Raw file conversion

[carrickp]

All things being equal, I would prefer to use the raw file format. BUT, from a production point of view, the lengthy time required to convert each file in the existing software makes that impractical on jobs that require a rapid turnaround (which seems to be most of them). I'd love to hear any ideas, software alternatives (Mac) or suggestions. Thanks to all.

[Tom V]

I too am interested in any viable method of converting the RAW files for use in Photoshop, in order to extract the maximum image quality from the S2.

As I understand it, the bundled EX software only converts RAW files into sRGB profiled images. I would rather get my RAW files converted directly to AdobeRGB or other wide-gamut color profile. I believe the optional Fuji software can convert to AdobeRGB as well as allow a PC to operate the camera. I have to investigate all this, because I am not sure if I understand all this correctly.

I have read that Qimage Pro now works in conjunction with the Fuji software to speed up some things like batch processing, and asset management. It only runs on Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP or on Macintosh using Virtual PC.

I expect that I will have to get VPC for my G3 533mHz desktop, and my PowerBook G3 333 and suffer with sloooooooow conversions, especially on location shoots.:confused:

[shutterbugtae]

:o I agree with Kari,it is a rather tedious process.Does any body shoot both Raw & Fine large files on the same subject? I do this all the time, and then while editing I will decide what best suits my job requirements and process the files as needed.I have gotten into some rather heated "raw" & "non-
converted "file discussions with some of my other photo compatrates of the Nikon & Canon Ilk. Most of these discussons revolve around opinions not practical application, so! what works for the Client!!!,thats what I sell,that what keeps me in business.From what I have gleened from the "other" software I think that the S2 system is not all that bad,though I am aiming to get at least a 800 to 900 mhz Mac machine by the end of the year!TAE :D

[kari]

hi Tom!

you lucky there over the ocean, you have ex full version and in hyperutility you can convert raws to sRGB, Adobe RGP and FinePix RGP. atleast this is what hyper utility manual says on page 34.

in other forum there is discussions also about this, here is one of those
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1020&message=3302246

i have not tryed it because we didn't get it in finland just le version. if there is somebody who don't need that ex full, i'm interested to test it ;-)

kari

[Tom V]

Kari,

Despite being here in the US, I don't have the full version, only the LE version that comes with the camera. I don't yet know where to even purchase the full version HyperUtility software. I have used the LE version once, and it is about as limited as a program can be.

[kari]

hi Tom!

sorry to hear that you didn't get ex full, there is some strange that somebody gets full and some don't. even in sweden europe i heard that one got full version ;-(

to purhase one turn to fuji they got those

kari

[cbandes]

Tom, how did you not get the EX version converter? It is included in every US box as part of the HyperUtility software suite.

Did you buy a grey market camera? (I didn't know that was even possible, thought even people like Broadway were selling US kits.)

If you bought a US box, I'd recommend calling Fuji and asking them to send you the SW - you might have gotten a defective box.

[PaulN]

Originally posted by Tom Voegeli
As I understand it, the bundled EX software only converts RAW files into sRGB profiled images.
I have read that Qimage Pro now works in conjunction with the Fuji software to speed up some things like batch processing, and asset management. It only runs on Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP or on Macintosh using Virtual PC.
I expect that I will have to get VPC for my G3 533mHz desktop, and my PowerBook G3 333 and suffer with sloooooooow conversions, especially on location shoots.:confused:

The EX software will convert into AdobeRGB with a gamma of 2.2 or into sRGB at a gamma of 1.8, both in 16 bits. You also can convert into a 8 bit sRGB. It seems to do a pretty good job, with the exception that the preview window doesn't seem to exactly match the processed output. As far as Qimage goes, I've only had my S2 for a little over a week, but I've been doing a little testing on a 800 mhz. G4 iMac with 512 megs. both programs convert into a comparable file, each looks about equally sharp at 100%. The EX software seems to give slightly better results on very fine lines like hair, especially when it's near a 45 degree angle. As for conversion times though, you may not want to batch process a microdrive full at one time. I batch processed three files using camera settings and the EX took 3:15, wheras the same three took Qimage 31:17. I'm getting down on my knees and begging Eric Hyman to write a S2 conversion into MacBibble when the new version comes out.

