Silkypix DS 3.0.3 Preview

Hi all

Good news
http://www.isl.co.jp/SILKYPIX/english/download/early_preview/

ISL have released v3.0.3 preview that includes support for the K10D

Shouldn't be long for a full blown 3.0.3 release!

Matt

and for us people who bought the 3.0 release this update will be free I presume?
Did they change any other things as well?
There is one thing I would like, if they would offer a printed manual for sale then I would be interested. There is so much to take in account in terms of settings and it takes a lot of reading.

Quick set of questions to all you Silkypix users...

I have downloaded the freebie version to have my first real go at converting RAW's from my K10D. I have had a go with my *ist-D using ACR so I have an idea what I'm up to but only a very, very basic idea.

Previously as some of you will have read I've been a die-hard film head, only really using the *ist-D for jpg's and action shots (shooting RAW was far too frustrating with the weenie buffer!) but since buying the K10D I've been very keen to give this digital malarkey and specifically RAW a real go... To give you an idea of the level that I'm at - in terms of PS CS2 I've done about 15 weeks worth of PS course and am comfortable with most of the basic adjustments, levels, curves etc. It's a steep old lurning curve... but what better way to learn than ask a few questions and try to apply some of what I've learnt / been told?

1./ Will the freebie version of Silkypix not save to TIFF? Can't work out how to do this...
2./ The Exposure bias and WB seem to be fairly self explanatory but are there any particular settings that you could recommend as a starting point to change/adjust on the tone / colour / contrast / sharpness / NR buttons or should I leave Silkypix to make the decisions for me at the mo?
3./ In terms of sharpness is there a value that you find yourself setting for K10D images most of the time? For eg I've read somewhere that Canon advise an ACR sharpness value in their manual - or am I making this up?
4./ What benefits are there to be had using Silkypix over ACR? Or even Capture One?

As an example (in the words of Blue Peter) - "here's a couple that I made earlier" - from my little trip to London yesterday that I was on about in Liam's sunset thread. Both are using the suggested default settings...

http://www.pbase.com/diffractionphotography/image/73114459
This is the Silkypix version



And this - http://www.pbase.com/diffractionphotography/image/73114554 - is the ACR version



The colours etc 'straight out of the box' on the Silkypix version seem to be way better than the ACR version - my guess is that I'm doing something wrong or not doing something in ACR - any ideas?

Thanks very much in advance for your help, advice, input etc etc... Would be very handy to be pointed in the right direction!

Cheers!

Will

Another question to add to the list - should I be saving as 8 or 16 bit TIFF's? What are the benefits of 16 bit?

Cheers!

Will

Might me worth wile downloading the full silkypix version for its 30 day trial. There seem to be several differances:-
Mainly you can batch convert and save to TIFF in the full version but not in the free one. Plus several other less important issues like globaly changing sharpness.
I prefer to make most of my sharpening changes in Photoshop CS as you can also control sharpening of shadows and highlights instead of sharpening the whole image.
I also don't find the sharpening in silkypix that effective.
Sharpeining is a matter of preferance - you see all sorts of comments in mags about over and under sharpening but depends upon who is assessing the photo I think.
My preference is Amount 40%, radius 1.4 and (photoshop only) remove Gaussian Blur.
All my photos on http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/rfphotos/portfolio.htm have been done with just about this setting but on ist DS. I've been playing with the K10D and find it needs about the same.

As for tone, colour and sharpness I think it's whatever looks right for you. Try letting the software adjust the pic and then make minor changes to suit after that.

Like the london pics but what a difference the software made. Prefere the silkypix one. I've never used ACR so can't comment on it.

As for TIFF files I believe that 16bit contains more colour info than the 8bit.
Only one slight problem with 16bit is that some of the functions in Photoshop CS cannot be used with 16bit TIFF files.

Will,
I've only used the full Developer Studio of Silkypix (should be "SILKYPIX"... not sure if the free version restricts TIFF. In the SP-DS3 you choose the file type (and bit depth) in the "Settings" when you convert.

* 16-bit vs 8-bit TIFF - if your images are great straight out of SP-DS3, then don't worry too much - use 8-bit. If you intend to do dodging and burning, curves etc in Photoshop CS2, then for the K10D I would advise using 16-bit TIFF. The K10D has amazingly clean shadows which you may want to fiddle with in PS - if you do this in 8bit then you risk posterization. Stick to 16-bit and you'll get smoother results for sure

* Colour. Most RAW convertors assume linear response from the CCD and really don't do much when converting. Capture One can apply a CCD profile before all the RAW conversion which produces better results. Silkypix goes a little further (or in a slightly different direction) by allowing the choice of colour responses - my "usuals" are "Memory Color 2", "Film P" and "Film A". You'll struggle to get the same colour response out of ACR

* Sharpening: I find that the *ist-D did very well using their "Pure Detail" default, and then adjusting the noise reduction to around 6 to 20 (depending on ISO). The *ist-D was getting better results with this than I'd ever seen from 6Mp. The K10D doesn't need as much, and the "Natural fine" (the default) seems just fine - but the noise reduction still needs to be around 4 to 8 to smooth out the sky areas. I'll still do some localised sharpening in PS though

I've been getting astonishingly good results from the K10D and SP-DS3 - you can see the quality at A4 (I've had MF level of detail), they'd be exceptional at A3 and beautiful even larger.

One day I'll get round to a "Rough Guide to Silkypix" like I did for Capture One....
(It might help if you keep badgering me with questions )

Matt

I've just got the trial to err.. trial.

OK then..






Cheers

Liam

Silkypix now have a preview of 3.0.4 on their website. Only main difference seems to be related to "comfortable operation" that refers to a viewing or previewing mode - maybe they are trying to speed it up a bit?

Matt / Rodger,

Thanks for the tips - will see if I get a few mins this eve to have a bit more of a play... Can see me downloading the full version!

And... Matt - don't worry I'll keep those questions coming...

Cheers!

Will

Well... I did download the trial version of SP3, the trial seems to allow me to use it for 14 days. However it won't process my images as I seem to have done what George mentioned in another thread and somehow set the year on my K10D wrong - it was on 2056 :

SP3 won't process my images as it says the date in the computer or file is wrong. I have tried to reset the date on the computer to compensate but it still won't work - my guess is that if I turn the clock that far forwards then my trial is up!?!

Anyway, not to be deterred I've had a better play with ACR and will post a couple of the results in another thread or see here - http://www.pbase.com/diffractionphotography/k10d_raw_samples

I'll have to see if I can get out again when the sun decides to shine again and take some more RAW's to play with in SP3.

Will