What Software to Use for 50d

[bmpress]

Hi,
I am an amateur and do not process huge numbers of images. I have been using CS3 whenever I want to really work on one, but I also use Picassa for run-of-the-mill family photos. Typically, I set the camera to produce Raw plus a medium sized jpeg. Picassa seems to do a good job on the jpegs, but when I really like an image, I go into CS3 and see what can be done.

Now I have a new 50d and know almost nothing about Canon's DPP software. Should I use this to process my raw files? Also is the question of Lightroom. A friend suggests that I standardize on Lightroom and just use CS3 for non-global editing. He even said to just shoot raw and convert to jpegs when needed for family stuff.

Its all very confusing, but I would like recommendations which would do these things:

1. Speed up what I do.
2. Simplify what I do.
3. Be able to bring the most out of my special images.
4. Reduce the cost of software updates.

Thanks...

[Bob Atkins]

I can't tell you what you should do, but I can tell you what I do. I generally shoot RAW + JPEG. I use DPP to select which images I think are good, then I optimize them within DPP and export them as JPEG files. In DPP I can crop, correct white balance, correct vignetting, tweak exposure, correct chromatic aberration, add noise reduction (if necessary) and tweak color, contrast, saturation and shapness as well as apply standard or custom picture styles. These are all global functions of course meaning they are applied to the whole image.

If I need to do further editing (such as rotations, cloning and selective adjustments to specific areas of the image) I use Paint Shop Pro v9 with the JPEGs exported from DPP.

I'm not sure why I shoot RAW + JPEG rather than just RAW. I guess when I'm on vacation it's easier and faster to view the JPEG files on my laptop then it is to convert the RAW files, but mostly it's just a habit now. I can also make quick edits on them using Paint Shop Pro (which can't open my RAW files). I have found Paint Shop Pro (v9) does pretty much everything I need to do. I've never really liked PhotoShop even though I have it available. I have not bought into the Adobe continuous upgrade programs which mean forking out another $150 or so every time a new DSLR comes out if you want to keep the RAW conversion utilities up to date.

Adobe  Lightroom    is a RAW converter, image editor and image organizer. DPP has some basic image organizer functions, but I wouldn't call it a very full featured orgainizer.

DPP has the advantage that it's updated for free whenever Canon bring out a new camera and it's supplied free with all EOS DSLRs. It's also a very good RAW converter (as it should be since Canon should know maore about their RAW format than anyone else). So from a cost viewpoint, DPP wins every time and from a quality viewpoint it's as good a RAW converter as any and it's better than most.

I can't really comment on Lightroom since I've never really used it. A lot of photographers seem to swear by it though and I should probably check it out.

[KeithB]

I would suggest shooting just JPEG for family and snapshot type photos and switching to RAW for "serious" photos and difficult situations.  You will get more shots on a card and not have two versions of each photo to worry about.

You can easily tell if this will work for you:  If the JPEGS are usually fine as they are, then why have the RAW?

[bmpress]

Thanks, Bob, for your comments and suggestions.

One other wrinkle has since appeared, and that is "DxO."

People are now claiming that its raw converter is even better than the oem product, such as Canon DPP, because DxO not only converts, but also corrects for individual lens defects.

If true, then, would it be a good idea to convert in DxO and then catalog/organize/backup in Lightroom, and adjust in PShop when necessary?

[Bob Atkins]

DPP also corrects for lens aberrations, as long as the lens is a Canon lens which is supported by DPP. I think this list contains all the lenses supported by DPP, though Canon may have updated it.

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
EF 100mm f/2 USM
EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
EF 135mm f/2.8
EF 135mm f/2L USM
EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM
EF 14mm f/2.8L USM
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
EF 17-35mm f/2.8L USM
EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM
EF 200mm f/2.8L USM
EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
EF 20mm f/2.8 USM
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
EF 24mm f/1.4L USM
EF 24mm f/2.8
EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM
EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6
EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM
EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6
EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 USM
EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM
EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM
EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6
EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 II
EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 II USM
EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 III
EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 USM
EF 28mm f/1.8 USM
EF 28mm f/2.8
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 300mm f/4L IS USM
EF 35mm f/1.4L USM
EF 35mm f/2
EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM
EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
EF 500mm f/4L IS USM
EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
EF 50mm f/1.8
EF 50mm f/1.8 II
EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM
EF 55-200mm f/4-5.6 USM
EF 600mm f/4L IS USM
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
EF 70-200mm f/4L USM
EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM
EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 II
EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 II USM
EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM
EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM
EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM
EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
EF 85mm f/1.2L USM
EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6
EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM
EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM
EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM
EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II USM
EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

DXO is a good program, though when I tried it I didn't really like the user interface which I found confusing. They used to have a trial version, so check their website and see if that's still the case. If so you can try it and see how you like it.