Raw file format - changing

My partner and myself both have K10D’s and load the Raw files onto our laptop usually into the same folders before processing them in Photoshop Elements 5.
Is there anyway to change the Raw file name format on one of the camera’s ? i.e. (_IGP5879.DNG to _IGPtom5879.DNG) as our picture file numbering is very close? This would save having to manually edit them in a separate a folder before copying into the same folder and proccessing.

Depending on your use, change one to sRGB, the other to AdobeRGB. The underscore should be removed from the file name. I don't believe this affects RAW storage of the data, just the file name.
(It doesn't make sense to me that it would but I don't know how to validate that -- On MY system, the color management is not consistent even for a single format, so I won't trust what I see when using both).

Otherwise other options my just make things worse such as resetting numbering for each card change. It would be nice if Pentax included a Camera ID with its naming.

Of course, if you have something like ACDsee or LightRoom, the import utility should be able to rename the files and you could add your own ID... you just have to remember to do so. (Does PSE5 have an import utility?) At least the software "should" also have some sort of overwrite/rename protection just in case the numbers overlap at some point.

So does PS Elements have a raw conversion programme packaged with it, if so would this still be availble with PS elements7?

using Aperture (on the macs) we just set up seperate projects. I load mine into one project, tag them with my name in the metadata feild, and Gerri does the other project.
when we're done doing our editing, we just merge the projects, and by keeping the camera's clocks, synched, all the images shot by both of us for say a wedding, wind up sorted in the right order.

lightroom should work the same....

PSE has Adobe Camera RAW with it.
Can you not change the file name within the camera - you can with the K20D.
Otherwise in PSE you can use different names for the sub-folders according to which camera you are uploading from. PSE will recognise different cameras of the same type I believe.
I don't have my glasses handy or I would look it up for you.

Well thanks for the info, i like the simple easy answer of changing one camera to sRGB and leaving the other on AdobeRGB as long as the RAW data is maintained, cheers Amoringello.

It doesn't matter what colour space you set the camera to if you shoot Raw, as Raw doesn't have any colour space. It is only relevant for JPEG or TIFF output.

You select which colour space you want to output the Raw file to when you convert to either TIFF or JPEG. Most converters allow AdobeRGB as well as sRGB and some allow for even larger gamuts such as Pro Photo RGB.

If you are outputting your images for web use, you should use sRGB as most web browsers only recognise sRGB. For print purposes AdobeRGB is usually more than sufficient as most printers cannot reproduce a gamut wider than this anyway. If you send your output to an external print house, then you should check to see what colour space they can work with.

Another possible way round this, is if you upload to elements first, you can change the file numbers on the upload screen and identify 2 or more cams( for example cam1, cam 2), the sequential number appended will advance separate to the identifier, both cameras could still target the same folder on your drive. I can't remember for certain if PSE5 does this as I'm now using PSE6 and it works.
EddieD

For batch renaming I find "Rename-It!" is very useful (on the PC):
http://sourceforge.net/projects/renameit/
(Think that's the correct link)

Well a matters a little
To expand on this point... it is correct that the colourspace does NOT affect the RAW data. However, the JPG image that is embedded inside the RAW file is affected - both by the colourspace and the JPG resolution and quality.
You see you can shoot RAW and still extract the camera's JPG directly from the RAW file as an alternative to RAW+JPG (which JPG is also affected).

Just being nit-picking

It is also worth noting that the EXIF information in the RAW (and JPG) contains the camera model and serial number. The PhotoME EXIF viewer will show that. Not sure what applications can read and sort by that EXIF tag...

HTH!
Matt

Following on from Matt's point of the Exif data, just had a look and PSE6 do not show the camera serial no., in the Exif data, it can however find images by camera make and model etc., Pity, that would have ben another good solution.
EddieD

thank you for all your help, think i know which way i am going now, when i take it all in!
thanks again

Just a thought can you use the pentax format ( PEF ) for one camera and Adobe ( DNG ) for the other. then you can leave all other settings the same. May have to use the pentax supplied raw converter but CS3 raw reads both with no problems.

On the K20D under menu/ setup/ file name - you can change the file name the images are recorded/stored as for both colour profiles, so each cameras images will have a different file name. Eg I have changed mine to JDCP for the sRGB and -JDC for the AdobeRGB, from the standard IMGP and IMG names.

If the K10 has the same menu you could easily change the file name to suit each others cameras to something you could both recognise as your images.

With lightroom I can chose my own metadata information, I've now set it so that it includes my name and other thins but you can make more presets if you want and you can set custom naming of the file.

Maybe you can also do it with the Adobe DNG converter link
I've no need for it so didn't try it