Question regarding camera RAW format and Windows Photo Gallery

[melonvitara]

i took some pictures with the camera RAW format and after i transfered the pictures to my computer i opened them in PS
i didnt change anything to it and just save it as jpg
then next i open Windows photo gallery and the magical happens...
when i open the jpg file from above, it looks exactly the same as the RAW format i opened (obviously)
but when i opened the CR2 file in windows photo gallery ((not PS) - you need to download stuff from canon website to see CR2 file without the use of PS), it looks edited and looks really nice compare to the jpg file!
but how can i actually see that "edited" copy?
even when i open PS with the RAW format it's not like the edited one
i tried editing the jpg file with auto level/contrast/color the result is still not as good as the CR2 file

[StevieSpeed3]

Its because adobe has built in plugins to recoginize each different cameras RAW formats. Once its in Jpeg format its universal and any picture program can read it.  By changing it from RAW to Jpeg the image shouldn't change, just the resolution iirc.

Basically I think that the plugin in PS is generic to Canon or Nikon for all models.
I forget what its called, but there is software available from canon to allow you to view, save and edit RAW formats on your computer.

[Ice-520]

i don't have that problem, cuz my XP can't view RAW preview, are you using Vista?
anyways, jpg is always shittier than RAW but shouldn't be too noticable

btw, what camera did you get? G9?

[d1]

If he can save in raw and his camera isn't a dslr, it's probably a G9 (I want one)

[silvia_s14a]

My DMC-FZ7 is able to save in RAW.

[Ice-520]

I think he is talking about Canon

there are lots of non-Canon non-DSLR that can shoot RAW

[melonvitara]

yup i have a G9 and using Vista (my laptop)
i was uploading the CR2 images to my laptop and it automatically asked me if i want to see the CR2 images click download (which brings me to the canon's download page)
here is the link
http://www.canon.ca/product_reg.asp?lng=en&pid=490&pname=PowerShot+G9&pr=0&shlink=http%3A%2F%2Fcanoncanada%2Ecusthelp%2Ecom%2Fcgi%2Dbin%2Fcanoncanada%2Ecfg%2Fphp%2Fenduser%2Fstd%5Falp%2Ephp%3Fp%5Fli%3D%26p%5Fpage%3D1%26p%5Fprods%3D13%2C476%26p%5Fpv%3D2%2E476%26p%5Fcv%3D1%2E318%26p%5Fcats%3D318%26p%5Fsearch%5Ftext%3D%26p%5Fnew%5Fsearch%3D1%26p%5Fsearch%5Ftype%3Danswers%2Esearch%5Ffnl%26p%5Fsort%5Fby%3Ddflt

click #8 Canon RAW Codec 1.2
but it says for Vista

the thing i said isnt a problem
let me explain again
i have a CR2 file and i open it in Photoshop, i see the image
then i save that image in jpg format and open the jpg file normally (like how u normally open an image file) it looks exactly the same as the CR2 file in Photoshop (which is normal)
BUT if i open the CR2 file NORMALLY (not in Photoshop and using the codec that i downloaded), the image looks edited (in a good way)
so the question is how can i actually save that edited image?
if i open the CR2 image again in Photoshop it's still unedited

[Ice-520]

solution: edit your own pics in PS don't be lazy

[d1]

kinda off topic, but how is your G9? I'm thinking about picking one up..

[rancid]

for the price there are some other options worth considering aside from the G9.  Pentax k100d super, k100, k10d, Nikon D40(x), and I believe the Olympus Evolt 410.  You have a lot more options in terms of lenses and also room to "grow". 

Was there an option in the G9 to select which type of RAW file?  I know adobe has it's own format and there are other variations as well. 

[Ice-520]

i think canon only use CR2

[rancid]

on the pentax there's 2 options: DNG and PEF.  Adobe CS2 won't recognize PEF but I think another program will...usually the bundled software.

The CR2 file or DNG/PEF equivalent will always look better than the jpeg.  It's basically the digital camera's negative.  You'll capture more detail with the CR2 file than with the jpeg.  But it's weird that the codec you downloaded makes the two pictures look the same.  After seeing a jpeg vs an edited RAW file....the difference was night and day for me (obviously depending on the what picture you took).  I was amazed at the amount of detail that the jpeg looses over the raw format.

[Ice-520]

my jpg don't look night and day from my raws 

[Username]

Hm, mine either.

Thomas, I went and downloaded the codec as well to see what you are talking about. I opened the image in both Windows Photo Gallery as well as CS3 and did not notice a difference. Are you sure it's not your eyes playing a trick on you?

Either way, I played around with Windows Photo Gallery and there is no option to save the file as a jpg. The only thing I could think of is to save a copy and then try to open that supposedly touched up version in CS3 and apply no changes to that RAW file.

Let me know how it goes.

  Kev

[Ice-520]

why not just stick with CS3?
and forget about Windows Photo Gallery
it's not like you will show/share RAW with others

if you want a quick and easy photo touch up
just open raw in CS3 and then do Auto adjustment under the Basic tab, it works most of the time but lacks creativity and character tho

[Username]

Agreed. The Windows Photo Gallery has no functionality to actually modify RAW images. It's merely a method to preview files. Stick to CS3 little T. Your photos will thank you for it.

  Kev

[Ice-520]

and if u want to preview them, use Bridge that came with your PS

[melonvitara]

kinda off topic, but how is your G9? I'm thinking about picking one up..

i'm lovin it
the only "complain" i have is... i wish to have 28mm wide instead of 35mm wide
it's not a "big" deal but it would be nice to have
and i love the circular control
in terms of build quality... the camera feels really solid (like a brick lol)
i will post pics later
took a lot of pictures yesterday

as for Windows Photo Gallery... it's just a fancy name for previewing images
all the image files that you opened (doesnt matter is it CR2, jpg or whatever) is viewed via Windows Photo Gallery

i will take a screenshot tomorrow to show you guys the difference i am seeing between images

[rancid]

after editing the raw file vs the jpeg file, the picture looked alot better to me.  White balance was a lot better on the edited raw file than the jpeg.  In terms of image quality, I think the raw file comes out much better after editing than the jpeg file.

[Ice-520]

well, of cuz, Editing the RAW(original) is always better than editing a Jpeg(some data loss/compressed)
but if u edited the RAW, and then convert as Jpeg, they don't look night and day