Bet t er Phot ography 69

D I G I T A L D A R K R O O M
There has been a l ot of
t al k of t he advant ages
of shoot i ng RAW i mage
f i l es l at el y. Phi l i p
Andrew s l ooks i nt o
w hat al l t he f uss i s
about .
Shooting in the
RAW
M
ore and more medi um to hi gh end
cameras are bei ng released wi th the
added feature of being able to shoot
and save your pictures in RAW for-
mat. For most users this option on the cameras
filemenu has no real significance, but therearea
growing number of photographers who, having
tried the new file type, vow never to go back to
using any other format. They boast of the extra
quality and control that is achievable when using
RAW for their imagemaking and, probably most
impressiveof all, often refer to imagesin thisfor-
mat as being the closest thing to a digital nega-
tive that we have yet seen. But why all this talk
about RAW, what does the term actually mean
and how can it help you takebetter pictures?
BACK TO THE BEGI N N I N G
To start to understand the importance of RAW
formats, we need to go back to the beginning of
thecaptureprocess. All singleshot digital cameras
(except those using the Foveon chip) contain a
sensor that is made up of a grid of light sensitive
sites. Each site responds to the amount of light
that hits its surface. By recording and analysing
each of these responses, a tone i s attri buted to
each sensor site in the grid. In this way a digital
pi cture can be created from the range of scene
bri ghtnesses that are focused through the lens
onto the sensors surface.
Fantasti c though thi s i s,
thisprocessonly resultsin
a monochr ome ( bl ack,
white and grey) picture as
the CCD or CMOSsen-
sors by themselves cannot
record the colour of the
light, only theamount.
To produce a di gi tal
col our phot ogr aph, a
smal l f i l t er i s added t o
each of t he sensor s. I n
most cameras these filters
are a mixture of the three
pr i mar y col our s Red,
68 Bet t er Phot ography
Fig 1.
Unprocessed data fromyour cameras sensor is
broken up into a matrix of red, green and blue pixels.
Green and Blueand arelaid out in a special design
called a Bayer pattern. It contains25% red filters,
25% blueand 50% green with thehigh percentage
of green present in order to simulate the human
eyes sensitivity to this part of the visible spec-
trum. In their raw, or unprocessed, format the
output from thesesensorsismadeup of a grid of
red, green and blue patches (pi xels) of varyi ng
tones. And yes, this does mean that in any indi-
vi dual pi cture only 25% of the sensor si tes are
actually capturing information about the red or
blueobjectsin thescene. SeeFig 1.
I N TERPOLATED COLOUR
I hear you saying, But theimagesthat I download
from my camera are not split into discreet RGB
colours. Thi s i s true. What emerges from the
camera i s a full colour pi cture whi ch contai ns
100% Red, 100% Blue and 100% Green pi xels.
Thisoccursbecauseasan integral part of thecap-
ture process the raw RGB data that comes from
the sensor is interpolated to create a full colour
image. Using special algorithms, the extra detail
for a non-red site, for instance, is created using
the information from the surrounding red, green
and bluesites. Thisprocessiscalled interpolation
and though it seemslikea lot of smokeand mir-
rors, it works extremely well on most cameras.
SeeFig 2.
Fig 2. RAW processing
converts the RGB Bayer
pattern picture into a full
colour image.
Fig 11.
Visual comparison of processed
RAW test picture using tonal,
colour balance and sharpening
adjustments for each of the
example software packages.
Bet t er Phot ography 71 70 Bet t er Phot ography
When you opt to saveyour imagesin JPEG or
TI FF formats, thi s capture and i nterpol ati on
process happens i nternally i n the camera each
time you push the shutter button. In addition,
your camera wi l l al so reduce the numbers of
colours and tones from the 16-bit colour depth
that was captured to the 8-bits that are stored in
thefile. Selecting a RAW format stopsthecamera
from processing the colour separated (primary)
data from thesensor and reducing theimagesbit
dept h and i nst ead saves t he pi ct ur e i n t hi s
unprocessed format. Thi s means that the ful l
description of what the camera saw is saved in
theimagefileand isavailableto you for usein the
production of quality images. SeeFig 3.
