M8raw2dng - Tool to convert Leica M8 RAW files to DNG

[ninossa]

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3) place the m8dng2raw application and droplet in a folder on your computer and modify the files matching to your needs (parameter settings, as described on Arvid's site) and file paths on your computer.

this what i need to be more in details ..

 

here it come .. i would like to do the following ... my original raw+jpg image are in a folder called "pictures" on my mac computer, and i need my new image coming from the m8raw2dng to be in a folder called "14bitraw" ... could you please show me how to do it exactly ... thank you !!!

[bla]

here it come .. i would like to do the following ... my original raw+jpg image are in a folder called "pictures" on my mac computer, and i need my new image coming from the m8raw2dng to be in a folder called "14bitraw" ... could you please show me how to do it exactly ... thank you !!!

 

Hi Nizar,

I'd recommend to do it like that:

0.) Put the executable, lensdb.ini, sensdb.ini in a new folder /Applications/m8raw2dng/

1.) Put the droplet to a convenient place, for example the desktop

2.) Open Applescript, go to file - open and load the droplet from desktop

3.) Check if the line set TheApp to "/Applications/m8raw2dng" has the correct path

4.) Change set Params to " -v -r -b -p -o /14bitraw"

(is this really the full path? if not change the last part, I'd expect it to be something like /Users/ninossa/Pictures/14bitraw)

5.) Save the droplet

6.) For a test drag and drop a single RAW file on the icon of the droplet on the desktop

7.) Test successful? Then you can drag and drop multiple RAWs or a whole folder containing RAW files.

8.) Read the information about the -l and -s parameter to further improve the conversion

 

I hope that helps...

 

Arvid

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[ninossa]

i did exactly your instructions .. and this is what i get ...

 

[bla]

Uh my bad, sorry!

the line:

set TheApp to "/Applications/m8raw2dng"

should be

set TheApp to "/Applications/m8raw2dng/m8raw2dng"

 

This is the actual path to the executable. On my system I just put it in Applications. I forgot that I told you to do a subfolder. Sorry!

 

Should work if you change the path in the Applescript...

 

Just if it's not clear:

Assume someone had the executable in /Applications/supertool

then the line would be

set TheApp to "/Applications/supertool/m8raw2dng"

with the last part being the name of the executable...

 

Cheers,

Arvid

 

PS: I just saw in your screenshot that you obviously dropped a DNG file on the droplet. This is valid, but not the point. You should use a .RAW file, that you get from your M8 after entering the service mode and setting the picture mode to JPG fine+RAW instead of DNG in your M8... Otherwise it's not 14bit!

Edited March 7, 2014 by bla

[ninossa]

you mean that the picture that i have to drop in the droplet must be a raw+jpeg file ??? please be patient dear friends ..

Edited March 7, 2014 by ninossa

[menos I M6]

you mean that the picture that i have to drop in the droplet must be a raw+jpeg file ??? please be patient dear friends ..

 

Yes exactly. Use the RAW+JPG option in camera and drop these two files on the droplet.

 

You will get a DNG file, written from m8raw2dng which you can use then in your normal raw file converter.

 

The DNG file, created by this process includes more information than the regular M8 DNG file, as written by the camera.

[wwwwy]

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is this works on OSX 10.5?

because I try many many times, it doesn't work.

it always show "Illegal instruction"

[bla]

is this works on OSX 10.5?

because I try many many times, it doesn't work.

it always show "Illegal instruction"

 

I'm sorry, but as of now OSX 10.7 is the minimum requirement. Haven't tested with 10.6, but I know it won't work with 10.5.

Can you update?

 

Cheers,

Arvid

[ninossa]

there is an executable file called also m8raw2dng located with the 2 .ini files .. what is that and any use of it, other than the droplet that i put it in the desktop ???

 

[bla]

there is an executable file called also m8raw2dng located with the 2 .ini files .. what is that and any use of it, other than the droplet that i put it in the desktop ???

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/c6p6rj1dtsmgbk3/Screen%20Shot%202014-03-08%20at%207.46.20%20AM.png

 

This executable is the actual tool, the droplet is just for controlling it. m8raw2dng is the car, the droplet is your steering wheel

 

Arvid

[ninossa]

so, i have to take care of the whole package that contain this file and the 2 .ini files .. right ?? but the end user like me has no use of them ?? finally do you have some comparison pictures between an old dng and the new one ... ??? thanks

[farnz]

Arvid,

 

To add to what others have already said, thank you so much for developing the M8 RAW tool and providing it free for us to use.

