RAW Editor or RAW Converter?

**Zev** · 02-17-2021, 01:47 AM

My Photoshop CS5 will not support any version of Adobe Camera Raw higher than 6, but my D7200 requires version 9

I'm quite proficient with Photoshop, and would prefer to use it, so if I shoot RAW, would I be best to convert the NEF files to TIFF then use Photoshop, or to use a separate RAW editor?

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**BF Hammer** · 02-17-2021, 02:30 AM

My understanding is that most people using Raw will use Lightroom to edit and only go to Photoshop as required for some function that Lightroom cannot do.

I have never used Photoshop or Lightroom and prefer to use open source software mostly. So I will work in RawTherapee and export as a TIF to GIMP for some final touches. Often it will only be to add my watermark and export as a JPG.

**hark** · 02-17-2021, 02:53 AM

Originally Posted by BF Hammer

My understanding is that most people using Raw will use Lightroom to edit and only go to Photoshop as required for some function that Lightroom cannot do.

I have never used Photoshop or Lightroom and prefer to use open source software mostly. So I will work in RawTherapee and export as a TIF to GIMP for some final touches. Often it will only be to add my watermark and export as a JPG.

Both Lightroom and Photoshop's Camera RAW require at least a certain version of Camera RAW to be able to read the NEF files.

In the past, I converted NEF's to DNG using Adobe's DNG Converter. DNG files are another form of RAW files but are a little smaller in size than TIFF. However, I'm not that knowledgeable as to which one might be better for you to use. There are differences between both of these RAW files.

Adobe DNG Converter: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/us...converter.html

@nickt or @FredKingston can either of you offer any information on a workaround for a different type of RAW file? Any idea whether DNG or TIFF would have any advantages/disadvantages?

**nickt** · 02-17-2021, 04:55 AM

Originally Posted by hark

@nickt or @FredKingston can either of you offer any information on a workaround for a different type of RAW file? Any idea whether DNG or TIFF would have any advantages/disadvantages?

No, sorry, I've got nothing on this one. I never really played with DNG's. Seems like Adobe is steering towards their DNG converter so I would probably try that first if my camera was not supported.

**BackdoorArts** · 02-17-2021, 11:43 AM

Use Adobe's DNG converter if you're not looking to upgrade the software. DNG files are effectively a wraparound for the NEF file (the original file is embedded within).

One thing to note since I just finished responding to your JPEG/RAW question, I believe you can apply a default Filter with your settings on open in Camera Raw as well. I'm just not sure how to do it.

**FredKingston** · 02-17-2021, 10:35 PM

A could of things about using DNG files as opposed to RAW files. DNG is Adobe's open source raw file format... It traditionally is smaller because it contains less of your camera makers proprietary data... It also is NOT, wholly non-destructive... Be sure to test whichever software YOU use as to whether it treats DNG as a non-destructive file format. The same with your Backup software... DNG files does things with it's create/modify time-stamps that are a bit different leading some Backup software to think that the file has been changed, when in fact, it has not. THAT could lead to massive, unnecessary backups...

DNGs are good... just be sure to test and understand what's happening in the background...

**BackdoorArts** · 02-18-2021, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by FredKingston

A could of things about using DNG files as opposed to RAW files. DNG is Adobe's open source raw file format... It traditionally is smaller because it contains less of your camera makers proprietary data... It also is NOT, wholly non-destructive... Be sure to test whichever software YOU use as to whether it treats DNG as a non-destructive file format. The same with your Backup software... DNG files does things with it's create/modify time-stamps that are a bit different leading some Backup software to think that the file has been changed, when in fact, it has not. THAT could lead to massive, unnecessary backups...

DNGs are good... just be sure to test and understand what's happening in the background...

There are actually two options when converting and one allows preservation of the original raw file within the DNG. They'll be bigger files, but they are technically non-destructive. At least that was the case the last time I used a DNG converter.