Photoshop Elements 11

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JJM

Senior Member
I am trying to get to grips with Photoshop with its greater control over my current programme, Nikon View NX (the free programme)
My intention is to process RAW files. Is it best to convert my Nikon RAW files to DNG and then import them to Photoshop or import the Nikon RAW files direct and let Photoshop convert them? I understand Photoshop ignores all the various manufacturers RAW types such as Nikon/NEF Canon/CR2 & Olympus/ORF and converts all files to the generic DNG anyway? Has anyone experience of best practice please?
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
JJM said:
I am trying to get to grips with Photoshop with its greater control over my current programme, Nikon View NX (the free programme)
My intention is to process RAW files. Is it best to convert my Nikon RAW files to DNG and then import them to Photoshop or import the Nikon RAW files direct and let Photoshop convert them? I understand Photoshop ignores all the various manufacturers RAW types such as Nikon/NEF Canon/CR2 & Olympus/ORF and converts all files to the generic DNG anyway? Has anyone experience of best practice please?
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No, this was not correct... DNG conversion is not a necessary step. Mostly, DNG will simply prevent ViewNX from ever being able to open them. Photoshop DOES NOT convert the NEF file to DNG unless you specify to do it. Photoshop will work on the original NEF, and will leave them as NEF, which will always work fine.

Conversion to DNG is NOT necessary at this time - leave that until you have a better reason. :) You can always do it later. But do have a known reason first.

See Why shoot Raw? for more about Raw, esp the video file there.

You may want to consider investing the software money into LightRoom instead of Elements. Elements is sort of intentionally limited, features left out of it.

lightroom elements compared - Google Search
 
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J

JJM

Senior Member
Wayne I have now watched the video in your link about processing RAW files. Also I have downloaded the Nikon Codec programme you pointed me to. Now I can actually see the RAW images in my folders rather than the Nikon icons! It seems that after processing the image in RAW it may not even need any more work when it has been converted to JPEG. So many thanks again for you directions.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
JJM said:
Wayne I have now watched the video in your link about processing RAW files. Also I have downloaded the Nikon Codec programme you pointed me to. Now I can actually see the RAW images in my folders rather than the Nikon icons! It seems that after processing the image in RAW it may not even need any more work when it has been converted to JPEG. So many thanks again for you directions.
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You will also need an Adobe Codex to see DNG files in the folders too. :)

I would suggest Lightroom instead of Elements (has more Raw features), but yes, except for very specialized touch up editing (like removing people from scene, or replacing the head on a body, etc), Lightroom should do all we normally need. In fact, it seems to do a lot of it even easier and faster. :)

I don't actually use Lightroom, I was already using full Photoshop, so I just continue. But all three use the same Adobe Raw module. Elements has the basics, but does omit a lot of it.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
FredKingston said:
LR's non-destructive file management is the most important feature for me. That, and it's ability to make adjustments to large numbers of images at one time...
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It is a great feature, but all Raw software is non-destructive editing, including any Adobe version, or any other brand, like ViewNX. We have no tools to actually change the Raw file.

In comparison however, some free programs, like say Faststone, will open and read Raw files. However, they are NOT raw editors, anything but. Opening them becomes then just like a JPG, in that changes are actually made to the data (instead of saving a list of the changes). Save the image and the changes are only in the JPG data, so next time, to see those previous changes, you have to open the JPG, not the Raw file. Open the Raw file, and you have no list of changes.

And there is more. Adobe Raw software will also losslessly edit JPG files, like from my wifes compact camera. Again lossless editing, in that it does not change the data, but saves a list of changes, somewhere else in the JPG file, If other software opens it, they don't know about any of this, and it does not bother them, but they only see the original JPG file. But open it in Adobe, and it sees and applies the previous changes, losslessly. No additional JPG artifacts. But like Raw, we also have to output another JPG file containing those changes, so other programs can see it. Good stuff. The wife thinks her little compact camera takes tremendous pictures now. :)

And agreed, ability to affect many images at once is certainly also a major feature. To my knowledge, Nikon Raw software can't do that, but it is MAJOR.

Raw has a tremendous number of major features. It is all good. :)
 
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J

JJM

Senior Member
Yes I have seen all the information on Lightroom which sells here in the UK for about £105 but I have only recently waited for the cost of Elements 11 to reduce to £50 on Amazon before buying. Five minutes after I bought it Elements 12 was announced at a special offer for about the same price! Eventually I will have to bite the bullet and invest in Lightroom.
 
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