looking for a free raw software program that works with a Sony Alpha a58

[JBW]

Hi, Sony puts out a free Raw editor and I am beginning to explore the possibilities. Are there any suggestions for a superior free editor?

[revi]

Superior, I don't know, but Darktable handles A58 raw files.

[JBW]

Superior, I don't know, but Darktable handles A58 raw files.

I will go take a look. Thanks.

I did and it does look good but it doesn't run on windows.
B.

[Krawuntzel]

Hello Brian
IMHO the best free raw editor "out there" is RawTherapee. Versions > 4.x.x handle Sony Alpha 58 files.
But just a bit of "warning". RawTherapee is a very powerful program with lots of features to learn. So maybe you first explore Sony's RawConverter and change, if you are not satisfied with it.
Erwin
P.S. I make pictures with sony cameras, but could never befriend Sony's software.

[JBW]

Hello Brian
IMHO the best free raw editor "out there" is RawTherapee. Versions > 4.x.x handle Sony Alpha 58 files.
But just a bit of "warning". RawTherapee is a very powerful program with lots of features to learn. So maybe you first explore Sony's RawConverter and change, if you are not satisfied with it.
Erwin
P.S. I make pictures with sony cameras, but could never befriend Sony's software.

okay I just downloaded the latest version of RT and it is quicker than it was. One question: Does my raw file remain a raw file until I export or until until I go into editing areas outside of the raw panel?

[Ndukes]

Brian, you may find this useful. http://danielhancockphotography.com/...h-rawtherapee/

Also, have you considered Adobe's DNG converter which is free to download and converts pretty much any raw file (including your A58 ones) do the .dng format. They can then be opened and processed presumably by your existing software and saved in jpeg or, preferrably, tiff. Not ideal (a bit clunky), but maybe a stopgap.

One other thought, if your camera allows you to shoot in jpeg and raw simultaneously, it might be useful at the initial stages to compare YOUR raw processing to the camera's jpeg processing.

[dje]

okay I just downloaded the latest version of RT and it is quicker than it was. One question: Does my raw file remain a raw file until I export or until until I go into editing areas outside of the raw panel?

Brian as far as I know, all the editing adjustments you make on the raw file (ie in all editing tabs) are automatically saved to a sidecar pp3 file. So the raw file is not changed. When you re-open the raw file in a new session of RT, it reads the pp3 file and applies all the previous settings.

Dave

[JBW]

Brian as far as I know, all the editing adjustments you make on the raw file (ie in all editing tabs) are automatically saved to a sidecar pp3 file. So the raw file is not changed. When you re-open the raw file in a new session of RT, it reads the pp3 file and applies all the previous settings.

Dave

You're right. I can be somewhat slow some times. I have been using RT to work on Tiff and JPEG. never crossed my mind it was meant to do what the name suggested. Sometimes i amaze myself.

[JBW]

Brian, you may find this useful. http://danielhancockphotography.com/...h-rawtherapee/

Also, have you considered Adobe's DNG converter which is free to download and converts pretty much any raw file (including your A58 ones) do the .dng format. They can then be opened and processed presumably by your existing software and saved in jpeg or, preferrably, tiff. Not ideal (a bit clunky), but maybe a stopgap.

One other thought, if your camera allows you to shoot in jpeg and raw simultaneously, it might be useful at the initial stages to compare YOUR raw processing to the camera's jpeg processing.

I downloaded my cameras colour specs and can open all of them in RT. The camera does shoot both at once and I shall take your suggestion of comparing. it should help a lot in getting the hang of raw.

Daniel Hancock will come in very handy.

Thanks

[JBW]

Hello Brian
IMHO the best free raw editor "out there" is RawTherapee. Versions > 4.x.x handle Sony Alpha 58 files.
But just a bit of "warning". RawTherapee is a very powerful program with lots of features to learn. So maybe you first explore Sony's RawConverter and change, if you are not satisfied with it.
Erwin
P.S. I make pictures with sony cameras, but could never befriend Sony's software.

I have been using the Sony software and it was a good place to start but it can't compare to R.

