DMG profile for s2

[jaapv]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

 

Being new to raw I am not sure I understand why there is even a difference. Is this when the software interprets the file or when it gets converted to jpeg?

 

I also heard about custom profiles that users can create for interpreting DNG files?

DNG conversion is not about converting to JPG. In fact, one only does that in the rare cases that one wants to go to the final output straight from the DNG converter. The most usual workflow is to use the DNG converting program (like C1, or ACR (Lightroom and CS5), Biddle or any other) to create a 16-bits TIFF file which gets imported into your editing program. After all edits have been completed is the time to drop into Jpg.

 

Lightroom works slightly differently, but effectively it is the same:

It will write all edits, including the ones affecting RAW conversion, and at the end of the edits wil process the file by running through the recipe and only then (if specified) will convert to JPG.

 

JPG is purely an output format, not to be used for editing.

 

Profiles are something else. They control the way the RAW converter will interpret the colours. That means that there is not one single profile (although usually a generic one is provided). Picky users will create various profiles, depending both on the subject and the final look they want to achieve. As this is a personal choice, most pro RAW converters will give the option of creating user-defined profiles.

[Advertisement]

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

[Grummz]

Thank you. I really appreciate any help.

[Grummz]

You could write books on post processing of digital files - indeed people have - so it's a little optimistic to expect a thorough run down of what's involved in a single message in an internet forum.

 

As a matter of fact I think Jaap's advice is sound. If you know so little that you don't know what a RAW processor does, or why you might want to use a profile, then after spending a shed load of money on an S2 you owe it to yourself to take a course of some kind. Either face to face or using a self study book.

 

This kind of attitude really reminds me of the early days of the internet, before the browser, where there were message groups call Usenet. These discussion groups were often so high on themselves that they excluded others, and many times the excuses given were that the forums were only meant for questions by informed persons, and everyone else was dissuaded from conversing or learning. Where would we be today if this attitude had prevailed?

 

There are no invalid questions. Seeking knowledge should be met with help. A simple pointer or two (as Jaapv has posted now), would have sufficed and fueled the passion to learn. A welcoming attitude and a willingness to lead beginners step by step on the journey validates and elevates this forum and helps all of us.

 

In any case, I think I have made my point clearly, and I won't be commenting on these side issues from here on.

[Constable]

Grummz

 

The question is excellent IMHO but there is no simple answer. In reality the answer depends on what you are comfortable with and what sort of photography you do.

 

I use very different workflows for RAW from my D3 X to DNG from the S2. neither is "right" but they fit the standard sort of corrections that are needed.

 

It also is very dependent on what exactly you are doing. If your way of working involves many hundreds of DNGs a day, then converting all to TIFF is painful with files the size of those from the S2 (believe me, I do a lot of focus stacking in macro). If you are shooting less in search of the perfect landscape, then loving care and attention on every image is essential.

 

To get some idea of the different workflows and how the various packages interrelate you can do a lot worse than googling "workflow".

 

My usual workflow is the following.

1. Import DNG from card

2. Backup the crude DNG files. I use a DROBO Pro with 14 TB plus a second RAID

3. Quick input into LR3 to have a preliminary trawl and get rid of any non-keepers. If there is a significant number I overwrite the backups at this point to avoid huge amounts of dross being stored.

4. Rating in LR3.

5. I tend to tag the DNG at this stage but I am thinking hard about whether this is the best policy as the sidecar files and XMP info is not as portable as people would have you believe (or rather it is portable but not read by all programmes).

6. Apply corrections to DNG. This is usually applying camera and lens specific corrections, tweaking sharpness a little, and usually with the S2 pulling the exposure back about half a stop.

7. I use CaptureOne for the TIFF conversion as a compromise between speed and quality. I will revert to Bibble if and when they enable S2 DNG files. I suspect that he'll might freeze over first and in the meantime I am happy with C1.

8. I then do final tweaking in CS5. Just what this means depends on the subject matter. Sometimes I work on highlights here, sometimes in C1. I quite like the smart sharpening in Photoshop and often use that for final tweak.

9. Output a low-res jpg for portability, high-res for printing (I don't like printing from TIFFs for no really good reason).

10. Overwrite the backups with the definitive files. I backup TIFFs to a separate drive because they usually represent a big investment in time by this point.

 

This will not work for you ... You have to find the best way of doing things that suits your needs, time and wishes.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ed

[jaapv]

Thank you. I really appreciate any help.

Many of us are members of a number of forums. GetDpi Forums is rather post-processing oriented. I believe they even offer a RAW processing and printing service.

[stunsworth]

This kind of attitude really reminds me of the early days of the internet, before the browser, where there were message groups call Usenet. These discussion groups were often so high on themselves that they excluded others, and many times the excuses given were that the forums were only meant for questions by informed persons, and everyone else was dissuaded from conversing or learning. Where would we be today if this attitude had prevailed?

 

Yes I remember Usenet. One of the problems was there were people who couldn't recongise when other people were trying to help them and resorted to insults and sarcasm instead.

 

My advice still stands, if you don't know what a RAW processor does, or what a profile is used for, you are in need of some fundamental training, either in a classroom or self study. The questions you are asking are so basic that it indicates you are at the bottom of a very steep learning curve and owe it to yourself, and your camera, to learn more about what's involved in post processing. Even if you receive answers to the questions you ask you appear to be in need of learning more.

[Grummz]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Grummz

 

It also is very dependent on what exactly you are doing. If your way of working involves many hundreds of DNGs a day, then converting all to TIFF is painful with files the size of those from the S2 (believe me, I do a lot of focus stacking in macro). If you are shooting less in search of the perfect landscape, then loving care and attention on every image is essential.

Ed

 

Can I ask why you convert to TIFF? I just read the Adobe DNG format specification and DNG is basically an extention of TIFF:

 

"DNG is an extension of TIFF 6.0 and is compatible with the TIFF-EP standard." - Adobe DNG Spec 1.3.0

 

If you convert to TIFF, aren't you are losing the embedded metadata for the explicit camera profile supported in DNG along with other important tags? I don't see any additional flexibility to be gained by converting to TIFF and discarding the DNGs.

 

I see a thread on these forums recommending keeping them as DNG:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/50689-convert-dng-tiff-good-dumb-idea.html

[Constable]

The whole DNG issue is discussed at length here and in other forums.

 

My reason for TIFF is simple - it is legacy format. When I produce a TIFF I can read it in almost all software, you can read it and a production house can read it.

 

DNG is an excellent archiving format. However you need to be careful when you talk about the DNG format. I'm going to be challenged in this statement, but the reality is that DNG produced direct from camera is a whole set of formats. A DNG from an M9 is different to a DNG from an S2. Bibble can read the former but not the latter. It is best to think of Leice DNG files as being camera specific like Nikon RAW files.

 

What is a more universal format is the Adobe DNG produced from LR, PS etc. I prefer TIFF.

 

So to summarize, the in camera produced DNG is the archive format, the TIFF or if you really want the Adobe DNG is a portable universal file. It really depends how much PP you want to do. Compare options opening the raw and a TIFF in Photoshop

 

Ed

[Grummz]

So, has anyone here played with the DNG profile for S2 images? Any interesting results to share?

 

I often read here about how the S2 could use better software to improve the IQ. I take it to mean that a better profile would extract more from the standard S2 DNG files.