D I Y RAW PROCESSI N G
Sounds great, doesnt i t? All the quali ty of an
information rich imagefileto play with, but what
isthecatch?Well, RAW fileshaveto beprocessed
beforethey can beused in a standard imageedit-
ing application like Adobe Photoshop. It is true
t hat t he l at est ver si on of Phot oshop and
Photoshop Elements allows you to import RAW
photographs, but the programs quickly convert
these files to standard pictures with a lot of the
potential for great imageenhancement lost in the
hasteof theconversion process.
To access the full power of these digital nega-
tives, you will need to employ a special dedicated
RAW editor. Theseprogramscomeaseither stand
alone pieces of software or as plug-ins. Some can
processfilesfrom capturedevicesof several man-
ufacturers, othersarerestricted for usewith single
camera modelsonly. They rangefrom very expen-
sive, fully featured, professional work horses to
freebundled utilities supplied with RAW enabled
cameras.
Designed specifically to allow you to take the
unprocessed RAW data directly from your cam-
erassensor and convert it into a usableimagefile,
these editors also provide access to other image
characteri sti cs that would otherwi se be locked
i nto the fi l e format. Vari abl es such as col our
space, white balance mode, image sharpness and
tonal compensation (contrast and brightness) can
all be accessed, edited and enhanced as a part of
the conversion process. Performing this type of
editing on the full high bit, RAW data provides a
better and higher quality result than attempting
thesechangesafter thefilehasbeen processed and
saved in a non-RAW format.
So what is in a RAW file?See Fig 4. To help
consolidatetheseideasin your mind, try thinking
of a RAW fileashaving threedistinct parts:
Camera Data, usual l y cal l ed the EXI F data.
I ncludes thi ngs such as camera model, shutter
speed and aperture details, most of which cannot
bechanged;
Image Data whi ch, though recorded by the
camera, can bechanged in a RAW editor and the
settings chosen here directly affect how the pic-
t ur e wi l l be pr ocessed. Changeabl e opt i ons
include colour mode, white balance, saturation,
di stri buti on of i mage tones and appli cati on of
sharpness; and
The Image itself. Thisisthedata drawn directly
from the sensor sites in your camera in a non-
interpolated form (Bayer pattern form). For most
RAW cameras, this image data is supplied with a
16-bit colour depth (12-bit for the Nikon D100),
providing substantially morecoloursand tonesto
play with when editing and enhancing than found
in a standard 8-bit JPEG or TIFF camera file.
RAW PROCESSI N G I N ACTI ON.
See Fig 5. When you open a file in a raw editor
you are presented with a full colour, interpolated
preview of theBayer file. Using a variety of menu
options, dialogues and image tools, you will be
ableto interactively adjust imagedata factorssuch
astonal distribution and colour saturation. Many
of thesechangescan bemadewith familiar editing
tool s l i ke the l evel s and curves control s. The
results of your editing can be reviewed immedi-
ately via thelivepreview imageand associated his-
togram graphs. Many RAW editors use the new
three colour histogram featuring separate graphs
for red, green and bluepicturecontent.
After these general image editing steps have
taken place you can apply some enhancement
changes such as filtering for sharpness using an
Unsharp Mask tool, removing Moir effect and
applying somesmoothing.
The final phase of the process involves select-
ing the colour space, colour depth, pixel dimen-
si ons and i mage r esol ut i on wi t h whi ch t he
processed file will be saved. Clicking the OK but-
ton sets the program into action, applying your
changes to the RAW file, whilst at the same time
interpolating theBayer data to createa full colour
image.
The real advantages of editing and enhancing
at theRAW stagearethat thesechangesaremade
to the file at the same time as the primary image
data is being interpolated to form the full colour
picture. Editing after thefileisprocessed (saved by
thecamera in 8-bit versionsof theJPEG and TIFF
format) means that you wi l l be appl yi ng the
changesto a picturewith fewer tonesand colours.
And we all know the benefits, or should do, that
such high bit editing provides.
A second bonusfor thededicated RAW shoot-
er is that actions like switching from the white
balanceoption selected when shooting to another
choice when processing, are performed without
any image loss. This is not the case once the file
has been processed with the incorrect white bal-
ancesetting (asany onewho hasinadvertently left
the tungsten setting switched on whilst shooting
in daylight can tell you).
For theproduction photogra-
pher, most RAW edi ti ng pro-
grams also contain several batch
processing options. These allow
the user to set up general para-
metersfor a group of imagesand
t hen i nst ruct t he program t o
processand saveeach filein turn
automatically. This is a real time
saver when you have to edi t a
bunch of pi ctures taken under
thesameshooting circumstances.
