the DCU4 version that's lost here.) DCU4, extracted jpeg, 100% crop CS3, extracted jpeg, 100% crop I tried sharpening the CS3 image, boosted saturation, cooled the temperature, and could not reproduce the look of the DCU4 image. Even if I had the post-processing skills to reproduce what I like about the DCU4 image, it would take some processing, as opposed to just extracting the jpeg. We've had a previous disagreement about Pentax colours. AFAIC if you aren't shooting in-camera jpegs, or converting raw photos with Pentax software, then you aren't seeing Pentax colours and may as well be using a Sonympus Canikon. I have friends with Nikon and Canon cameras. I prefer the look of my Pentax images, and DCU4 is integral to that. I know it's a very basic program, but for straight raw conversion I won't consider anything else. For further processing, if one is into that, there are much more powerful softwares. Last edited by audiobomber; 07-27-2010 at 08:38 AM.

07-27-2010, 06:26 AM	#29
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,020	Originally posted by adwb Sorry, I did not realise that it was not obvious to go the download section and find the Mac [computer not truck] section, please go to and look for linux version which I belive is for a Mac. apologies if that is wrong info as well. Download RT v3.0 alpha 1 Alistair I still do not see OS X as a support platform in the download section. And, no, if they have a tar ball that says Linux, they mean Linux! Download RT v3.0 alpha 1 January 04, 2010 Requirements: a fast processor with SSE support is recommended (but not required) at least 512 MB of RAM. Minimum recommended screen resolution 1024x768 Windows version: Windows 2000, XP or Vista (32bit) is required For the linux version: gtk+ 2.12, gtkmm 2.14 series required Download: Windows version can be downloaded here (SSE support). Linux version: rawtherapee30a1.tgz (SSE support), 64-bit version: rawtherapee30a1_64.tgz Source code: rawtherapee30src.tgz

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07-26-2010, 03:16 PM	#16
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	My point is, no matter what crops you post, it's going to be largely subjective to say which is "better" (two people might disagree on the same images, as they did here), or a given person might feel program performs better on one image and another better on another image. So I have no doubt you'll be able to find an imag where you think one program clearly did better - but someone else will probably still feelotherwise, and there will most likely still be images where even you would feel the other program handled better. And given tha thtet entire point of shooting RAW is to give you more control over the developing process, these sort of subtle subjective differences really needn't be a particularly significant part of the decision-making process in choosing an application, If one program did much better very consistently, and there was no way to create a preset that easily produced results you found more satisfactory, that would be notable, but that's just not generally the case.

07-26-2010, 03:35 PM	#17
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,020	Actually, iPhoto will open and edit raw files. But its output is not a raw.

07-26-2010, 04:32 PM	#18
Wilson_Kx Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: SYDNEY Posts: 106	i use the software that came with my kx and its great.

07-26-2010, 04:38 PM	#19
deejjjaaaa Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: steel city / rust belt Posts: 2,043	Originally posted by Wilson_Kx i use the software that came with my kx and its great. I used to drink a milk that came w/ my mom and it was great too... was.

07-26-2010, 04:43 PM	#20
deejjjaaaa Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: steel city / rust belt Posts: 2,043	Originally posted by audiobomber I'll upload some crops later. just upload the original raw file, that will do it

07-26-2010, 05:33 PM	#21
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	I'm surprised no one has suggested rawtherapee to the OP. free and works well, nice viewing features and prcessing options, RawTherapee 3.0 alpha 1 and license changes I have to say that having found how to open any format in camera raw in elements thats all I use now for raw and jpeg processing, don't often use the editor any more for that side of things. Alistair

07-26-2010, 07:42 PM	#22
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,020	Originally posted by adwb I'm surprised no one has suggested rawtherapee to the OP. free and works well, nice viewing features and prcessing options, Alistair Maybe no one suggested it for a good reason. The OP complained about iPhoto. So Mac OS X, right? No OS X version in your link.

07-26-2010, 09:24 PM	#23
Wilson_Kx Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: SYDNEY Posts: 106	Originally posted by deejjjaaaa I used to drink a milk that came w/ my mom and it was great too... was. I should of been clearer in my comment. for general images i use the pentax software to bulk convert most of my raw images to jpg, for that task i find it perfectly acceptable to use. for my creative and special shots however i use lightroom 3 or photoshop cs3 to tweak and manually correct the image.

07-27-2010, 02:13 AM	#24
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	Originally posted by deejjjaaaa I used to drink a milk that came w/ my mom and it was great too... was. Wilson. I don't think you should have to clarify anything mate. Deejjjaaa's comment was just rude and uncalled for. Hopefully one of the sites moderators will have a quiet word with him/her about the value of respect and common curtesy.

07-27-2010, 02:27 AM	#25
simico Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Budapest Posts: 821	"Best app" is totally subjective. If there was a "best app" (being best for everybody) then everybody would just use that app and all other apps would fade to oblivion... You have to find out which app is best for you. Nobody else can tell it.

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07-27-2010, 05:16 AM	#26
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	Originally posted by tuco Maybe no one suggested it for a good reason. The OP complained about iPhoto. So Mac OS X, right? No OS X version in your link. Sorry, I did not realise that it was not obvious to go the download section and find the Mac [computer not truck] section, please go to and look for linux version which I belive is for a Mac. apologies if that is wrong info as well. Download RT v3.0 alpha 1 Alistair

07-27-2010, 05:56 AM	#28
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by deejjjaaaa just upload the original raw file, that will do it There's no point in uploading a raw photo. My demonstration is intended to show that straight from the camera raw conversion is superior with DCU4 vs Adobe Photoshop CS3. If you were to do the extraction with CS3, it would produce the same jpeg.

07-27-2010, 06:29 AM	#30
Q Bahorel Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Nuevo Musico Posts: 31	Originally posted by tuco Actually, iPhoto will open and edit raw files. But its output is not a raw. QFT All the edits are done in jpeg after converting from raw; so quality will be lower than if a real real raw processor was used. Originally posted by adwb Sorry, I did not realise that it was not obvious to go the download section and find the Mac [computer not truck] section, please go to and look for linux version which I belive is for a Mac. apologies if that is wrong info as well. Download RT v3.0 alpha 1 Alistair Linux is a different OS, and I doubt the OP wants to compile from source anyway