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  1. #1
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    Lightroom 3 & RAW Files question

    A quick question about lightroom 3 do you convert your RAW file into .JPG or whatever is the best conversion of RAW into something else so you can import it into Lightroom 3?

    would you rather convert your RAW files into JPG or is there something else that can be used to convert it without losing any details of the image.

    Edit: would you rather use the adobe products (LR3 and CS4/5) than the DSLR editing software?

  2. #2
    Senior Member OldClicker's Avatar
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    Re: Lightroom 3 & RAW Files question

    Here is a good starting procedure. You can modify it to your needs as they become evident. All the Right Clicks are in the menu someplace. If you have a Mac, translate at your own risk.

    Do not convert before LR3. When you open LR, it will show the RAW as a usable image. Before editing, Right Click>Create Virtual Copy and edit the copy. Do as much of your editing as you can in LR (LR calls it Develop) because it is non-destructive - it does not change the file; only ‘remembers’ what you have done. If you want to try something different, create another Virtual Copy from the original and edit. To this point, there is nothing to save - everything is just 'remembered'.

    Aside - If you are going to handle files (Move, Delete, etc.), always do it from within LR or it will lose them and may lose all your edits.

    After editing in LR:
    - If you are done, and want a non-RAW file (maybe to upload here at PR), Right Click>Export. Here you can tell it the file type, size, folder, etc.

    - If you want to further edit it in another program, Right Click>Edit In>chose your program. If it is not listed or you want to specify how it is sent, set it up in Edit>Preferences>External Editing. After you edit it here, you will have to save it as a non-compressed, non-RAW – NOT jpg. – such as tiff or Adobe’s psd. This is the file you will use if you want to further edit it at some point. If you need a jpg for something, resize and save it also. Think of the jpg as a dead end – use it and dump it – never edit it.

    For your last question, I use the Adobe products because of the file cataloging feature of LR and because there are so many free learning opportunities on line.

    BTW – Though this post isn’t bad, many of your postings would be a lot easier to figure out what the question is if you used a little more care in punctuation and grammar.

    Hope this helps.

    Terry
    -----------------
    I am no better than you. I critique to teach myself to see.
    -----------------
    Feel free to edit my photos or do anything else that will help me learn.
    -----------------
    Sony/Minolta - way more gear than talent.

  3. #3
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    Re: Lightroom 3 & RAW Files question

    how about after tweaking the RAW file what file extension would you use? also planning to print some pictures that i'm going to tweak later today.

    so what is the best image file for printing without any losing details of the picture.

    1) .TIFF (but its big)
    2) ?
    3) ?

  4. #4
    Senior Member OldClicker's Avatar
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    Re: Lightroom 3 & RAW Files question

    You do not need to save the RAW after editing in LR. It 'remembers' your changes.

    If you are just outputting a file for printing, uploading, etc., a high quality jpg is fine.

    If you are ever going to use that file again, also save as a tiff (or psd). The size is worth it.

    Terry
    -----------------
    I am no better than you. I critique to teach myself to see.
    -----------------
    Feel free to edit my photos or do anything else that will help me learn.
    -----------------
    Sony/Minolta - way more gear than talent.

  5. #5
    Seasoned Amateur WesternGuy's Avatar
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    Smile Re: Lightroom 3 & RAW Files question

    Quote Originally Posted by corei5
    A quick question about lightroom 3 do you convert your RAW file into .JPG or whatever is the best conversion of RAW into something else so you can import it into Lightroom 3?

    would you rather convert your RAW files into JPG or is there something else that can be used to convert it without losing any details of the image.

    Edit: would you rather use the adobe products (LR3 and CS4/5) than the DSLR editing software?
    corei, my first question is what are you importing your images from when you "import" them into Lightroom. You don't need to convert your raw images to bring them into Lightroom (LR)

    I use Lightroom 3 (now version 3.2) for all my Library work - assigning key words, tags or whatever you want to call them. I download directly into LR from my card reader and do all my "library" work in LR. I also use its Develop module for most of my initial developing. If I have to do some additional "developing" that involves work at the pixel level, e.g. panoramas, HDR etc., then I use CS5, or Viveza 2 as secondary editors - usually CS5 though. If I have to save them as something other than RAW, then I will save them as TIFF files or in .psd format if I can. You do not lose any details of the image that way. I no longer use JPEG unless I have to, for example, sending to friends in email, etc.

    Personally, I would rather use the Adobe products (LR3 and CS5, or Elements) than the software that came with my DSLR. It gets out of date to fast and doesn't have all the processing power that the Adobe tools have, HTH.

    WesternGuy

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