[rpcrowe]

Brian, isn't it fun how one change (in your case the camera) can result in multiple changes in your entire work flow?

[Jimr1961]

It's a good thing that you are already familiar with RT because the learning curve just went straight up
I quickly dumped Canon's raw processor for RT and it's been quite an experience. Fun, but often a bit frustrating. I guess everyone has or will go through slider shock at some point. There isn't much on the net beyond the very basics. I wish someone would write a book.

[JBW]

Brian, isn't it fun how one change (in your case the camera) can result in multiple changes in your entire work flow?

Absolutely!

[JBW]

It's a good thing that you are already familiar with RT because the learning curve just went straight up
I quickly dumped Canon's raw processor for RT and it's been quite an experience. Fun, but often a bit frustrating. I guess everyone has or will go through slider shock at some point. There isn't much on the net beyond the very basics. I wish someone would write a book.

there is wikirt but it is a little slender and a blog as well.

[Manfred M]

Brian - I cannot comment on any of the free RAW converters, but regularly use several commercial ones.

While using the one that shipped with your Sony may be a bit of a pain, it likely does the "best" conversion if for no other reason than Sony has the sensor / camera / lens performance characteristics and can do a lot better job. The only "must do" operations in the basic editor before exporting to an external editor are getting the White Balance and Gamma (determining how the linear data that the camera's sensor records is mapped over to how our non-linear eyes see colours; I've always left things at the default settings). Anything else can be done in your non-parametric editor.

Each RAW converter has its own "quirks" and unless your lens / your camera data has been loaded, you are using someone's best guess as to the correct way to read the raw data. So far as I know, Adobe and DxO labs do this (and you pay for the privilege), but I suspect that the free convertors are using less robust data.

So going raw to tiff to non-parametric editor may be a bit of a pain, but at least there is no software cost to you.

[Jimr1961]

Brian,
If you updated to the most current version of RT, go to C:/Program files/ Rawtherapee-4.x/iccprofiles (x is a number correlating to the build you installed) and see if your Sony is listed. The installation I have at work is an earlier version and lists Sony SLT a55V and 3 others. Your model may be in the latest version.

You can go to the wiki and find instructions for getting Adobe lens correction profiles for free. Once that is done, you will be able to use Adobe lens correction profiles in RT. You may have to unhide all folders to get to the profiles folder. I created a new folder and copied the profiles I needed into that, then registered that folder in RT so it knew where to look for the profiles I use.

[xpatUSA]

Brian,
If you updated to the most current version of RT, go to C:/Program files/ Rawtherapee-4.x/iccprofiles (x is a number correlating to the build you installed) and see if your Sony is listed. The installation I have at work is an earlier version and lists Sony SLT a55V and 3 others. Your model may be in the latest version.

I am not Brian but I downloaded the latest for Windows 7 64-bit just last week.

The sony A58 is not listed, RT will presumably open in default mode if a camera is not listed.

There are several ways to skin the RT cat:

Having made adjustments for that camera, that .pp3 can be re-named and saved for re-use (one of RT's endearing qualities, couldn't do that with ACR 5.4's .xmp files without renaming them same as the file you're about to open).

The A55V .dcp profile, or any other for that matter, can be edited with Adobe's free DNG profile editor and saved under an appropriate name in RT's C:\Program Files\Raw Therapee 4.x.xxx\dcpprofiles\ folder.

In my version 4.2.222 there are two folders under \iccproflles\, \input and \output . . the camera models are found under \input but they also found under \dcpprofiles just to keep you on your toes.

The usages of profiles of all types in RT can be a bit bewildering. And the manual is no longer updated 'cos it's now a Wiki. Still, this page looks helpful:

http://50.87.144.65/~rt/w/index.php?...lor_Management

Must admit that I might have to read it more than once; currently, my eyes have glazed over

Profiles of type .pp3, .dcp or .icm are all usable at different places in the GUI and they are all just called "profiles" in the best of photographic tradition. Pardon my petulance.

RawTherapee . . don't leave home without it