[Tom V]

The camera I bought was a "North American" package, which at the time I bought it sounded like the kind I should get, since I live in North America. Apparently Fuji has decided that North American camera stores in the US should sell USA boxes, which have different contents than boxes sold in North America.

My camera came from a camera store in Canada, which is North America. I live in the US, which is North America. Why shouldn't I buy a North America package? Because the North America package does not contain the AC Adapter nor the Hyper-Utility software. Since I never had heard of a US package, I was not aware that I should avoid a North America package. I did not get the AC Adapter or the Hyper-Utility Software because I simply bought the package for my continent, and not for my country. On my next Fuji purchase, I will have to investigate whether I need a specific package for my time-zone, county, zip code, state, zodiac sign, weight and hair color, past voting record, tent size, or arm length. I don't want to buy the wrong package again.

All is not bad though. If I had waited for a nearby (US camera store) to have the cameras in stock, I would have missed out on $3000 worth of digital photography. By using my North American S2, I have saved 8 trips to the photo lab (8 hours), 85 film scans (20+ hours), and the photos are much sharper than my Nikon LS-2000 scanner would have made anyway. I still won.

The AC Adapter cost me $70 (from the store in Canada).

Qimage now supports Fuji RAW files faster and sharper (they say) than the Fuji converter, and without the need of even having the Fuji converter.:D

[PaulN]

Yaa, you got screwed. My turn was when I got a Canon G2 when they first came out in Singapore then found when I got back home it only had a Singapore warrenty. A few months later when Canon finally acknowledged the fact that the cases crack, I applied to have it fixed on warrenty and they said in effect "tough **** buddy". As far a Qimage goes, if you have to get work out the door it'll be useless to you, but you can download the demo and play with it. I didn't find the output sharper than EX though, and before I got fed up with it, I couldn't figure out how to get 16 bit color. Qimage is basically a printing program, the conversion is just so you can print, although you can 'print to file'. As I said in my previous post I hope MacBibble <http://www.bibblelabs.com/> gets the next Mac version done soon and it has S2 support, the last I've heard it might be around the end of Oct. Because I'm too cheap to pay (at that time) US$200 for Nikon Capture 2 to process the .NEFs from my old D1 I used that and found the program was faster and the output superior anyway. If you send me a personal email, maybe we can talk about a present.

Paul.

[memobug]

Originally posted by Tom Voegeli
Qimage now supports Fuji RAW files faster and sharper (they say) than the Fuji converter, and without the need of even having the Fuji converter.:D Is that the "North American" version of Qimage? :p

Regards,

Matt

[Tom V]

The RAW File Converter EX made the attached file (I hope it is not too large) far easier to produce than the LE version, or any other method.

You would think that shooting soft pastel flowers with two large softboxes and a reflector card would make a low-contrast photo. Wrong. This shot was too contrasty using the RGB Tiff setting. I was getting tones clipped either in the hightlights (egads! save the delicate flowers!) or in the shadows (those stems should be dark green, not solid black!). If I moved the lights in even closer, I got too much glare on the plastic tube caps. If I increased the exposure, the flowers would be blown away.

The solution was to use RAW File Converter's 16-bit (per channel) settings to make a gigantic 70mb file that had several stops more of data. Once in Photoshop, I was able to adjust the levels and converted it back down to a standard 8-bit file (per channel), which saved the day. Now the shadows have much more detail and color, and the highlights have detail.

There are ways of getting more range out of a shot using Photoshop, such as combining two images (one for the highlights and one for the shadows), but this was far easier, and without the risk of mis-registration of two images containing live objects.

