Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4 problems

slr_neophyte · 05-07-2013, 05:15 AM

I'm either doing something wrong, or not getting it, or the program is corrupted and I need to reinstall a newer version, or something. For whatever reason I am unable to do anything with any photos. I can browse photos, and once I have one showing in the "preview" pane, I am unable to manipulate it using any of the controls in the control panel. Clicking, sliding, selecting radio buttons, and all functions / controls are ALL unresponsive. What's the deal??

**LaurenOE** · 05-07-2013, 06:16 AM

Lots and lots of folks have given up on the Pentax software. I found out the hard way that not all RAW versions are compatible with all versions of the software. Yep. If you have a K30/Q/K5 whatever - you should use the version of the software that came with your camera.

Since I have almost ALL the Pentax digital cameras (except the 645D) it was a nightmare.

I abandoned the Pentax software and went with Lightroom 4.

And I have not looked back.

altopiet · 05-07-2013, 06:22 AM

+1 PDCU is a waste of time....

OrchidJulie · 05-07-2013, 06:37 AM

Very frustrating software, indeed. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, too, but I found that PCDU will NOT edit an image file that has been touched by other software (PS Elements, for example). Straight OOC, the sliders and controls seem to be available, but if the image file has had any edits at all by other software, forget it. All controls inoperable.

So I don't mess with it much at all.

**southlander** · 05-07-2013, 07:24 AM

It's generally very slow. I use LR primarily, but occasionally find DCU is useful to see how Pentax would have processed a RAW image into a JPEG (as the software seeks to mimic the camera's JPEG engine).

**RKKS08** · 05-07-2013, 03:21 PM

PDCU4 is slow, and on a correctly installed Windows XP it will work only with admin rights.

However, in cases I am not satisfied after trying to improve a picture with other programs, I try it with PDCU.
More than one time, to my surprise, I got it right with just a few clicks and not much thinking.

Also, it seems there are some special cases when only PDCU can help (maybe the competitors have upgraded since).

I think there was a thread about this concerning problems when shooting with coloured LED light only (discotheks). As far as I remember, a completely missing green colour channel (because of the descrete frequency bands of LEDs) makes it impossible (with most programs) to modify WR in post to get acceptable skin tones.

Most programs seem to increase/decrease the channels by percentage, but 120% of zero is still zero. PDCU probably establishes some very small dummy value for zero value channels, so you can work from there on.
A year ago or so, Falc did post about this. I can't find the thread, but I think it was about stage shooting (LED light).

slr_neophyte · 05-07-2013, 04:38 PM

Yep, I haven't bothered with it much either since I'm using DXO Optics Pro 8. However, I just wanted to try it once, and wasn't even able to do that.

SpecialK · 05-07-2013, 04:50 PM

PDCU is pretty much a time waster, but I do use it for creating the exif database, and moving the 3-files per image after raw conversion.

For processing, it's Elements 9 which does a lot more than I need. For chimping or viewing on a netbook during travel, it's FastStone. It opens PEF files no problem in 1/4 the time as PDCU, and can do side-by-side comparisons of up to 4 images. Also will do processing, though I have not used it for that.

**Kerrowdown** · 05-08-2013, 01:55 AM

Originally posted by LaurenOE

I abandoned the Pentax software and went with Lightroom 4.

+1 on that and for anything else I can't do in Lightroom, there's CS6.

05-07-2013, 05:15 AM	#1
slr_neophyte Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Suzhou China Photos: Gallery Posts: 149	Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4 problems I'm either doing something wrong, or not getting it, or the program is corrupted and I need to reinstall a newer version, or something. For whatever reason I am unable to do anything with any photos. I can browse photos, and once I have one showing in the "preview" pane, I am unable to manipulate it using any of the controls in the control panel. Clicking, sliding, selecting radio buttons, and all functions / controls are ALL unresponsive. What's the deal??

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05-07-2013, 06:16 AM	#2
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	Lots and lots of folks have given up on the Pentax software. I found out the hard way that not all RAW versions are compatible with all versions of the software. Yep. If you have a K30/Q/K5 whatever - you should use the version of the software that came with your camera. Since I have almost ALL the Pentax digital cameras (except the 645D) it was a nightmare. I abandoned the Pentax software and went with Lightroom 4. And I have not looked back.

05-07-2013, 06:22 AM	#3
altopiet Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: The Gem of the Karoo, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,307	+1 PDCU is a waste of time....

05-07-2013, 06:37 AM	#4
OrchidJulie Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Magic City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,937	Very frustrating software, indeed. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, too, but I found that PCDU will NOT edit an image file that has been touched by other software (PS Elements, for example). Straight OOC, the sliders and controls seem to be available, but if the image file has had any edits at all by other software, forget it. All controls inoperable. So I don't mess with it much at all.

05-07-2013, 07:24 AM	#5
southlander Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Adelaide Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,364	It's generally very slow. I use LR primarily, but occasionally find DCU is useful to see how Pentax would have processed a RAW image into a JPEG (as the software seeks to mimic the camera's JPEG engine).

05-07-2013, 03:21 PM	#6
RKKS08 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Frankfurt am Main Posts: 1,241	PDCU4 is slow, and on a correctly installed Windows XP it will work only with admin rights. However, in cases I am not satisfied after trying to improve a picture with other programs, I try it with PDCU. More than one time, to my surprise, I got it right with just a few clicks and not much thinking. Also, it seems there are some special cases when only PDCU can help (maybe the competitors have upgraded since). I think there was a thread about this concerning problems when shooting with coloured LED light only (discotheks). As far as I remember, a completely missing green colour channel (because of the descrete frequency bands of LEDs) makes it impossible (with most programs) to modify WR in post to get acceptable skin tones. Most programs seem to increase/decrease the channels by percentage, but 120% of zero is still zero. PDCU probably establishes some very small dummy value for zero value channels, so you can work from there on. A year ago or so, Falc did post about this. I can't find the thread, but I think it was about stage shooting (LED light).

05-07-2013, 04:38 PM	#7
slr_neophyte Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Suzhou China Photos: Gallery Posts: 149 Original Poster	Yep, I haven't bothered with it much either since I'm using DXO Optics Pro 8. However, I just wanted to try it once, and wasn't even able to do that.

05-07-2013, 04:50 PM	#8
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	PDCU is pretty much a time waster, but I do use it for creating the exif database, and moving the 3-files per image after raw conversion. For processing, it's Elements 9 which does a lot more than I need. For chimping or viewing on a netbook during travel, it's FastStone. It opens PEF files no problem in 1/4 the time as PDCU, and can do side-by-side comparisons of up to 4 images. Also will do processing, though I have not used it for that.

05-08-2013, 01:55 AM	#9
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	Originally posted by LaurenOE I abandoned the Pentax software and went with Lightroom 4. +1 on that and for anything else I can't do in Lightroom, there's CS6.