Working with RAW format gives the photographer a huge advantage. The wide dynamic range of "raw" shots allows you to work wonders and "save" even the most hopeless shots. But this is one side of the coin. On the reverse side, there are hundreds of heavy files that are not available for quick viewing on the camera, and are not always opened using Windows tools. These inconveniences, of course, are not a reason to refuse shooting in RAW, moreover, the solution to the problem lies on the surface. To quickly cope with gigabytes of photos will allow the program for viewing RAW images -.
Why do you need a RAW viewer?
If you plan to shoot in RAW, installing a dedicated viewer will be a must for you. Otherwise, you simply will not be able to fully appreciate the result of your work. What is the advantage of RAW Converter over the standard Windows viewer?
- the program works with excellent speed and opens almost all known RAW extensions, a regular viewer cannot boast of this;
- a convenient file manager allows you to instantly "move" from folder to folder;
- You can add successful shots to your favorites in just one click, without unnecessary red tape with additional folders.
And these are just those points that relate to sorting files. RAW Converter Express is a universal application with which you can not only improve it, but also significantly improve it. The program contains all the key tools that will be required at various stages of RAW processing. Moreover, all the functionality (which is obvious from the name of the program) is designed specifically to simplify and speed up the work of the photographer. How is this possible? Let's take a closer look at the main functions.
Automatic RAW enhancement
By double-clicking on a photo in the viewport, you will be taken to the built-in editor. Here, the RAW format reader will delight you with the ability to immediately correct the exposure and adjust the white balance. This can be done automatically or manually. For instant results, use a set of presets - select the desired mode and apply it to the picture with one click. So, with the help of presets, you can lighten or darken a picture in a second, tone it in warm or cold tones.
Manual adjustment will also not cause any difficulties at all - adjust the position of the sliders and follow the changes in the preview window. When increasing the exposure, enable the option to preserve details and "reveal" the dark pixels that were lost when the image was lightened. Photos can immediately be cropped, both using classical proportions, such as the golden section, and manually.
Is there noise in the photo? RAW Converter Express offers a choice of several auto noise reduction algorithms, as well as the ability to separately adjust the settings for color and light noise.
In the "Post-Processing" tab you will find the sliders for adjusting the brightness, contrast and saturation of the photo familiar to any editor. Fans of more fine-tuning will appreciate the ability to adjust the color balance using levels - both automatically and manually.
Did you like the combination of settings? Save as a custom preset so you can use these options to instantly transform other photos. It is very comfortable!
Batch conversion
A good RAW photo viewer would be incomplete without the ability to convert. In RAW Converter Express, you can choose a new, more popular format for your photo, and converting to JPEG takes just a couple of seconds.
Image compression and output quality are completely in your hands. Select one of the proposed formats - JPEG, BMP, PNG and TIFF, if necessary, set a new image size and select an algorithm for compression.
With the batch processing function, you will spend much less time editing and converting RAW. Just mark a few shots and set the mode for processing and compression. You don't need to configure anything further - choose one of the presets and start the process. The program will quickly improve the quality of all images by saving them in the specified folder in the selected extension.
It is important to emphasize that RAW Converter Express keeps the original data of each shot. This means that even after saving, you can return to the original settings and try to process the photo in a new way.
Don't let countless amounts of data intimidate you anymore! To save time, you just need to download a program for viewing RAW photos. Quick sorting, efficient exposure and color balance adjustment, batch conversion - these and other functions will guard your productivity with RAW Converter Express.
- The extension (format) is the characters at the end of the file after the last dot.- The computer determines the file type precisely by extension.
- By default, Windows does not show filename extensions.
- Some characters cannot be used in the file name and extension.
- Not all formats are related to the same program.
- Below are all the programs with which you can open the RAW file.
XnView is a fairly powerful program that combines many functions for working with images. It can be a simple viewing of files, and their conversion, and minor processing. It is cross-platform, which allows it to be used in almost any system. The program is also unique in that it supports about 400 different image formats, among which there are both the most used and popular, and non-standard formats. XnView can batch convert images. True, they can only be converted into 50 formats, but among these 50 formats there are all popular extensions.
Chasys Draw IES is a multifunctional editor that includes a number of utilities such as a graphics editor, an image and photo viewer, a module for batch graphics conversion, and a module for converting digital photos to RAW format. In the main window of the application, you can personalize the worksheet by selecting the type of project you want to create. The application allows you to perform such complex image manipulations as creating a composition for printing, animation for web resources, an image for a CD, DVD. The program allows you to scan an image if you have the necessary equipment. In addition to this set...
XnConvert is a useful utility for converting and pre-processing photos and images. Works with 400+ formats. Supports all popular graphic formats. With simple XnConvert tools, you can adjust brightness, gamma, and contrast. In the application, you can resize photos, apply filters and a number of popular effects. The user can add watermarks and retouch. Using the application, you can remove meta-data, crop files and rotate them. XnConvert maintains a log in which the user will see all the details of their recent image manipulations.
IrfanView is a free graphic file viewer that is small and functional. IrfanView supports a large number of formats, has a clear interface and the necessary set of functions. So, with its help, you can not only view images, but also rotate them at any angle, do a little color correction, remove red-eye from photos, etc. Also, using IrfanView, you can take screenshots (both of the entire screen and of individual areas), rip out icons and icons from various files, rename files according to a predefined template, and...
