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jeff worsnop wrote:
> I have downloaded the above free editer and raw converter as an
> alternative to expensive Adobe products. I have also downloaded the
> free Rawtherapee raw converter.
> Both the raw converters seem to work well on my Sony ARW files except
> the interfaces are not quite so familiar and therefore not so easy to
> use as Adobe elements and CS that I now have. CS, of course, will not
> work with the Adobe raw converter that will convert my ARW files and
> the PSE6 raw converter has fewer user options than the free converters
> eg curves. Adobe obsolescence policy really iritates me.
> Does anyone have any opinions about the quality of these products in
> relation to image manipulation and the quality of the conversions and
> are there any pitfalls in using them.
> Cheers
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
>
Since RAW shooting became "fashionable" with photographers, there have
been a number of RAW developers all claiming to de-mosaic RAW files
"better" than others.

Adobe ACR is not brilliant piece of engineering you absolutely must
have. It is just another RAW converter that doesn't do as good a job as
it could on some makes of RAW files.

I use s5 Fuji cameras which are basically Nikon D200's with a different
sensor. Although 90% of the time I'm satisfied with it's JPEG output,
when I process it's RAW files is how I discovered the good, bad and ugly
image developers.

I'd say in all sincerity, use the DCraw derived developers. They are
free but this doesn't mean they are crap. I wouldn't use Gimp if it was
the last program on earth but I certainly like the RAW converter that
works stand alone using some of GIMP's files.