photo editing for the DC2000

[cobra269]

Sealife has been the only camera I've used since I first started taking pics over 10 years ago. So I'm upgrading to the DC2000 from the DC1400. I already have all the new strobes and video lights. Now that I can
shoot in RAW what is the best photo editing software when using the DC2000?

I'm not a professional just sharing pics with friends and family. I'm looking for something easy to apply not to complicated which gives me great results.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ColoDale]

The Sealife DC2000 should be using DNG RAW format which is the Adobe format. Adobe makes Lightroom, Elements and Photoshop CC which I knew as the old CS. I have tried using the old CS but there is a lot to it and a big learning curve. I don't edit enough to justify the time to use it as intended.

Since the DNG format is the same and that I use Adobe Photoshop Elements, I will key on Adobe. There are other editors but you may/will have to convert the format from DNG to the application RAW format. The converters are generally free but I can't tell you about the quality of them.

CC is the full blown editing application. It can do a whole lot more than just photographs. More expensive too.
Elements is in between CC and Lightroom. I use this for RAW and jpeg photo editing but has less features than CC. The user interface is a selling feature.
Lightroom, which I don't use, seems to be popular but also may be more difficult to fully use as I understand. People who use it should comment here I would think.

There can be quite alot to all these applications which may make it difficult if you don't want to spend the time.

You can get a better comparison here - Lightroom vs Photoshop Elements. It is from 2016 I think so some things may have changed.

You can try some free applications. There is a list on Best free photo editing software. I used Picasa in the past but I think they are forcing everyone to the Google cloud. I wanted local PC based. I liked the printer GUI. I don't know what it looks like now.
On the other hand you may get what you pay for and if free and in their cloud, who knows what they will do with your images and your email address - marketing, data mining, popups, something?

You can google "best raw photo editing software" which will give you a bunch of answers. You can also try UnderwaterPhotography.com | #1 Since 1996 forums, wetpixel.com and DPreview for answers. I can only tell you about photoshop. I edit RAW and if you wish you can check my gallery on SB to judge if that is what you want to do.

You may want an application that can adjust white balance in the RAW photos if you are not taking care of that underwater or shooting auto white balance.

So bottom line is that you can edit RAW format with any application as long as the format is right.

 

[Pillpusher]

The Sealife DC2000 should be using DNG RAW format which is the Adobe format. Adobe makes Lightroom, Elements and Photoshop CC which I knew as the old CS. I have tried using the old CS but there is a lot to it and a big learning curve. I don't edit enough to justify the time to use it as intended.

Since the DNG format is the same and that I use Adobe Photoshop Elements, I will key on Adobe. There are other editors but you may/will have to convert the format from DNG to the application RAW format. The converters are generally free but I can't tell you about the quality of them.

CC is the full blown editing application. It can do a whole lot more than just photographs. More expensive too.
Elements is in between CC and Lightroom. I use this for RAW and jpeg photo editing but has less features than CC. The user interface is a selling feature.
Lightroom, which I don't use, seems to be popular but also may be more difficult to fully use as I understand. People who use it should comment here I would think.

There can be quite alot to all these applications which may make it difficult if you don't want to spend the time.

You can get a better comparison here - Lightroom vs Photoshop Elements. It is from 2016 I think so some things may have changed.

You can try some free applications. There is a list on Best free photo editing software. I used Picasa in the past but I think they are forcing everyone to the Google cloud. I wanted local PC based. I liked the printer GUI. I don't know what it looks like now.
On the other hand you may get what you pay for and if free and in their cloud, who knows what they will do with your images and your email address - marketing, data mining, popups, something?

You can google "best raw photo editing software" which will give you a bunch of answers. You can also try UnderwaterPhotography.com | #1 Since 1996 forums, wetpixel.com and DPreview for answers. I can only tell you about photoshop. I edit RAW and if you wish you can check my gallery on SB to judge if that is what you want to do.

You may want an application that can adjust white balance in the RAW photos if you are not taking care of that underwater or shooting auto white balance.

So bottom line is that you can edit RAW format with any application as long as the format is right.

How about Aperture? I know Apple no longer supports it, but old habits die hard.

 

[ColoDale]

I have not ever used Aperture. I know very little about Apple anything. My days in IT and personal life revolved around Microsoft and all my cell phones have been Android.

 

[kelemvor]

It's kind of too bad they went with DNG instead of a regular RAW. Still, better than no RAW option at all! There are tools you can use to convert DNG if you don't want to use adobe products such as this one: UFRaw - Home

However, photoshop is a fantastic tool... it just has a steep learning curve to make good use of it... I've been using it for years and still pretty much suck. well it's also expensive... Still, I love it and use it.

I don't know if there's many other programs that will read DNG since it's a patented format owned by Adobe. It's why other cameras such as Nikon and Canon have their own raw formats rather than just writing DNG. I'd bet that writing their own format was just too expensive for a smaller player like Sea-life.

