[Rob.K]

Hello,

I am new to the forum, si if this has been asked before, I am sorry to do so again.

I have the K10D. Its a very nice DSLR.

But my question is software related.

I have a MAC running Tiger, (OX 10.4) and have iphoto. Thats not a bad program. But its not at all meant to do a lot of work with the RAW format, but it will read that format in some cases.

I have not used the CD that came with the camera, so I have no idea how that software works.

I have looked into Elements 4 for MAC. (Thats the highest that there is for that format now). Its nice as it will plug into iphoto, and works well with it.

Bit I have run into a few problems with that. 1. The product was written for the Power PC Macs. And I have an Intel Mac now. So I am not sure of it will work or not, and if it does, how well.

And I also wonder where to get a good manual for version 4 for MAC. The Mac version is kind of odd. Its indeed version 4, but has the version 3 interface. So, there are no books out for the Mac version yet. Not even from Adobe.

So I am trying to find me something that will work well for me. And I was wondering what many of you used that had Mac computers.

I would be grateful for any shared insight.

Rob.K

[WMBP]

There aren't as many Raw workflow options for the Mac OS as for Windows, but there are some good ones. Apple of course makes Aperture. You may find it a bit pricey, but you might want to give it a look. If you find yourself shooting a lot of photos in Raw format, you'll need something like it. I'm not crazy about Photoshop Elements, but many people like it very much, and it will handle your Raw images, too, I'm pretty sure. Adobe is about to release Lightroom, which I think is great and it works on the Mac OS, too, although it probably won't be any cheaper than Aperture. A big advantage of Lightroom is that the day it is released (probably within the next month) it will immediately have a HUGE user community, as it has been in public beta for over a year, there are a dozen books already written about it, and a magazine devoted to Lightroom is ready to launch. If you are willing to get off the beaten path, Lightcrafts' Lightzone is a program with a brilliant concept and a very cool user interface - and a few glaring weaknesses. Nevertheless, while I wait for the release of Lightroom, I keep playing with the Lightzone demo and trying to make up my mind which way to go. It costs less than Lightroom probably will.

Will

[Rob.K]

Will,
Thank you for the reply.

You know, with most of the imaging pros using Macs, you would think that there would be more on the market. But then again, all those guys seem to flock to Photoshop. So, there goes that.

I am looking at Silky Pics. That will work on an Intel Mac. And it seems to do everything that I would like for it to do.

I just wonder if it has its own photo library, or if I will need to use the Pentax one. I do not think that it will plug into iphoto. I like the management of iphoto ok, and it works well most of the time, but it seems that all that pugs into it is Photoshop, and elements.

I also looked at Bibble. But if I used that, I would need to use Elements, as that allows for it to be pluged into iphoto. And I am limited to Bibble lite, as the pro version is for the big photoshop package. (My head is spinning about now!)

I am sure I will work something out. But man, what hoops to jump threw.

Thanks again,

Rob

[slip]

I am not a mac user, but for a while I was seriously thinking of one.
I do know that the old software programs coded for power PC will run slower on an intel mac then the power PC macs. almost all of them are now "recoded" to work with intels using a program called rosetta (SP) that is not to say they will run as fast as if they were written for intel macs. most will run slower on an intel mac then the power PC macs.
The next Photoshop CS3 will be universal, meaning it will be written for intel's in its native language, not converted like previous versions. it will run on Power PC as well. they have tested the CS3 on the intel macs and photoshop is a LOT faster.
You might be best to bite the bullet, get the newest photoshop when it is released, and from what I hear, depending on your needs, you might not want to upgrade it anytime soon

the other thing you can do when it comes out is to go to your local college and purchase an education version.... or get a student to do it for you.
you save a LOT of money this way.


good luck with your choices

randy

[Rob.K]

Thank you for taking the time to give me your insight.

Yes, I know about the Rosetta, and you are right, some programs can, and do run slower, sometimes MUCH slower. I can not afford Photoshop anytime soon.

Here are that I am for the most part faced with.

1. Use iphoto (version 6) and just make due until wife slides some cash my way. (That is nt going to happen anytime soon. She is little and cute, but tough as a bear with money).

2. Get Elements now, (it will plug into iphoto just fine) and get Bibble lite, as that will plug into elements. It has a noise program that I would like to get. I think its a version, (although slimmed down), or Noise Ninja.

3. Get Sillypics. But if I get this, I will still need software to used as my library. I might be able to use iphoto, but it will be tough, as Silkypics can not plug into iphoto as Elements can. Or I can use the Pentax Browser.

4. And lastly, I could just use what came in the camera, and some of that is silkypics. But I am not sure how much of that is like the free version.

Yes, I like having a Mac. It has a lot of benifits. But sometimes, it can get a bit more complicated that I would like. I know I am better off really. But this is just something new that I need to work out I suppose.

