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Need to process raw photos
Mar 10, 2019 00:39:49   #
JBA
 
Of late I have felt the need to adjust my white balance after the photo was taken.
I am using a Nikon D7200 camera which has dual SD card slots, one for JPEGs and one for RAW. I process photos on an Apple computer using Apple's Photos program.
My questions are:
1. Can I pre-process RAW files using Apple's Photo program?
2. If not, can you recommend a simple-to-use pre-processor program that runs on an Apple computer.
Your help will be greatly appreciated.

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Mar 10, 2019 04:21:57   #
JD750 Loc: SoCal
 
You can process D7200 raw files using Apples Photos.
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT207049

What do you mean "pre-process"? Do you mean "post process"? Which is a team used often to mean retouch? (many people use the term edit or eh all popular "Post Process" for retouch but neither is quite correct). I will assume retouch is what you mean. Yes you can re-touch using Photos.

But nothing beats getting it right in camera to save time afterward. The D7200 is a great camera, you can set custom WB in camera so as not to have to do that later. Another idea is to shoot a frame with a white card (or grey card) and then adjust for light color using the software.

In Photos, click the magic wand, you can revert if you don't like the result. Then go to WB and click the eyedropper and select the grey card. I'm not sure how you copy that to other photos from the shoot. But there is a conversation, at the link following, on the topic of copying adjustments to multiple images using Photos:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7002553

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Mar 10, 2019 06:15:18   #
JohnBoy5562 Loc: Alabama
 
I use a app called RawPower on my iMac
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/raw-power/id1157116444?mt=12

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Mar 10, 2019 07:08:53   #
brent46 Loc: Grand Island, NY
 
Veiw NX2 or Capture D from Nikon for free.

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Mar 10, 2019 15:22:05   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
JBA wrote:
Of late I have felt the need to adjust my white balance after the photo was taken.
I am using a Nikon D7200 camera which has dual SD card slots, one for JPEGs and one for RAW. I process photos on an Apple computer using Apple's Photos program.
My questions are:
1. Can I pre-process RAW files using Apple's Photo program?
2. If not, can you recommend a simple-to-use pre-processor program that runs on an Apple computer.
Your help will be greatly appreciated.


I rarely set a custom white balance. I never shoot jpeg. When I need to nail the color in an image - aka white balance and color balance (they are related but different) - I use an XRite ColorChecker Passport, which creates a custom color PROFILE, which is more comprehensive than a custom white balance.

You may want to look at this video to see why the CCP is a good solution, and why just setting a °K in a camera menu or using a white or gray card is an incomplete solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDtebpvATzc

This works easiest and best when used with Lightroom.

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Mar 11, 2019 07:21:28   #
camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.
 
I use Affinity Photo as my main editor but it could be a complicated editor for you. You could find that if you do not have enough editing skills your RAW files will be a disappointment. Those beautiful colors we see will need editing to bring them back to life.
Regarding WB, I believe that you should learn to set a custom WB so that you do not have to mess around with an editor that will not always give you the best results.

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Mar 11, 2019 10:39:23   #
burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC
 
JBA wrote:
Of late I have felt the need to adjust my white balance after the photo was taken.
I am using a Nikon D7200 camera which has dual SD card slots, one for JPEGs and one for RAW. I process photos on an Apple computer using Apple's Photos program.
My questions are:
1. Can I pre-process RAW files using Apple's Photo program?
2. If not, can you recommend a simple-to-use pre-processor program that runs on an Apple computer.
Your help will be greatly appreciated.


PRE-processing is what you do when setting the JPEG processor menus in your camera, along with using appropriate exposure techniques and custom white balance.

POST-processing is what you do to adjust raw files after converting the data to bitmapped images.

Yes, Photos can handle raw files. Mac OS has a built-in raw processing engine.

For $50, you can get Serif Affinity Photo: https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/desktop/ (scroll to the VERY BOTTOM of the linked page to get a free trial download).

Adobe Photoshop Elements is more expensive than Affinity Photo, arguably does less, and has limited support for 16-bit image processing. But it is a logical choice if you plan to step up to an Adobe Photography Bundle at some point.

