oops, i just posted this in workflow, but i think this is a better spot. i am new to this forum thing, so please excuse the double post!


i have been experimenting with the custom functions that control contrast/saturation/monochrome, etc. i finally managed to get the result i was looking for in my camera, but i still wanted to shoot raw because i am still afraid of jpeg (it is very scary to let go of RAW!). i was so excited to see the images i shot with my custom functions when i downloaded my cards and loaded the images in iview, but then to my dismay....when i put the images into bridge and/or capture one to process the RAW all of the custom funtioness that i did went away! is there a way to process RAW with the custom functions that i set in camera?

from what I understand, no....but maybe someone else who knwos more will chime in.

If you shoot Canon, you can use their free DPP software which will retain the custom info. Then just RAW process and you're set. LR/ACR etc apply their own conversions to the RAW file, and in doing so zero out all custom settings. Not sure about Aperture.

An aside, I love Lightroom, but I've actually gone back to DPP with the last couple of weddings because it's so fast and I like keeping my custom settings too.

Hmm I never knew DPP kept the custom setup... Maybe I'll have to look into that, I've been using Bridge since day 1

you're talking about processing parameters right? custom functions are something completely different, and have to do with things like mirror lockup, max/min shutter speeds etc.

anyway, as far as custom processing parameters, those will only affect a JPEG image, since those parameters are not applied to a RAW image. that is, unless, you do use DPP to view and edit raw images. although somewhat primitive in my opinion, DPP does take those processing parameters and applies them to your RAW images.

what you are seeing in the camera is a JPEG PREVIEW of the RAW image and does not directly reflect what your RAW image will look like straight out of the camera.

Can't you use the "Save new camera raw defaults" ? Set up ACR like you like it, and then save it. Then every Raw file from that camera opens with those settings already applied.

Marks right, using bridge and ARC, bring your photo in, turn off all the auto settings, change any others settings and save as camera raw default and you never have to do that again.

And that really sucks if you have different things you use at different times during the shoot. If you never change your settings, it works. But it doesn't if you do.

And, at least on Nikon, the preview has the settings applied. That's why, in Lightroom, when I import, I see all the previews and they look fantastic. But then when Lightroom updates them, they're completely dull.

As far as I can tell, the only RAW software that keeps the settings is the software from your camera mfr. So if you don't like that software, you'll have to deal with making your own presets, and remembering to apply each one to each set of files.

In truth, it's not really hard to do once you get a preset made, but making and fine tuning that preset can be very time consuming.

turning auto off (in ACR) will show you actual exposure ... but i didn't think it would show any in camera custom settings for sharpening or saturation settings. Am I missing something?