What have you used, and what have you found yourself using more than the others if you do not mind me asking?

Thanks again,

Rob.K

[slip]

Thank you for taking the time to give me your insight.

Yes, I know about the Rosetta, and you are right, some programs can, and do run slower, sometimes MUCH slower. I can not afford Photoshop anytime soon.

Here are that I am for the most part faced with.

1. Use iphoto (version 6) and just make due until wife slides some cash my way. (That is nt going to happen anytime soon. She is little and cute, but tough as a bear with money).

2. Get Elements now, (it will plug into iphoto just fine) and get Bibble lite, as that will plug into elements. It has a noise program that I would like to get. I think its a version, (although slimmed down), or Noise Ninja.

3. Get Sillypics. But if I get this, I will still need software to used as my library. I might be able to use iphoto, but it will be tough, as Silkypics can not plug into iphoto as Elements can. Or I can use the Pentax Browser.

4. And lastly, I could just use what came in the camera, and some of that is silkypics. But I am not sure how much of that is like the free version.

Yes, I like having a Mac. It has a lot of benifits. But sometimes, it can get a bit more complicated that I would like. I know I am better off really. But this is just something new that I need to work out I suppose.

What have you used, and what have you found yourself using more than the others if you do not mind me asking?

Thanks again,

Rob.K

Have you ever thought about boot camp and running windows as well as OSX and getting some windows software?
I am not sure if photoshop elements 5 for windows if better then elements 4 for mac, but you could download a free trial and find out

cheers

randy

[us024077]

You have another choice...Bibble will run on an intelMac.

[Oskar]

Give Pentax Photolab (on the CD) a try before you decide. It's a bit slow in its GUI, but works. And you have already paid for it.

I have started using this process for raw:

1. (only applicable if you use RAW only) create a batch job to process all new raw files to jpeg. If you use raw+jpg this step isn't needed.

2. Browse through the jpgs. I use Graphic Converter for this.

3. If some pictures need some more attention, I might 'develop' them separately in Photolab (more attention to white balance, etc). If I want to edit the pictures further (e.g. remove stuff) I export them as tiff and open them in Graphic Converter, otherwise I export as jpeg (usually in 'bright' mode)

4. Import keepers into iPhoto. I still haven't figured out what to do with the raw files though...

This is my process right now, I'll see how it works. I'll probably only use raw in difficult situations. Pentax Photobrowser is horribly slow, at first I thought it was a PPC binary. This is also a fairly cheap setup, Graphic Converter is only USD 30.

[Rob.K]

Yes, I could run Windows and use version 5. But to be honest, I can not afford to do that. And I really do not want to put Windows on this computer. It will be a mess.

But it was a thought.

Thanks,
Rob

[Rob.K]

Silypics has a free version now for Intel Macs. I downloaded it, but not installed it yet. But I would still need to use something to manage the photos. I thought that maybe the Pentax Browser might work. I will go to the site and see if they have an updated version for Univeral for Mac yet.
My money is really starting to get tight now. So I need to be very careful what I do with this.

Thanks,

Rob

[Rob.K]

Yes, Bibble will run on intel. I confirmed that today. One thing that I really like about it is that it has some plug ins that will really let me do more with Black and White than I thought was was going to be able to do at first.

I just need to see if for Mac, it only plugs into Elaments/iphoto, or if its avalable as a a stand alone.

Do you have any information on that?

Thanks,

Rob

[Oskar]

I thought that maybe the Pentax Browser might work. I will go to the site and see if they have an updated version for Univeral for Mac yet.

The version I got on the Cd with my K10D is Universal. It just feels like a PPC version on my Intel Mac.

[Rob.K]

Let me run this past you and see what you, or anyone else thinks.

I did a few test today, and found something out. The Pentax Raw format can not be read by iphoto...yet. We all knew that. But I found something out that I did not think would be a problem at first. I put the K10D into the Adobe Raw format. And the software did not even see the photos. They are there, I took a look and the computer will see them, but iphoto will not even see them, much less read them.

Have any of you Mac guys seen this, and have you any ideas?

Rob.K

[WMBP]

The Pentax Raw format can not be read by iphoto...yet. We all knew that. But I found something out that I did not think would be a problem at first. I put the K10D into the Adobe Raw format. And the software did not even see the photos. They are there, I took a look and the computer will see them, but iphoto will not even see them, much less read them.

You mean that the camera was saving images in DNG format? Do the files have names like IMG1234.DNG?

Will

[Louis]

Yes I have seen the same problem with my G5 mac also. In the Adobe format I try to open an image and my PritureSync software opens! I guess I'll just have to wait for Apple to add the Pentax K10D converter or move from Apple software to Lightroom.

Louis