RAW CONUNDRUM

Evening all...

Can I run this one by your folks.

Ive only started using RAW files over the last few weeks. But only today did I notice that I might not!!!

When I am finished editing my photos in Lightroom 3 (DNG FILES BY THE WAY) and export them into a folder, when I go to view them and check the properties its says its a JPEG???

Have I been working on DNG RAW Files for the last few months only to downgrade them back to jpeg unknowingly?

QC

I think you will find only the exported file changes. The original Dng raw is still in it's original place and format.

You will find all of the options in the File Settings,
jpegs is the default setting.

John

Don't panic! Your DNG files should be exactly where you put them, and they should be perfectly intact. Any edits you made in the program will have been recorded and added as metadata to either the DNG file itself, in Lightroom's own database of image records.

If you find the DNG again and re-open it it should load up with all the alterations you have already made applied again. JPEG would be a good output option if you are finished working on the photo and want to display it on a webpage or possibly send it to an online printers.

But you should find that the JPEG is a new file entirely. (Did you get an opportunity to rename it? )

I too was very worried when I first experimented with developing dng files in PDCU4 so I always 'closed' out without making any changes.

However, now, after some help from Nigel (McGregNi) I'm enjoying the results of just playing around to see what changes I can make before saving the changed image as a .tiff or .jpg file.

As Nigel said - 'don't panic' the original dng file is still there. However, if you want to make sure (as I do) it is best to change the file name. I normally just add the letter 't' or 'j' to the filename to distinguish it from the original. Sometimes I make several versions adding 1, 2, etc to the filename so I know.

Have fun.

Peter

OK lets recap im very confused and am embarrassed boot

If I can just go through this again and those that have answered could you add or correct to this please

1) I am shooting DNG RAW
2) The files arent recognised by Lighroom 3 so I have to bring them into Pentax Utility and then export/transfer them to Lighroom 3
3) Then I can edit them in there RAW format.
4) When I export them and view them they are lablelled in properties as "Jpeg"

I am confused by what you have replied - can you tell me if the RAW file is elsewhere or is this new JPEG file a higher resoltion file?

A very confused bloke right now

Now you have ME confused !
(And don't be embarrassed - you're amongst friends here !)

I cannot think why your LR3 doesn't recognise the .dng files ? .dng is an Adobe RAW format that just about any RAW editor program will recognise !

I'm too mean to buy LightRoom and since we have the FREE PDCU4 which came with our camera I'm happy to stick with THAT. However, the user interface is NOT the most friendly, which is why Nigel has been helping me.

PANIC NOT !

It sounds as if you have already loaded PDCU4 so THAT is all you need to do ALL the RAW development before saving the result as a .tiff or a .jpg file. (Do this using 'Save as' in the 'File' drop-down at top left)

I'm finding that I don't need to do any more work after that (except perhaps for a bit of trimming or artisitic effects) and that can be done in any suitable photo editor.

NB - you CANNOT save the file developed in PDCU4 in RAW format - that is only the ORIGINAL data saved by the camera.

If, like me, you find using PDCU4 a bit tricky just 'play around' with the slider controls on the righthand side and keep watching this Forum for when Nigel publishes his 'Easy Guide to PDCU4' !

If this is not quite right I'm sure Nigel will add a few words !

Peter

DNG should be fine with LR3, not sure what's happening there!

What should happen is this. You put your RAW files in a folder, and add that folder to lightroom's catalogue / library. (Click 'folders' and select 'add folder' and then navigate to and select the source folder). This will import the files into lightroomAfter developing the images in lightroom, you export them as jpegs to a new, totally different, folder for finished images which you can print, upload, edit in photoshop etc.

The RAW file will still be in its original source folder where you put it. The RAW is the digital negative, the jpegs are like prints. You can go back to the RAW file and tweak or reverse settings, and export as a jpeg, as many times as you want.

I think Peter's right - you can't use the Pentax Utility software to convert the RAW file into any other kind of RAW. I think originally we didn't understand the problem you were describing - I thought you meant you didn't want to export to a JPEG.

It is obviously strange that LR3 is not recognising the DNGs. I would suggest you describe what happens when you try and open a DNG, do you get some error message ? I'm not a Lightroom user, but I believe it uses the Adobe Camera RAW plugin - it is possible this is not working properly.

I'm sure some LR users will assist also, but you could try to update the ACR plugin from the Adode website. Also there is a free RAW converter program available from Adobe, DNG Converter I think its called. Running your DNGs in this and saving them might work. It would be interestiong to see if it can open your files at least.

I dont use Lightroom but i do have elements so maybee able to help on a few points

The advantage of RAW files is that they have more information, this gives more flexability when editing without loosing the quality of the image and so getting a better quality image in the end. At the end of editing the file you will always export the file into a different format such as jpeg, the original DNG file which will be retained with all the informationa intact. you will need the picture to be in a format like jpeg or tiff to print or share on sites like this.

I am not sure if lightroom is the same as elements in this respect.

Are the RAW files not recognised by the organiser or in the editor, In Elements the RAW files are not automatically displayed in the organiser (although i think it is possible to change settings so they are), i need to open and edit the file and save as jpeg etc so they are visable in the organiser

Hope this helps

Ah, I clicked why you're ending up with JPEGs - you are using Pentax Digital Camera Utility to export them as Jpegs and then opening the Jpegs in LR - I think thats whats happening am I right?

You can edit the Jpegs in LR, but as most of us are saying you'll be able to 'get more out of them' if you can work directly with the DNG. Peter has said above already that you could just use PDCU, but I appreciate that if you have LR you would want it to actually work for you.

Your other thread has gone much the same way - the suggestions are along the lines of updating the ACR plugin and checking the versions etc. If thje issue is with the LR image library, wonder if you can just directly open a DNG, like from a standard FILE - OPEN menu and try that?

Quite simply, when you save a file on a pc (I have no experience of Mac's), the file is suffixed according to the file type, so if you manipulate a file then save it, the file type should remain " as is" unless you are offered an option to " save as". When you use this function, you are usually presented with compatible file types - images will be offered up as " save as" jpeg, tiff,dng,png, etcetera. Usually, some piece of software will be involved in the conversion process.

Firstly, RAW image files, be they .PEF or .DNG are not changed in any way, except perhaps metadata, by any RAW processing software.

Instead, some RAW editors save any changes that you make in a 'sidecar' file. When said editor reopens the RAW image, it then applies any changes it finds in that sidecar file. The original image file is untouched.

Lightroom instead uses a database to keep all of your image changes. They call it a catalogue but it's a database all the same.

No RAW editor that I know of can export RAW images, they only export as one of the other 'normal' image file formats like JPG, TIF, PNG.

If you are using Pentax software to export images, they'll be in one of these formats not RAW, PEF, or DNG.

You really need to discover why .DNG files are not being recognised in Lightroom. Have you updated your LR3 to the latest version of LR3 yet? If not, do so without delay and report back.

If you open Lightroom, click Help > About, your LR version and (more importantly) Camera RAW version numbers will be displayed (top right in LR 4.2), what versions are you running?

The Pentax K5 camera was supported in LR 3.4 which used Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) 6.4.

No, he is saving them as jpegs on export, ( the default setting )

A picture is worth a thousand words.




A jpeg can be imported into LR, worked on and saved as anything shown in the screen shot, even a DNG.( LR3 )

John

thanks for all that guys!
I'm able to edit photos in raw and save as jpegs