BetterPhoto Q&A
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Anita Bower		RAW & Photoshop 7.0 I want to edit my RAW photos in Photoshop 7.0 I have software from my digital camera (Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D) which opens RAW photos, but, I don't know how to move them into Photoshop. Separately, I see the files in photoshop, but they won't open. Help!! Anita To love this question, log in above April 10, 2006

Bob Chance		Anita: Does your camera software allow you to edit your RAW images? If so, then you should simply need to select "Save As" instead of "Save" and change the file format to either JPG, TIF or something other than RAW and then you should be able to open them in PS. Another possibility! I have read that older versions of PS, you need to download the appropriate drivers, what-have-you, from Adobe in order to open and edit RAW images. PSCS2 already incorporates the neccessary portal. Hope this is of help. Bob To love this comment, log in above April 10, 2006

Anita Bower		Thanks, Bob. Yes, my camera software does allow me to edit my RAW images. I have learned, since posting my question, that Adobe no longer makes an upgrade for PS 7. Another question: Do I lose quality by converting the file to TIFF? Anita To love this comment, log in above April 11, 2006

Bob Chance		Anita: From what I've read and as I understand it, TIFF is actually the preferred format. It is what's called a "Lossless" format because, even though it doesn't compress as much as JPG, it doesn't loss any information or quality like JPG does. And each time you save the same file in JPG, you lose even more. After so many times, your file wouldn't look like much. So, the answer is "No" you don't loose quality in a TIFF format. Bob To love this comment, log in above April 11, 2006

Anita Bower		Thanks! Anita To love this comment, log in above April 11, 2006

Paul Tobeck		What you lose by saving an ORIGINAL file as a tiff is the abilty to tweak the raw camera data. If you want to move the file into Photoshop, use a copy of the original raw, then save as a tiff. Always preserve your raw files in a seperate folder. These are your digital "negatives" and they need to be treated just like they were film originals. If you really want to work on the raw files in Photoshop, then you'll have to spend the $150 to upgrade to CS2. Adobe pulled the "plug" on the raw file plugin for PS7 a while back, and even if you found a copy, it probably wouldn't support your 5D raw files anyway. To love this comment, log in above April 11, 2006

Bob Chance		Choosing the "Save As" command would allow you to save the file under a differnt name, folder or format or any combination of the above, while still preserving your original RAW file in it's orignal location with it's original name. Choosing the "SAVE" command would overwrite your original file with whatever changes you made. So if you want to edit your RAW images and save those changes to your origianl, then choose "Save" first. Then go back and choose "Save As" and change the format before clicking "OK" If you want to save your changes to the RAW file and yet maintain your original before the changes were made, then you must choose "Save As' and either change the location or the name of the file so it doesn't overwrite the original. I usually just append my existing file name with an uppercase 'E' so I know it's been edited. Bob To love this comment, log in above April 11, 2006

Bob		Along the same lines, has anyone here used RAW Premium? It is supposedly easier that PS, but I am not really sure how it stacks up. I would be interested in knowing! TIA! To love this comment, log in above April 11, 2006

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