In the same vein, some software
also includes the ability to shoot
and adjust pi ctures whi lst your
camera i s attached to the com-
put er . Thi s f eat ur e, usual l y
referred to asshooting tethered,
worksparticularly well for studio
photography and has the advan-
tage of savi ng fi l es di rectl y to
your computer and bypassing thecamerasmemo-
ry card system.
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
With theadvantagesof RAW shooting and process-
ing firmly in mind, your next step should beto
download a trial version of oneof thefeatured edit-
ing programsand try theprocessyourself. Many
manufacturersoffer 30 daysto trial their software
after which, if you areanything likeme, you will be
dipping into your pocket to purchasetheprogram in
order to keep you shooting - becauseonceyou start
shooting RAW you will not want to go back.
Fig 3.
The RAW processing
usually occurs within the
camera, producing a TIFF
or JPEG file, but with
some cameras it is
possible to save the
unprocessed data in a
RAW format which can be
processed later via your
desktop computer.
Fig 4.
The standard RAW camera file
contains unchangeable Camera Data
and editable Image Data along with
the picture itself.
Fig 5.
RAW editing programs
contain a series of familiar
editing and enhancement
tools designed for use with
the unprocessed image
data.
D I G I T A L D A R K R O O M
Bet t er Phot ography 73 72 Bet t er Phot ography
To help get you started down the RAW editing track,
we tried several packages that provide interpolation
and editing optionsfor your files. Thisisbyno wayan
exhaustive list, nor does it fully cover manufacturer
specific programs for Fuji, Kodak, Canon or M inolta
camerasasthe test camera wasa Nikon D100. To sat-
isfy yourself about which package suits your needs,
you should alwaystry trial versionsfor yourself. M ost
software companiesprovided such time-limited demo
versionsvia their websites.
SHARPRAW FOR WI N D OWS
Web: www.logicaldesigns.com/
Imaging1.htm.com
Cost: US$69.00
Trial download available:Yes
See Fig 6.
Thisisthe onlyediting software in the group that uses
Neural Network technology i n the i nterpolati on of
RAW files to create pictures with a balance between
high resolution and low noise. The program provides
no lessthan three other methodsof interpolation and
an option to view the unprocessed Bayer pattern as
well. SharpRaw can be used wi th Canon, Ni kon,
M inolta, Kodak, Fuji and Olympusgenerated files.
The program features three different methods for
auto white balancing, built in controls for lens distor-
ti on and colour balance correcti on, i mage resi zi ng
with perspective control levelsand unsharp mask filter.
N I KON CAPTURE ED I TOR
Web: www.nikon-image.com/eng/software/
Cost: US$500.00
Trial available: Yes, it comes with your browser
software (Nikon View)
See Fig 7.
This is the dedicated Nikon RAW editor designed for
use with all the models in the Nikon line-up that are
capable of RAW capture. A trial version of the pro-
gram comes with the camera browsing software, but
to extend your use beyond the trial you will need to
purchase the software. Now i n versi on 3. 5, Ni kon
Capture provides editing and enhancement tools to
alter brightness, contrast and colour balance and spe-
cific RAW based adjustment of white balance, tone
compensation, colour mode, and sharpening.
The latest version also features new options for
colour noise reduction, edge noise reduction, satura-
tion control and automatic vignetting correction. This
is the option to stick with if you want to keep the
whole image download and RAW conversion process
with Nikon.
Similar manufacturer-specific utilities are available
for other camera makessuch asCanon and Fuji.
BI BBLE AND M ACBI BBLE FROM BI BBLE LABS
Web: www.bibblelabs.com
Cost: US$99.00
Trial download available: Yes
See Fig 8.
A long time favourite with the RAW shooters, Bibble
provi des a qui ck and easy way to convert and
enhance your RA W fi les. It has support for Ni kon
D1/X/H100, Fuj i S2pro, O lympus E10/20, K odak
720x/760 and Canon D30 cameras. The program can
be used i n stand alone mode or as a plug-i n for
Photoshop allowing RAW filesto be opened from the
program, processed via Bibble and then loaded into
Manufactures who
support the RAW
feature in some of
their cameras:
Canon
Fujifilm
M inolta
Nikon
Olympus
Kodak
Check specific camera
model specificationsfor
the feature details.
