SILKYPIX RAW renderer :: PP :: Leica Q DNG

[piran]

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I am experienced with the use of SILKYPIX to render the

RAW files from my Canon 1Ds MkIII & Panasonic LX100.

I aim to continue this... whenever my Leica Q arrives.

 

Ichikawa's response to my enquiry "When is the Leica Q

adopted by SILKYPIX?" was worryingly circumspect.

Previously, before the launch of the LX100, they had

more hopefully responded with a "please be patient".

 

This thread is to try and drum up virtual support from

like-minded souls with an aim to encourage those

clever people at Ichikawa 'to get with the Leica Q':~)

Do keep your message simple on their contact form.

(their English is infinitely better than my Japanese)

 

I've checked already and the Q is not on their compatible or

adopted camera (JUN/25/2015 Ver.6.0.21.0) models listing:

C (Typ 112), Digital Module R(*7), DIGILUX 2, DIGILUX 3,

D-LUX (Typ 109), D-LUX 2, D-LUX 3, D-LUX 4, D-LUX 5,

D-LUX 6, M, M Monochrom(*11), M-E, M-P, M8, M9, M9-P,

S (Typ 006), S2, T (Typ 701), V-LUX (Typ 114), V-LUX 1,

V-LUX 2, V-LUX 3, V-LUX 4, X (Typ 113),

X Vario, X-E (Typ 102), X1, X2

 

[ Thorsten's downloadable ZIP container of DNG/JPG files ]

SILKYPIX renderer ignores his "Leica Q flavoured" DNG files

but will do its usual silky magic on the contained JPG files.

Yes, the DNG format is general but the operation of the flagship

SILKYPIX Developer Studio Pro is predicated on the source

kit being suitably adopted/configured, otherwise it's ignored.

 

Ruefully I note that my Microsoft Nokia Lumia 930 phone's

DNG files are already adopted and workable in SILKYPIX.

Great... wonderful, it's just a smartphone making RAW files.

 

FWIW I'm ancient - harking back in the heady days of DOS.

My last, very final, use of Adobe was with Photoshop 5.0.2

back with w2k. For a number of very cogent reasons, I closed

my open vein supplying Adobe's coffers and they've 'given' my

Adobe login to some infernally persistent hackers/criminals.

 

Will you help me persuade Ichikawi to adopt the Leica Q?

 ...or is everyone here incontrovertibly indentured to Adobe:-)

[digitalfx]

Have you ever tried Lightroom? The Q comes with a free license, and it is a superb application for processing RAW images.

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[viramati]

I agree with the above

[piran]

>>Have you ever tried Lightroom?

No I haven't and I'm trying not to, hence the thread.

As above, I stopped supporting Adobe a decade ago.

 

Have you ever tried SILKYPIX?  It, too, is a

superb application for processing RAW images.

I've been using it for years, it does the job for me.

I maintain a full license for my standalone/local copy

which is valid for two machines owned by myself.

Yes, I applaud that Lightroom works for you and others.

I wanted to find out if there were any supporters hereabouts

for something that is NOT given away as a freebie - possibly 

self-serving for Adobe so as to support its own DNG format.

 

Also SILKYPIX is suitably and reassuringly Leica expensive:-)

[jaapv]

Did you try whheter Picture Window Pro supports the Q? http://download.cnet.com/Picture-Window-Pro/3000-2192_4-10458647.html  Rather nice processing software, good raw converter, albeit slow. (Windows only)

[lucerne]

Correct me if I'm wrong, because I don't have experience of SilkyPix, but since SilkyPix recognises DNG files, your Leica Q raw files should open without problems.

 

i use Lightroom but I will be interested to know if you really do have a problem with your preferred application.  

Edited July 13, 2015 by lucerne

[piran]

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>>Picture Window Pro

No, Jaap, my main drive is to try to ensure that I can

continue to use the stuff in the thread's title. Failing that

I will probably opt to use the freebie given away with the

purchase of the camera. Other people here appear to be

staunch supporters of Lightroom. My aversion is certainly

biased against Adobe and I'm probably a bit of a rebel at 

heart too:-) There is no point me settling for less quality...

and I've enjoyed my time with SILKYPIX despite it not

being a particularly easy thing to learn. Their web site is

poor and their manual is not easy to read or understand.

But the renderer does a good job and I like using it. While

I'm required to wait around for the camera to get around to

being delivered I'm trying to prepare the way for working

with it - reading the forum for a start and drumming up

support to get the camera suitably 'adopted' by Ichikawa.

[piran]

>>have a problem with your preferred application.

Yes, lucerne, I do already have a problem. Several in fact.

Like you I'm still waitin' for it further down here in west Penwith

but also because I tried Thorsten's DNG files with it. I know full

well from past experience that until a particular camera is fully

adopted (by SILKYPIX) then the latter will just ignore them.

Yes, you can faff around with JPGs or TIFFs but the lossiness

has already crept in and the various tools work less well or

inefficiently. I did make that point in the initial post, hope this

amplification of the point helps. Thorsten's JPGs (already lossy)

are workable, whereas his full DNGs are not because the Q

is not (yet?) adopted by SILKYPIX. Those DNGs just don't

open or load up. Hence this thread...

[digitalfx]

Ive never heard of SilyPix. Since the software is free, you aren't technically "supporting" Adobe...you should give it a try, really one of the best processing apps out there imo. Its supported by many other applications and plugins as well.