There are many other also-ran choices. No doubt others will list them here.

For $9.99/monthly, you can get one of the Adobe Photography Bundles (BOTH versions of Lightroom — the "mobile" CC and the "desktop" CLASSIC CC — plus the full Adobe Photoshop CC and Adobe Bridge).

Lightroom is an image database and a raw file developer. Photoshop is a bitmap image editor. Bridge is an organizer. They all serve VERY different, but complementary purposes.

The Adobe Creative Cloud scheme assures that you will always have the latest versions of these applications. They don't charge for updates beyond the basic price of the subscription. And don't worry, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STORE YOUR IMAGES ONLINE OR "IN THE CLOUD." Lightroom Classic CC, Photoshop CC, and Bridge can run entirely locally. The only "online" part of the subscription is downloading the software and updates or upgrades as they are available, plus Adobe having to "phone home" about once a month to be sure you've paid your bill. BUT, if you want online storage, they have it, for a fee.

I use an iMac, I calibrate and custom-profile my monitor with a Datacolor Spyder5Pro, and I use Adobe's Photography Bundle for processing all my images. I seldom use Bridge, but all my processing STARTS in Lightroom, and MAY finish in Photoshop. Many images don't require Photoshop tools...

Lightroom Classic can be a head scratcher for many folks, because it does not directly edit your images. It is an IMAGE DATABASE used to "Import" (catalog), then rate and cull-edit your images. You can "develop and print" images from it, but it NEVER CHANGES YOUR ORIGINAL FILES OR IMAGES, until you need to get something out of it. It exports, creates books from, prints, or posts COPIES of your images to the Internet.

By contrast, Photoshop is made to work on one file at a time. It works in layers, and can modify individual pixels as needed, using a very wide array of tools. After 25+ years of development, it is arguably BLOATWARE... It has nearly every image modification tool needed in the graphic arts and photography industries. It will DO nearly anything to an image, but the challenge is to STOP DOING IT when you've done enough. It can become a "black hole time sucker" tool! That's why Lightroom was developed...

Lr Classic has a Develop module where you can alter the appearance of images with LOTS of global (or parametric) editing tools. You can also do cropping, straightening, minor retouching, and some other basic work. The Develop Module uses EXACTLY the same ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) processor that is in both Photoshop and Bridge. Each of those programs uses a very different *interface* to ACR, however!

Lr Classic has a Map module used to geolocate images that are tagged with GPS coordinates at the camera.

Lr Classic has a Book module used to compose PDF files of photos for coffee table photo books such as wedding albums or family vacation albums.

Lr Classic has a Slideshow module used to present your images. Its original purpose was for professionals to use in their sales rooms to present proofs to clients.

Lr Classic has a Print module that makes picture packages, custom layouts, and more... It is a full-featured tool for driving locally connected printers OR writing files to disc for a lab to print. I'm an ex-professional color lab manager, so I love it. It takes some care to set all the menus correctly, but results are excellent.

LR Classic has a Web module that interfaces with online gallery sites. You can post your images and manage them.

Lr Classic has an Export tool that can create just about any sort of file for any purpose you want. It can do batch exports and batch conversions, although it's not as sophisticated as Thorsten Lemke's Graphic Converter X, which is $40 shareware worth trying for free and then paying to own.

https://www.lemkesoft.de/en/products/graphicconverter/download/

I hope that helps! You have LOTS of choices.

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Mar 11, 2019 12:28:12   #
fetzler Loc: North West PA
 
NiKon Capture NX-D (available for free) works great and has decent batch processing. Light Room is more powerful but I like Capture as it has all the options available on the camera.

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Mar 11, 2019 13:00:22   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
JBA wrote:
Of late I have felt the need to adjust my white balance after the photo was taken.
I am using a Nikon D7200 camera which has dual SD card slots, one for JPEGs and one for RAW. I process photos on an Apple computer using Apple's Photos program.
My questions are:
1. Can I pre-process RAW files using Apple's Photo program?
2. If not, can you recommend a simple-to-use pre-processor program that runs on an Apple computer.
Your help will be greatly appreciated.


