[Digikam-users] UNS: questions about using RAW format...

[Daniel Bauer]

On Monday 17 November 2008 19.17:47, Alexandre Racine wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> So I use digikam since a couple of years, and I never got to play with RAW
> files until now with my Canon Rebel XTi (or EOS 400D) witch save .CR2
> files.
>
> I just wanted to do a simple crop and then save the file just like I do
> with JPG's but no no no, can't do that.
>
> 1- So, is this a bug or everybody does something else?
>
> 2- Is this a technical limitation of digikam or should I put this on the
> wish list? (I know it's dcdraw who is reading the RAW files...)
>
> 3- Is editing in RAW and saving back in RAW a bad practice? Why?
>
1, 2, 3: no no yes :-)

Look at RAW files as Negatives. Would you crop them?
Safe as .png (=lossless) or as .tiff, if you prefer. 
Work with those files, not with the RAW ones. 
Save the final file to jpg if you need small files (for web purposes, 
e-mail...) only.
>
> So many questions, so little time! :)
>
> Currently I just used irfanview (with Wine) to convert them to JPG, but I
> have no intention du put Photophop on my Linux/GNU/Ubuntu box.

You wouldn't need to. Digikam is good for 90 (or 99?) % of all you want to do 
with digital photos. Converting to other file-formats is as simple as "save 
as". There are also batch jobs you can use. Or directly imageMagick on the 
command line (fast, easy, good). Just for montages and some special tricks 
you'll need Gimp. Photoshop is sleeping on my HD since.... can't remember ;-)

> Thanks for all your feedback :)

regards

Daniel

-- 
Daniel Bauer photographer Basel Barcelona
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