Raw in elements

[nick smith]

hello there, can anyone advise me just got a canon g10 and thinking about buying adobe elements to edit my photos, but wondering if it is alot more visitile than the software that came with the camera and can I edit raw images with it.
so in a nutshell is it worth the money? thanks

 

[PatW]

Elements comes with Adobe Camera Raw. You can manipulate the raw images to a limited extent. That limited extent allows you to do most of the things that correct the shadows and highlights that is the big advantage of RAW. After that you can and the files into a format the Elements can handle. Elements has more options than Adobe Camera Raw. I would think that Elements has more than enough capability for most people.

 

[John_B]

I'm assuming the G10 comes with DPP?

Elements comes with a Camera Raw plug-in. So the short answer is, yes, it should work with your G10.

Here's the deal with Adobe and their Camera Raw software: Depending on which camera you have, you'll have to get an updated version of the Camera Raw software (currently up to version 5.4) and that is tied to a current version of Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, etc.

So the first version of Camera Raw that supported your G10 was 5.2 (they are up to 5.4 with 5.5 in testing). Camera Raw 5.x requires Adobe Photoshop CS4 or later or Photoshop Elements 6 or later (or I think Lightroom 2). So you'd be covered for now shooting raw with the G10 you have.

Just be aware that some day when you upgrade to a newer camera, that will mean a required upgrade to a newer version of Camera Raw or the CR PSE plug-in, and that CR version may require you to upgrade to a newer version of your Adobe software. Not a huge deal with Elements at less than $100, but this can get expensive fast with the "full" version of Photoshop or any of Adobe's Creative Suite bundles.

One other comment, Elements and Photoshop are really more about editing an individual photo. Programs like Lightroom, Aperture, etc. more about categorizing, culling, and editing large batches from a photoshoot. If you are fixing the white balance and pumping up the reds for all 75 shots you just took during a dive, Lightroom or Aperture might be a better tool for the job. (DPP now has some of these batch editing features, though not as user friendly as you and I might like.)

The good news is that there are trial versions of Elements, Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, etc. so you can try them all out to see which works for you before you buy, though there is a quite a learning curve with some of that software, esp. if you are new to the process of touching up pics digitally.

FWIW: I use Lightroom (and DxO) for 98% of my work and occasionally pop over to Elements for that 2% that need extra help (usually fixing some localized section of a picture or removing some object that detracts from what I was trying to shoot).

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

John_B, are you sure about all that?

I have some experience with raw images, Adobe and Elements that seem to refute some of your information.

If you download the raw images to your computer with Adobe DNG Converter (free) then you can probably use versions of PS from 7 to present and versions of Elements from 4 to present.

 

[jastark]

Adobe is the best photo editing softwware you can get. I have the Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet to edit some of my pictures as well. It depends on the person though,it help alot on touch up I can't fix any other way.

 

[John_B]

John_B, are you sure about all that?

I have some experience with raw images, Adobe and Elements that seem to refute some of your information.

If you download the raw images to your computer with Adobe DNG Converter (free) then you can probably use versions of PS from 7 to present and versions of Elements from 4 to present.

Sorry, I missed this earlier. Yes, you can probably convert all your CR2s to DNGs but that's one helluva workaround if DNG isn't part of your standard workflow. YMMV, but if I'm going to DMG for a picture it's only to do some specific work in DxO which has a far better RAW converter anyway. But, yes, if you don't mind two raw files for every image, that might work.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Sorry, I missed this earlier. Yes, you can probably convert all your CR2s to DNGs but that's one helluva workaround if DNG isn't part of your standard workflow. YMMV, but if I'm going to DMG for a picture it's only to do some specific work in DxO which has a far better RAW converter anyway. But, yes, if you don't mind two raw files for every image, that might work.

OK, I'm not sure I understand your workaround/workflow comment or your two raw files comment.

First step for me is to get the image files off the camera/card onto the computer (download?). I used to use Oly software to download the ORF's to my computer. Now the DNG Converter downloads and converts in about the same amount of time, so instead of ORF's I now have DNG's; just one archival image file.

Other than that, which is really a better downloader not a workaround, my workflow has not changed.

 

[SeaSoulSelf]

Let me know if you are successful with Elements.

I was having issues getting Elements 6 to recognize the CR2 files... and I finally was able to download the CR patch. The PSE downloader won't do it correctly. You have to go get it from the Adobe website.

Frustrating, but doable.

I am just getting started with my G10.

 

[bvanant]

OK, I'm not sure I understand your workaround/workflow comment or your two raw files comment.

First step for me is to get the image files off the camera/card onto the computer (download?). I used to use Oly software to download the ORF's to my computer. Now the DNG Converter downloads and converts in about the same amount of time, so instead of ORF's I now have DNG's; just one archival image file.

Other than that, which is really a better downloader not a workaround, my workflow has not changed.

There are two issues going on here. One is the DNG converter and its ability to download files. The original poster asked about a Canon G10 and it is not clear that you can get the raw converter for that to work with Elements. Your OLY is old enough that it was current when the early Elements raw conversion was around. If DNG does what you want (it doesn't for me with a 5D) then great, but it isn't clear that the G10 workflow can run the same as your Olympus. Of course once you get the raw files converted then you can edit in anything you want.

Bill

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Mmmm, back to the OP's original question. Yes, PS Elemnts is worth it, especially if you find it for $70-80 US bucks or less. It is very versatile and I'm always surprised at how much it does for the price. Will not be a problem to download & use the G-10's CR2 files with version PSE 7.0 and even if you come across PSE 6.0, Adobe offers a free online update to allow you to open Canon RAW files.

I use Photoshop a lot but only have CS, which doesn't support CR2 files. I did have an old PS Elements version 6.0 around though and downloaded the Adobe fix. Presto, I can now use PSE on my laptop while on a dive vacation and download my G-10 RAW files for backup or even mess w/ them a bit if I want. Best of all, I can save the RAW files as PSDs (or other file formats)to open in CS when I get home. The software Canon furnishes w/ the G-10 is ok but Photoshop (regular or Elements) is very superior image editing software, IMO. Very much worth the investment if you put the time in to learn it. // ww