[Maflynn]

I'm looking at purchasing a digital SLR camera. One function this has is to capture the images in RAW format. iPhoto doesn't support that mostly since RAW isn't a single format, anyways I digress.

Is there an like application that does support RAW or am I stuck with either Photoshop, or the software included with the camera?

I'm not sure if I want to use RAW most/some/none of the time, but I'd like to see what options I have before hand.

fwiw, I'm debating betweem the Nikon D70, and the Canon EOS Rebel. The Nikon seems to have more bells and whistles and feels more sturdier. I still need to do more research and see if there are other comparable models.

Thanks in advance.
Mike

[Dr. Smoke]

Hi, Maflynn

Graphic Converter supports Photo RAW formats from Nikon (NEF) and Canon (CRW, CR2), and other cameras as listed here.

I'm a lifelong Nikon fan. That would be my pick. I have several of their SLRs and a couple of years back bought a CoolPix 880 as my first digital camera. Considering moving up to one of their D1 or D2 high end digital 35MM units at some point.

[CatOne]

Originally posted by Maflynn:
I'm looking at purchasing a digital SLR camera. One function this has is to capture the images in RAW format. iPhoto doesn't support that mostly since RAW isn't a single format, anyways I digress.

Is there an like application that does support RAW or am I stuck with either Photoshop, or the software included with the camera?

I'm not sure if I want to use RAW most/some/none of the time, but I'd like to see what options I have before hand.

fwiw, I'm debating betweem the Nikon D70, and the Canon EOS Rebel. The Nikon seems to have more bells and whistles and feels more sturdier. I still need to do more research and see if there are other comparable models.

Thanks in advance.
Mike

I use iView Media Pro to do this (www.iview-multimedia.com) but it's on the expensive side ($180 or so these days). They have a cheaper version, iView Media, which I think also has RAW support.

Photoshop CS has built-in RAW support, and the file browser isn't bad. iView is faster for organizing and categorizing, though.

I shoot RAW all the time. It's better for workflows -- you have your originals which you won't (in fact can't) touch, because no editor will re-save as RAW, and then you have your color corrected photos. I use iView Media Pro for organizing, and Photoshop CS for editing -- just right click and "edit photo" and it's opened in Photoshop.

Not sure there's a *good* free or $20 solution for RAW (other than the software Nikon or Canon give you), but in general they consider people that shoot RAW to be "enthusiast enough" to pay a bit of money I guess

[thePurpleGiant]

Register Graphic Converter for $30US, and then simply batch convert all your raw files into TIFF or another lossless format once you import, then you can use in iPhoto or any other software. Easily worth the one-off fee for GraphicConverter.

[Maflynn]

Originally posted by Dr. Smoke:
I'm a lifelong Nikon fan. That would be my pick. I have several of their SLRs and a couple of years back bought a CoolPix 880 as my first digital camera. Considering moving up to one of their D1 or D2 high end digital 35MM units at some point.

I picked up the D70 and its an awesome camera. I researched the two models in a number of online digital camera sites, and went to a number of different camera stores to get the various sales perspective. All of them said the Nikon is better then the Rebel.

I see the Nikon has some a demo version (time crippled) included and one of the review sites I think it was Digital Camera Resource said they like the Nikon's versioin of converting NEF to JPG better then PhotoShop's.

I can't wait to start using it for real, my wife is getting sick of me snapping photos of her as she walks around the house. I want to get a feel of the camera though before I need to use it.

Mike