Photoshop Plugin

Hello Everybody
I have downloaded (from the Pentax Website) and installed the plugin that will allow the direct importation of Pentax *istD RAW images into Adobe Photoshop.
Everything went fine with download and installation. But when I tried to actually import the raw images (PEF files). I keep getting the error message

"Unable to display preview".

Anybody know what could be the reason for this.
I use Photoshop7.
very many thanks

hey, at least you get a message. On my Mac (OSX 10.3.9) and PS 7 the Plug-in simply crashes, whenever I try to use it...

sorry, no better news here.

regards
Ron

It won't work with PS7, only PS CS and PS CS2.

Not being too rude about Pentax's RAW plugin, I'd suggest you try something different. Personally, I use Phase One's Capture One LE ($99) - absolutely amazing all round.
There is also the Pixmantec RAWshooter, which is free and pretty good!
(I've used pretty much all the RAW convertors: dcRAW, Pentax's, Photoshop CS, and they are all just "ok". Not all RAW convertors are the same )

Matt

[quote="MattMatic"]Not being too rude about Pentax's RAW plugin, I'd suggest you try something different. Personally, I use Phase One's Capture One LE ($99) - absolutely amazing all round.
There is also the Pixmantec RAWshooter, which is free and pretty good!
(I've used pretty much all the RAW convertors: dcRAW, Pentax's, Photoshop CS, and they are all just "ok". Not all RAW convertors are the same )

Hi Matt
I am currently trying RAW concertors. So far I have used Pentax Photo lab (for my istDS pix), the Canon utilities (for my G5's pix), Eye One LE, Bibble. I also gave dcRAW a look and I am awaiting deleivery of my just ordered Adobe CS upgrade... My first impressions are:
- Canon utilities: quality and general handling o.k., but too slow
- Pentax utilities, general handling o.k., conversion quality o.k., but simply not good for handling large numers of files.
- Eye One LE: generally very nice, good handling and conversion quality, but the batch processing limitation is annoying
- Bibble, my favourite so far, because of its batch processing capability and very good handling at considerably lower cost than Eye One Pro. (Just about the same as Eye One LE.)

So, I am very much looking forward to the Adobe RAW converter, which seems to deliver high quality conversion.

Other options I tried like dcRAW or Grafikkonverter surely convert the RAW data, but the tools for optimization are not up to what I need or expect. And I shoot exclusively RAWs, because I want the freedom of more bits for after-processing.

As I am using two different RAW formats (Pentax and Canon), I really look forward to find a unified solution (like Eye One or Bibble), but looking at the Adobe upgrade prices I won't spend another 500 USD on Eye One Pro.

Regards
Ron

What about Capture One LE?
It's $99, and now allows unlimited batching.
Here are some things that make C1LE best for me:
1. Film response curves (extra shadow, normal, extra contrast) are very helpful
2. Curves within the RAW process gives excellent quality
3. Automatic hot spot removal - a life saver for high ISO images
4. Astonishing noise reduction. I processed a batch of ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 that nothing else could touch
5. You can queue an image up while working on the next
6. Output to multiple colour spaces easily.

(and it supports a whole range of RAW formats. www.phaseone.com)

Images like: http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/showlargepic.cfm?photoid=213557 and http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/showlargepic.cfm?photoid=213097 and
http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/largephoto.cfm?f=16488_1118037999.jpg

were a five minute job in C1LE. Even in Photoshop CS RAW I couldn't even get close - I struggled with colour, dynamic range etc.

If I could warrant the Pro version, I'd get it because then it adds 4x upsampling and a whole host of other features.

Matt

[quote="MattMatic"]What about Capture One LE?
It's $99, and now allows unlimited batching.

oh, that's new to me. I just visited their web site yesterday and still found them talking on the 20 images batch-limit for the LE version. Is that a thing of the past? Then it might me in the race again, because I liked it too. Though I still find Bibble quite user friendly.

regards
Ron