Using the "Camera Raw" Photoshop Filter

[rpcrowe]

I almost always shoot in RAW... Just one reason is that I like the capabilities of Adobe Camera RAW to do some initial editing of my images.

However, when I am shooting with my iPhone or opening images that my wife has shot with her P&S, I don't have the opportunity of initially processing RAW images. BUT.. I can have many of the advantages of RAW shooting in opening the JPEG images from my phone or my wife's P&S camera when I select the Photoshop CC Camera RAW Filter...

I really like being able to adjust the images to reduce distortion.



Of course adjusting white balance with the eyedropper tool as well as many other convenient editing tools make the Camera RAW Filter a very handy tool!

Actually, I just noticed this filter a short while ago - probably because I edit JPEG images so seldom. I wonder if everyone knows about this filter

[John 2]

I use it occasionally because if you convert your image to a smart object first, in Photoshop CC, any PP becomes non-destructive. A word of warning however. Once you use it in this way, the image will always open up in ACR. Consequently, I generally only process a copy of the image in this way.

[Urbanflyer]

I love the camera raw filter for the initial look-see for any image! It may be the only tool I need on most images.
glad you found it and see its

[bje07]

As soon as I upload a new version (of CR or LR, ....) I read additional information (and try to print it in my mind, but this is another issue) and especially to put it into practice

[Dave Humphries]

You don't have to open jpgs in PS first then use an ACR filter, you can configure ACR to open jpg directly, that's how I have it set up. trouble is I did it so long ago I have forgotten how, or I'd tell you here and now.

Interesting that ACR has lens profile corrections for iPhones too

[John 2]

Something odd here. There seem to be two threads covering Richard's post. I have answered the other one.

[Dave Humphries]

Something odd here. There seem to be two threads covering Richard's post. I have answered the other one.

Thanks John,

Richard, I have fixed the incorrect link above, turning it in to an image, as it was in that other thread.

I have also deleted the other thread - but only after moving John's post over to this one.

Cheers, Dave

[dje]

You don't have to open jpgs in PS first then use an ACR filter, you can configure ACR to open jpg directly, that's how I have it set up. trouble is I did it so long ago I have forgotten how, or I'd tell you here and now.

Interesting that ACR has lens profile corrections for iPhones too

One way to do it is to use Bridge. Select the jpeg image in Bridge then right click on it, and then select "Open in Camera Raw".

[xpatUSA]

You don't have to open jpgs in PS first then use an ACR filter, you can configure ACR to open jpg directly, that's how I have it set up. trouble is I did it so long ago I have forgotten how, or I'd tell you here and now.

In Elements 6, I recall that you could use "Open As . . ." from the <File> menu. But that was ACR 4.2 . . .

[Stagecoach]

In Elements 6, I recall that you could use "Open As . . ." from the <File> menu. But that was ACR 4.2 . . .

You can do that as well in PSCC Ted.

[xpatUSA]

You can do that as well in PSCC Ted.

I guessed as much, Grahame, but I have never used PS nor LR and have been Adobe-free for many years . .

[Dave Humphries]

I usually open iPhone (or any other jpg) files from Windows File Explorer using the right click menu and choose "Open with ..." then select "Adobe Photoshop CC 2017", which, if ACR is not set up correctly*, will open it in PS proper (not ACR), but if it is configured correctly*, automatically opens any JPG in ACR. This gives me a single processing workflow to follow, using controls I'm familiar with, regardless of the image type I start from, which I see as a distinct advantage.

* I use the term 'correctly' merely as defining the way I have it set up to achieve what I want (and I couldn't think of an alternative single word to use here): not that I'm implying anyone else is doing it wrong if they don't do it they way I do.


I have just looked in the ACR Preferences dialog, accessible via the 'three dots and lines' menu icon roughly centre top of ACR window.

In the fifth bordered section on screen are two drop list settings for "JPEG and TIFF Handling"; I have this set to "Automatically open all supported JPEGs" (and "Automatically open all supported TIFFs"), I believe this is what makes it work the way I prefer.

HTH, Dave

PS
While we're talking ACR and PS, the other thing that many are unaware of is how to access the "Workflow Options" dialog in ACR, this is accessed via the text bottom centre of ACR window, the text that shows the Color Space and bit depth.

This controls how an image is passed from ACR to PS.

Within the "Workflow Options" dialog is where you set these, in particular, one thing you probably want to change from the PS default is the bit depth, it defaults to "8 Bits/channel", but you'll retain better processing image quality if this is set to 16 Bits/Channel. The downside is (I believe) the files will take up more disk space, but these days, I'd rather make that compromise than not.

This dialog also contains the checkbox for the default behaviour for opening images in PS as Smart Objects, this is another thing I wish to do more often than not, so it saves me having to use my ring finger to hold down the Shift key when clicking the Open Image button. - On the odd occasion I don't need an image as a Smart Object in PS, I can use the ring finger to change the button back to "Open Image" instead of "Open Object".