As far as white balance is concerned, the cheapest solution would be to download one of the Nikon programs from their website. They have some free programs for Nikon camera files.

As an aside, if your camera has dual card slots you have several choices: (1) you can save one file, either jpg or raw, to one card and if that card gets full the camera will start using the other card; (2) you can save two files, one to card 1 and one to card 2. The files can be both jpg, both raw, or one jpg/one raw. Option (1) allows you to store more images. Option (2) allows you to either store two of the same type of file for instant backup purposes (in case one card gets corrupted somehow) or it allows you to mix file types.

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Mar 11, 2019 13:02:43   #
burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC
 
fetzler wrote:
NiKon Capture NX-D (available for free) works great and has decent batch processing. Light Room is more powerful but I like Capture as it has all the options available on the camera.


That's a good point, that camera manufacturers supply software that uses ALL of their color science.

Whether they write their own, or partner with an outsource developer, they get the best color of any compatible post-processor around. That said, most of them are lousy at workflow management.

Consequently, I use them for "one-off," marginal, and particularly difficult-to-process images. Casual users with a low volume may find that the manufacturer's app is all they need.

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Mar 12, 2019 14:54:49   #
amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
 
Gene51 wrote:
I rarely set a custom white balance.... I use an XRite ColorChecker Passport, which creates a custom color PROFILE, which is more comprehensive than a custom white balance.

You may want to look at this video to see why the CCP is a good solution, and why just setting a °K in a camera menu or using a white or gray card is an incomplete solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDtebpvATzc



I watched the video at the link and the FIRST thing he did was set a custom white balance on the camera.... ???

Maybe we're talking about two different things?

Custom WB versus Manual WB?

Manual WB: I agree that setting the color temp (i.e., the "K" or "Kelvin") is generally not going to give good results.... the main reason is this sets color temp (cyan/yellow axis), but not the color tint (magenta/green axis).

Custom WB takes a shot of a gray card (or pure white, or pure black) that's included in the Color Checker Pastport, then tells the camera to use that for reference. This gets color rendition very close in many situations.

His first example image, though... was deliberately shot with incorrect WB setting (using the "Daylight" preset under tungsten light). Using the "eyedropper" tool to correct that is basically the same as setting a Custom WB.

Someone shooting RAW + JPEG will be better off setting and using a Custom WB. Otherwise, their JPEGs will be difficult or impossible to correct later in post.

Video goes further though.... Taking a test shot of the Color Checker and then using that to calibrate the camera/lens/lighting situation in post-processing. He makes a point of distinguishing between setting the White Balance and this calibration process.

Color Checker Passport also provides means of setting a "bias"... usually a "warming", but "cooling" is also possible. I use "Warm Cards" to accomplish the same things.

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Mar 12, 2019 18:58:33   #
burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC
 
amfoto1 wrote:
I watched the video at the link and the FIRST thing he did was set a custom white balance on the camera.... ???

Maybe we're talking about two different things?

Custom WB versus Manual WB?

Manual WB: I agree that setting the color temp (i.e., the "K" or "Kelvin") is generally not going to give good results.... the main reason is this sets color temp (cyan/yellow axis), but not the color tint (magenta/green axis).

Custom WB takes a shot of a gray card (or pure white, or pure black) that's included in the Color Checker Pastport, then tells the camera to use that for reference. This gets color rendition very close in many situations.

His first example image, though... was deliberately shot with incorrect WB setting (using the "Daylight" preset under tungsten light). Using the "eyedropper" tool to correct that is basically the same as setting a Custom WB.

Someone shooting RAW + JPEG will be better off setting and using a Custom WB. Otherwise, their JPEGs will be difficult or impossible to correct later in post.

Video goes further though.... Taking a test shot of the Color Checker and then using that to calibrate the camera/lens/lighting situation in post-processing. He makes a point of distinguishing between setting the White Balance and this calibration process.

Color Checker Passport also provides means of setting a "bias"... usually a "warming", but "cooling" is also possible. I use "Warm Cards" to accomplish the same things.
I watched the video at the link and the FIRST thin... (show quote)




In video, the idea is to be able to match output from multiple cameras to each other. The ColorChecker Passport is the most accurate tool for that.

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