 

[Pillpusher]

It's kind of too bad they went with DNG instead of a regular RAW. Still, better than no RAW option at all! There are tools you can use to convert DNG if you don't want to use adobe products such as this one: UFRaw - Home

However, photoshop is a fantastic tool... it just has a steep learning curve to make good use of it... I've been using it for years and still pretty much suck. well it's also expensive... Still, I love it and use it.

I don't know if there's many other programs that will read DNG since it's a patented format owned by Adobe. It's why other cameras such as Nikon and Canon have their own raw formats rather than just writing DNG. I'd bet that writing their own format was just too expensive for a smaller player like Sea-life.

Hmm. I would hate to have to make a jump and learn a new product just because of this. Here's what I could find on Aperture's DNG compatibility. Most of what this is saying is somewhat German to me. What do you make of it?
Aperture 2 and 3: Tips on Baseline DNG support

 

[kelemvor]

Usually the camera manufacturer writes a RAW processor. If they don't, it will till attempt to read the image and will likely be successful. However, depending on the data written in the file, some things may be "off".
That's just my take after reading the page, for what it's worth. I just got a DC1400 thanks to someone else upgrading and I use Photoshop. I've never used a DC2000 or Aperature.

Contact Sealife and see if they offer a processor for Aperture, maybe they do. You never know.. all of that is conjecture, it's entirely possible the DNG from the sealife will work just fine with Aperture.

 

[ColoDale]

If you use an adobe product the sealife DNG should work with no modification. I convert ORF (olympus) to Adobe DNG and it works fine. It seems that sealife by itself does not make converters but according to what they say it is standard DNG. It does have a Sony sensor but sealife doesn't tell me details on it's processor and how it writes files. You may try a specific question in the Sealif section under Manufacturers Forum here on SB.

For Apple, there might be an issue with conversion settings that seems easily remedied. In the first link the footnote number 1 addresses linear images. You get what appears to be a native DNG file out of the camera so no conversion. The links here are if you convert a file.
Apple - Aperture - Technical Specifications - RAW Support

Related details for linear DNG files
Apple DNG file issues
Aperture 3: Some DNG images display as unsupported

Adobe does provide a converter at Adobe - Adobe Camera Raw and DNG Converter : For Macintosh : Adobe DNG Converter 9.9. But basically if you had an issue it would be DNG to DNG conversion if you stuck with that format. I don't even know if that is possible. You could convert the camera DNG to something else and try that in Aperture. I think DNG out of the camera will work.

The best test is to get a sealife DC2000 RAW image (maybe with jpeg for ease) from a camera store or dive shop that is cooperative assuming you dont have it now. The trick will be finding someone with Aperture again assuming you don't already have it. Open it up and see. The RAW file will be big so maybe a thumb drive or CD or something as the file may be too big for email. Or as said, contact Sealife directly.

 

[Pillpusher]

If you use an adobe product the sealife DNG should work with no modification. I convert ORF (olympus) to Adobe DNG and it works fine. It seems that sealife by itself does not make converters but according to what they say it is standard DNG. It does have a Sony sensor but sealife doesn't tell me details on it's processor and how it writes files. You may try a specific question in the Sealif section under Manufacturers Forum here on SB.

For Apple, there might be an issue with conversion settings that seems easily remedied. In the first link the footnote number 1 addresses linear images. You get what appears to be a native DNG file out of the camera so no conversion. The links here are if you convert a file.
Apple - Aperture - Technical Specifications - RAW Support

Related details for linear DNG files
Apple DNG file issues
Aperture 3: Some DNG images display as unsupported

Adobe does provide a converter at Adobe - Adobe Camera Raw and DNG Converter : For Macintosh : Adobe DNG Converter 9.9. But basically if you had an issue it would be DNG to DNG conversion if you stuck with that format. I don't even know if that is possible. You could convert the camera DNG to something else and try that in Aperture. I think DNG out of the camera will work.

The best test is to get a sealife DC2000 RAW image (maybe with jpeg for ease) from a camera store or dive shop that is cooperative assuming you dont have it now. The trick will be finding someone with Aperture again assuming you don't already have it. Open it up and see. The RAW file will be big so maybe a thumb drive or CD or something as the file may be too big for email. Or as said, contact Sealife directly.

Thanks for all the info. I appreciate it! So, basically, I'll know right off the bat as soon as I import an image if it supports it because I'll get an error message, correct? I just want to make sure that it wouldn't import it, but with limited functionality for white balance, etc.

 

[Pillpusher]

After looking at the other options, maybe I'll just try Elements anyway. I REALLY hate the subscription based licenses Adobe does now considering I'd only use it 2-3 times per year, and Elements seems to be the only perpetual license option. Since Aperture is no longer supported, I'm likely going to have to make a jump to something sooner or later anyway.