The image attached is a full page ad going in a few sign makers' magazines. All the text, logos and shadow effects, etc. were added in Photoshop. There was not much to do to the basic flower layer. The final Photoshop file was flattened then converted to CMYK for process printing, and then converted back to RGB for this "save for web" image.

[jeffinkansas]

I understand that adobe is about to announce (if they have not in the last day or two) a huge jump in time spent on raw file conversion. Supposedly the time should be down to about 10-15secs a file. then again it just might be a rumor...

[X-Sync]

Adobe are about to release a RAW file converter, it comes as a pluggin for PS7. Adobe say the release date will be as soon as possible. But it is unclear from which digital SLR's the RAW files will be supported in the first release. But all DSLR's will be supported in the fullness of time.
Sorry the info is a bit patchy, buts thats all there is at the moment.
Looks as if I it could be good though.

[Mike Flood]

Originally posted by Tom Voegeli
Kari,

Despite being here in the US, I don't have the full version, only the LE version that comes with the camera. I don't yet know where to even purchase the full version HyperUtility software. I have used the LE version once, and it is about as limited as a program can be.

I'm not a Mac user so I don't know what comes with the US version of the S2 for use with a Mac.
If all you got is the LE version of the Raw converter you're missing a lot. I love the EX converter and see the Qimage as only (mainly) being useful for direct printing.

[Stormfield]

Here is the link to purchase the Hypermotility EX software from Fuji NA. Couldn't get to this link from their Home page or search engine:

http://www.fujifilmsupport.com/accesory/html/fxs2pro/s2pro.html

I personally have been using Qimage's RAW file conversion engine. My understanding is that the Qimage RAW converter now operates independently from Fuji's Hyper-Motility EX software.

All the other S2 "accessories" are listed on this page also (battery holder, manuals, AC adapter, etc).

John

[jeffinkansas]

did anyone look at the prices on the above posted link. who are they kidding. 8bucks for a lithium!!! 46 bucks for a new manual!!!

nickel and dime nickel and dime

[David]

I have taken out a bank loan and bought the Hyper-Utility Software.

The problem I have is that when I convert my images to 16Bit and then attempt to add layers or save as a Jpeg. I can't. When I go to save as In PS I have only three options Raw, Tiff and Photoshop. Can anyone in the world help me?

Regards

David.

[jeffinkansas]

ok so I may not be an expert here and will yeild to any expert advice, that being said here we go. I think what is going is that you cannot save a 16 bit jpg. The other thing is that you file may be what 69 mb right? Could that be too big? I don't know but I have had the same problem and I think that it is related to the 16/8 bit thing. Try converting to 8 and saving again. Hope this helps!

Jeff

[David]

Jeff

Your spot on, by converting to 8 Bit I can now save as Jpeg, EPS, etc.

Cheers

David

[Tom V]

Originally posted by David
I have taken out a bank loan and bought the Hyper-Utility Software.

The problem I have is that when I convert my images to 16Bit and then attempt to add layers or save as a Jpeg. I can't. When I go to save as In PS I have only three options Raw, Tiff and Photoshop. Can anyone in the world help me?

Regards

David.

The extra bits in the 16-bit file has more data than jpg can handle. All the extra information-per-pixel allows you to get more detail and exposure latitude than you might get in an 8-bit image. While it is in 16-bit mode, you can adjust the levels, curves, etc. and do some basic filtering like blur, noise, sharpen - but you cannot work on layers.

Few programs can handle 16-bit images.

When I work with 16-bit images, I first adjust my levels, then curves, then convert to 8-bit and get to work with the resulting smaller file. Sometimes you end up with an image that is no better than if it had been 8-bit all along, but other times it can save an image that would be worthless if it was originally saved as 8-bit.

[David]

Thanks for the advice Tom, maybe PS 8 will be able to work with 16Bit files fully!