Fig 6. SharpRaw for Windows
Fig 7. Nikon Capture Editor
Fig 8. Bibble and MacBibble
ADVAN TAGES OF SHOOTI N G RAW
You get to use the full tonal and colour range that wascaptured by
the camera.
You can remove manyof the file processing decisionsfrom the
camera to the desktop where more time and care can be taken in
their execution. Thisincludes:
White balance changes;
Highlight, shadow and mid tone adjustments;
Applying sharpness;
M anipulating saturation;
Colour mode (sRGB, Adobe RGB etc) switches;
De-moir improvements.
You create and save the most comprehensive digital picture file -
digital negative - currentlyavailable
You can make image data changessuch asa switching white bal-
ance settingswithout image qualityloss. Thisisnot possible with
non-RAW formatsasthe white balance resultsare fixed in the
processed file.
You can upscale using primaryimage data (straight from the sen-
sor) rather than pre-processed information, which arguablyleadsto
better results.
D I SADVAN TAGES OF SHOOTI N G RAW
Bigger file sizesto store on your camera smemorycard.
Having to processthe imagesbefore use back at the desktop.
Needing specialist RAW processing software in addition to your
favorite image editing package.
D I G I T A L D A R K R O O M
Photoshop. G ood performer wi th a long hi story of
dedicated supporters.
Image adjustments i nclude one cli ck whi te bal-
ance, RG B colour balance, HSV balance,
contrast/brightness, hi-quality image size re-sampling,
image rotation, image equalise and image auto-level.
Image processing filtersinclude: blur, sharpen, median
cut, unsharp mask and magenta fix.
CAPTURE ON E D SLR
Web: www.phaseone.com/DSLRLE/
Cost: US$99.00 for the Limited Edition version,
US$599.00 for full program
Trial download available: yes
See Fig 9.
With support for a range of cameras including the
ability to drive the famed Phase O ne digital camera
backs, thissoftware isan industrystrength editor from
a company which has been at the forefront of RAW
capture for years. The software provides exceptionally
clean and sharp results and, on a purely visual assess-
ment basis, created the best full colour image from
our RAW test data. The program can be used with
C anon EO S1D/1Ds/10D/D30/D60 and the Ni k on
D100.
The software allowsa range of image adjustments
such asgrey balance, levels/curves, contrast, crop, siz-
i ng and unsharp maski ng to be carri ed out i n one
process with instant feedback on the screen. For the
colour conscious photographer the Color Edit option
allows you to adjust existing colour profiles directly.
Definitelyworth a look.
AD OBE PHOTOSHOP RAW PLUG- I N
Web: www.adobe.com
Cost: US$99.00
Trial download available: Not as at June 2003.
See Fig 10.
Designed to act as a plug-in for both Photoshop and
Photoshop Elements, the Adobe RAW converter starts
when you open a RAW fi le from i nsi de ei ther pro-
gram. The bit plusseswith thiseditor are the factsthat
it is lightning fast, easy to use, has a great preview
and it is very well laid out. The workflow is simple to
move through with the controlson the right hand side
of the screen from top to bottom: select your output
size, colour space and bit depth, press OK and you re
done. The software works with Canon, Fuji, M inolta,
Ni kon and O lympus generated fi les. Don t be sur-
prised if thisisa built-in feature in Photoshop 8.0.
Fig 9. Capture One DSLR
Fig 10.Adobe Photoshop RAW Plug-in
SUGGESTED
RAW
PROCESSI N G
WORKFLOW
1. Peg highlight and
shadows- using
levelslike feature.
2. Adjust mid tones-
using levelsor
curveslike feature.
3. Alter white balance
- if necessary.
4. Remove colour cast
- using colour slid-
ersor eyedropper
on neutral
greysubject tones.
5. Activate anyM oir
removal feature.
6. Applysharpening -
using unsharp
mask type feature.
7. Use smoothing fea-
ture - if necessary.
8. Select colour space
- based on pro-
posed use.
9. Choose final colour
bit depth - more is
best here.
10. Select pixel dimen-
sionsand resolu-
tion (DPI) of the
processed file -
upsampling on the
RAW file often
givesbetter results
than performing
thisfunction later
on the processed
file.
11. Continue editing
and enhancement
in your favorite
imaging program.
RAW ED I TOR RUN D OWN