Does White Balance (or other) adjustments effect RAW files?

calicojack · 06-20-2009, 04:56 AM

I've been using the RAW setting on my K10D for a while now. I process through Photoshop Elements 5 and rarely make major changes.
Does the in camera White Balance and other adjustments play a role here? Of course the exposure is controlled by the camera, but I'm talking about WB, and bright / normal, etc.
Thanks.
Sooner or later I'll get it right,
Brian

tlwyse · 06-20-2009, 07:12 AM

Originally posted by calicojack

Does the in camera White Balance and other adjustments play a role here? Of course the exposure is controlled by the camera, but I'm talking about WB, and bright / normal, etc.

The RAW file will get "tagged" with the white balance setting you used at capture time but there's no permanent effect or "damage" done to the RAW file even if you choose the incorrect white balance setting. You're free to change the white balance to whatever setting you want or even apply a custom white balance. I'm assuming Adobe Camera Raw here as I'm unfamiliar with Photoshop Elements RAW processing options.

Other in-camera "processing" settings only apply to JPEG.

I've even gotten into the habit of shooting RAW (DNG) + JPEG where I'll set the JPEG setting to 2 megapix and use these as "proxies" or thumbnails for HDR processing. First time I tried it, I wondered whether the 2 megapix setting was going to affect the RAW file....thankfully not as the RAW will always come out at full sensor resolution no matter what the JPEG resolutiona dn quality setting are set for.

Wish list:
When auto-bracketing in DNG+JPEG mode, it would be NICE to have the option of saving all the brackets for the RAW/DNG but only the normally exposed shot for the JPEG. The single JPEG could be used as the preview for quickly sorting through all the HDR brackets. As it stands now, I have to go through all the JPEG brackets and pitch the under/over-exposed shots and keep the normal exposure.

Regards,
Terry

Marc Sabatella · 06-20-2009, 09:06 AM

This assumes you are actually using Adobe Camera Raw with Elements, as opposed to taking the image into the "regular" parts of Elements. As long as you process using ACR, you are doing your adjustments pre-conversion to RGB, meaning WB and other JPEG settings have not been applied yet. But if you take your image directly into the "regular" parts of Elements, I'm assuming that it will apply WB and other JPEG settings when it pre-processes the file for use in Elements.

calicojack · 06-20-2009, 12:11 PM

As far as I'm aware, you can't bypass ACR (in Elements 5 anyway). Whenever I take a raw file to the editor or ask the editor to open a raw file, it opens in ACR first. Then I can save it in Adobe's raw or open it in Elements Editor for further processing or saving.
It's good to know that the full, unmodified raw file is still there but just tagged with the camera's setting.

06-20-2009, 04:56 AM	#1
calicojack Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, N.Y. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,124	Does White Balance (or other) adjustments effect RAW files? I've been using the RAW setting on my K10D for a while now. I process through Photoshop Elements 5 and rarely make major changes. Does the in camera White Balance and other adjustments play a role here? Of course the exposure is controlled by the camera, but I'm talking about WB, and bright / normal, etc. Thanks. Sooner or later I'll get it right, Brian

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06-20-2009, 07:12 AM	#2
tlwyse Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Waxhaw, NC, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 211	Originally posted by calicojack Does the in camera White Balance and other adjustments play a role here? Of course the exposure is controlled by the camera, but I'm talking about WB, and bright / normal, etc. The RAW file will get "tagged" with the white balance setting you used at capture time but there's no permanent effect or "damage" done to the RAW file even if you choose the incorrect white balance setting. You're free to change the white balance to whatever setting you want or even apply a custom white balance. I'm assuming Adobe Camera Raw here as I'm unfamiliar with Photoshop Elements RAW processing options. Other in-camera "processing" settings only apply to JPEG. I've even gotten into the habit of shooting RAW (DNG) + JPEG where I'll set the JPEG setting to 2 megapix and use these as "proxies" or thumbnails for HDR processing. First time I tried it, I wondered whether the 2 megapix setting was going to affect the RAW file....thankfully not as the RAW will always come out at full sensor resolution no matter what the JPEG resolutiona dn quality setting are set for. Wish list: When auto-bracketing in DNG+JPEG mode, it would be NICE to have the option of saving all the brackets for the RAW/DNG but only the normally exposed shot for the JPEG. The single JPEG could be used as the preview for quickly sorting through all the HDR brackets. As it stands now, I have to go through all the JPEG brackets and pitch the under/over-exposed shots and keep the normal exposure. Regards, Terry

06-20-2009, 09:06 AM	#3
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	This assumes you are actually using Adobe Camera Raw with Elements, as opposed to taking the image into the "regular" parts of Elements. As long as you process using ACR, you are doing your adjustments pre-conversion to RGB, meaning WB and other JPEG settings have not been applied yet. But if you take your image directly into the "regular" parts of Elements, I'm assuming that it will apply WB and other JPEG settings when it pre-processes the file for use in Elements.

06-20-2009, 12:11 PM	#4
calicojack Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, N.Y. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,124 Original Poster	As far as I'm aware, you can't bypass ACR (in Elements 5 anyway). Whenever I take a raw file to the editor or ask the editor to open a raw file, it opens in ACR first. Then I can save it in Adobe's raw or open it in Elements Editor for further processing or saving. It's good to know that the full, unmodified raw file is still there but just tagged with the camera's setting.