 

As someone else mentioned though, the Q uses DNG files, and if SilkyPix supports DNG you don't need an update. For that matter LR hasn't been updated for Q yet either yet it works fine. The update, whenever it comes will just fine tune the support.

[piran]

>>digitalfx

It's probably clear that I don't get on with Adobe as a company

however classy its offering. I have no other applications that

need any Adobe support & absolutely no requirement for plugins.

My only real complaint about SILKYPIX is that it (currently?) does

not support the Leica Q's DNG output:-( Yes AFAIK it does support

the generic Adobe DNG proprietary format. As I have pointed

out earlier, my smartphone's DNG files are properly and quite

efficiently handled ...because that smartphone is adopted.

[jaapv]

>>digitalfx

It's probably clear that I don't get on with Adobe as a company

however classy its offering. I have no other applications that

need any Adobe support & absolutely no requirement for plugins.

My only real complaint about SILKYPIX is that it (currently?) does

not support the Leica Q's DNG output:-( Yes AFAIK it does support

the generic Adobe DNG proprietary format. As I have pointed

out earlier, my smartphone's DNG files are properly and quite

efficiently handled ...because that smartphone is adopted.

Do you really get by in the current digital world without using PDF?

[viramati]

Hey if you enjoy silkypix power to you. I tried it when I got my free copy with a fuji camera and hated it. each to his own

[piran]

>>Do you really get by in the current digital world without using PDF?

Absolutely PERFECTLY and thank you for asking:-)

I do it without recourse to specific Adobe products that

directly support Adobe the company. I gave up Acrobat

before the millennium. My Windows 8.1 box uses the

Microsoft product PDF Reader for PDFs. Adobe is quite

difficult to avoid but I do what I can:-) Fortunately I have

no need of group or team products as it's all in-house here.

[piran]

>>if you enjoy silkypix power to you.

Thank you, good of you to take the time to point it out.

I applaud your adherence to the Adobe product and its

proprietary format because without the both we might

not have had access to something like the Leica Q.

 

>>I tried it when I got my free copy with a fuji camera and hated it.

SNAP, me too viramati!!! Though it came with a old Panasonic

camera. I thought the freebie product was absolutely awful

but I stuck it out as I had access to nothing else. By and by

I got the hang of things, learned an awful lot and one day

chose to buy the various things promised in the full package.

That has stood me in good stead with later cameras. I hope

to have that continue with the Leica Q ...whenever it turns up.

[lucerne]

"hope to have that continue with the Leica Q ...whenever it turns up."

 

Are you on a dealers list?   The South West could really do with a dealer that we could build relationships with.  I'm buying the Q blind!

[piran]

>>The South West could really do with a dealer

Ah! And there's the rub, mostly the thinking is that

the South West ends at Bath or Bristol...

 

>>Are you on a dealers list?

I gave the option to my nearest photographic equipment

establishment but I guess when she saw the Leica stocking

requirement she went pale and told me I was on my own;~/

As I couldn't keep the money in Cornwall and, rather than

give the money to J****ps and Peter Jones again for the

umpteenth time I looked around for a 'family run' shop

and gave the order to Red Dot Cameras - as per the

link under the third line's text in the original post.

 

>>I'm buying the Q blind!

Me too but after going through the various reviews, blogs

and image samples and putting them against my recently

re-evaluated requirements I had absolutely no hesitation.

 

The renderer is a fly in the ointment. From the feedback

out of Japan I get the impression that SILKYPIX support

for the Leica Q is iffy-to-might-be but I could be wrong.

 

Beginning to wonder if Thorsten's compression of the DNGs

into the ZIP might be the reason why SILKYPIX can't open

the RAW elements... or maybe his Apple/MAC 'did' some

thing .ds'y that MACs seem to do with stuff. Will investigate.

[lucerne]

I think you might be right about Thorsten's  Mac file .  

BTW, I'm on two lists up country.  Neither asked for deposits.  Now the money is burning a hole in my pocket. I hope I can hold out without having a change of heart.  I'm using an M9-P since January 2013,  hasn't let me down.

[piran]

>>Neither asked for deposits.

If mine could've quoted a date and a serial number they

would've got the whole 100% right there and then but I

knew that could not so they got 10%. Seemed fair.

 

>>Will investigate.

Can't see anything immediately wrong with Thorsten's

ZIP file and contents. Looks pucker enough to me.

[lucerne]

Have you considered downloading the30 day trial of LR6 and experimenting with DNG files.   When you receive your Q and your personal licence you can then update your LR6 installation ?   

Edited July 13, 2015 by lucerne

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[piran]

>>Have you considered downloading the30 day trial of LR6 and experimenting with DNG files.

Mmmm... no I hadn't considered that, I don't follow Adobe much

these days (for the above reasons). It's a fine time of the night

to be suggesting 'sleeping with the devil' flavoured ideas. You

may have a point. No doubt I have to give Adobe yet another

personal email account that they can throw to the criminals

get hacked, set up some wildly insecure link to the cloud [sic]
(eg someone's computer), have a Windows box's Registry well

and truly messed up (all in the name of their own security)... 

in the name of playing all the percentages (not) :-| Not keen. 

I'll pass on that for the moment. By the end of this month

will need to down tools and make a specific milestone to

get ready for Win10. If things haven't improved by then I

may sacrifice something physical to sleep with the enemy.

G'night Gordon - nice to know there's somebody

around - at least in the next county up :-)