 

Pete.

[MT710]

Just found this, being a rather new M8 user, complementing my analog/hybrid set-up.

 

Starting point has been some comparisons of analog vs. M8 and figured the 8-bit vs 14 bit difference vs. my scanner, so wanted to give it a try and see the effect. Installation was easy, some user based errors Arvid told me how to fix ( thanks, and I know now I have two dead pixels), so now testing it.

 

Michael

[Lenshacker]

I've been trying to come up with a way to "Visualize" the image loss due to the DNG-8 compression algorithm, and give an idea of the detail that is to be gained by using M8RAW2DNG.

 

I've written a FORTRAN program that reads in the uncompressed DNG file produced by Arvid's M8RAW2DNG code. My algorithm compresses the data values using the DNG-8 compression scheme, then restores the value using the decompression routine. It takes this restored value and subtracts it from the uncompressed/original value. This gives a measure of the Data Lost by the DNG-8 that is preserved in M8RAW2DNG. The loss comes in as the "Square Root" function used for the compression scheme is an "Integer Square Root", and throws away a lot of precision.

 

The DNG8 is a Chaotic algorithm, the exact outcome depends on how close the original value is a an integer square root. For values that are on a boundary, naturally occurring noise can cause the compressed value to fluctuate. The DNG-8 compression Algorithm greatly magnifies peak-to-peak noise, but reduces overall noise. Hard to predict what it will do to a scene that you are looking at. Hence- Chaos.

 

M8RAW2DNG file,

 

L1015636 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

And the "latent" image that is lost to the scheme.

 

L15636DF by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Edited March 13, 2015 by Lenshacker

[Lenshacker]

Another, with some color in it.

 

L1015634 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

L15634DF by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

I used sliders in Lightroom to bring out the Latent image. Remember- this is the data thrown out by the "Slightly Lossy Scheme".

 

Lots of detail and color resolution is in the Latent image. I have not used DNG-8 on the M8 since Arvid first came out with his code. Except to do some tests. I'm looking at the detail being tossed out, and cannot help to wonder why anyone would use such a lossy algorithm with a quality lens.

 

I wish Leica had made uncompressed DNG an option on the M8, all I can say is Better late than Never.

 

Thankyou, Arvid.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Lenshacker

[jojet]

Hello,

 

I am having trouble with my m8 and the conversion in particular the blue line. I've a blue vertical line with the conversion. The normal DNG doesn't show the blue line but with the m8raw2dng it shows.

 

I can't be able to get rid of it. I followed the steps on the site of Arvid. But nothing helps and even there isn't a change in the file.

 

The following:

1. the line is on x=2803 and from y=0 (top) to y=2645 (bottom).

2. In the droplet a used the -st parameter (set Params= -st -b -p -v -r -c -o "/M8pictures/")

3. In my lensdb.ini I've added the four line rows as stated before (so line= 2803, line=0, line=2803, line =2645).

 

I've even tried different lines but there is nothing showing in the output file, no orange line or whatsoever like on Arvid's site.

 

Am I overlooking something, is the workflow wrong?

 

John

[bla]

Hi John, this might be easier to solve if you contact me by email.

A few quick hints though:

- use v1.2beta

- the Line = xxxx belong in sensdb.ini with an s

- careful, the L of Line = xxxx is uppercase

- don't use the -c parameter

- the -st should create a bright line in the resulting dng if everything is correct, use -s only if you want to apply the correction

 

You're almost there, so hang on!

 

- Arvid

[jojet]

Thank you Arvid,

 

The uppercase with Line did the trick.

 

I can see the differences in the output files but..... I've made several outpunt files just to be sure. They were in the range from x=2800 to x= 2805. The file with x=2801 got me a thick blue line (with the -st parameter) and the others an orange line. So I figured that my measurement wasn't that good and altered to 2801 and set the parameter to -s. But het still the thin blue is showing in the output file. Perhaps another parameter (this is the setting now: set Params= -s -b -p -v -r -o "/M8pictures/")?

 

john

[bla]

Hi John,

 

the idea is to position the blue or orange bright line exactly on the faulty column on your sensor. Then with -s only the erroneous column will be fixed.

So either get the exact coordinates or try with the -s and different columns (2799, 2800, ...) until the blue line is gone.

 

Again, that might be better discussed per email

 

Good luck and let me know if you solved it.

 

- Arvid

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[jojet]

Arvid,

 

Next time I will.

 

But for now, thank you very much! As said before the problem was in the uppercase. And problem solved via trial and error, no more blue line!

 

 

john