WavePad Audio Editor is a useful audio editor with many useful features. The utility allows you to record, edit audio tracks, voice and other audio recordings. When processing audio files, you can cut, copy or paste parts of a music track or voice recording. Allows you to add effects (echo, noise reduction, noise amplification). WavePad Audio Editor is suitable for professional sound engineers. Using the utility, you can easily record your own track. Supports sampling rates from 6 to 96 kHz, also stereo and mono. In addition to the main features, the application is able to store records, move them to the selected ...
Icecream Media Converter is a fairly handy and extremely powerful media file converter. This useful tool allows you to instantly download video and audio files from popular video storages. Allows you to quickly convert to common formats: mp3, avi, mkv, wmv, vob, rmvb flv, mp4, cda, aac, aiff, swf, 3gp, flac. The program allows you to convert several files at once, put them in a queue. Informs the user about the progress of the process through the progress line. Indicates the estimated time for the completion of the conversion of files, both individually and in total. Has a history of all converted media files for...
ComboPlayer is a program with wide functionality that is used to play movies, music, radio and even Internet TV. The main function of ComboPlayer is to watch TV channels on your computer. The free package includes two dozen channels, including Russia-1, First, Match TV, TNT and other federal channels. The program also provides access to the TV schedule for most of the available channels. ComboPlayer has about 130 paid channels in HD quality. The program also works with torrent videos. If the torrent file of the movie you are interested in is available on the Internet, you can watch it through the program online.
Alternate Pic View is a simple and intuitive image viewer. In addition, it allows you to apply a number of other actions to images. This application allows you to browse directories and view images using an easily customizable interface. Works with almost all commonly used file formats: bmp, gif, png, jpg, ico and others. It has an open source code developed on CBuilder 5. With the help of Alternate Pic View, the user can edit colors, make mirror images, change the color, contrast and sharpness of the image.
Fotor is a program for editing and correcting photos. You do not need to have special knowledge in photo editors such as Photoshop to use Fotor. The editing process is very simple and intuitive, any user can handle it. Quickly process photos, supports exposure, brightness, contrast, white balance and more. It also allows you to make a collage of photos, supports up to 9 and has 80 templates that are fully customizable and allow you to make unique collages. Customize effects, the ability to apply many filters, unique colors and frames. There are over 90 effects...
Image Tuner is a batch image processing program that allows you to resize drawings or photos, change the compression ratio, and convert images to another format. A distinctive feature of this utility is that it already contains several templates for images, which allows you to immediately create the necessary type of images for their subsequent posting, for example, on social networks. In addition, the utility allows you to perform standard operations with images, such as rotating them. Also, the program can work with digital cameras, i.e. it understands the image format used...
ImBatch allows you to quickly and easily edit any image. It is enough to open it or drag it into the program window and you can get to work. Allows you to turn on previews from effects and changes and is suitable for simple color changes or zooming as well as for more professional work. The program is also good because it is lightweight and does not load the processor during operation, everything is very fast - I opened the image, applied the effect, saved it. It has a wide range of tools and features, can apply effects such as blurring, color adjustments and much more. ImBatch supports many languages, including...
WildBit Viewer is a digital photo viewer that is packed with features and functionality. So, for example, the program has a standard effects editor, and it is also possible to use the finished image as a desktop background. In addition, you can view images as a slide show, which is handy if you're showing your photos to someone and don't want to manually scroll through them. The program has more than 70 transition effects when showing a slide show. Another function of the program is the display of all metadata, as well as the renaming of images. Batch transfer is also supported...
XBMC Media Center is a modern cross-platform media center with a high-quality graphical interface, a clear and simple menu. It can be called a worthy competitor to Microsoft's Windows Media Center. The XBMC Media Center interface can also be displayed in Russian and has its own dynamically changing design. Also, the program can work both in normal windowed mode and in full-screen mode, and in addition to this, it effectively uses its own screensavers stored in its memory. With the help of this media center, a home PC is easily transformed into a full-fledged HTPC, capable of not only playing, but also storing...
Soft4Boost Photo Studio is a utility that helps users modify images. Friendly interface is understandable even for novice users. The application supports a large number of graphics formats. Among the main tools for editing images, the user will find such as rotation, resizing, changing color and background. Soft4Boost Photo Studio can quickly remove red eyes. Supports switching between preview modes when editing an image. Allows you to zoom in on the preview area. The application has a number of presets for creating special effects on photos...
Zoner Photo Studio is a very useful editor for various images. Allows you to copy photos from any camera and immediately edit. Has a set of basic functions. Helps eliminate the "red-eye effect". Allows you to create vivid panoramic views and colorful calendars. The program helps to create your own photo gallery. Performs a quick search for the desired processed photo. Allows you to print pictures, send to social networks, by e-mail. It has four tabs that allow you to manage the program. Imports images, allows you to manage the archive of images on your computer.
Free Opener is a fairly functional viewer for the most popular files, including Winrar archives, Microsoft Office documents, PDF, Photoshop documents, torrent files, icons, web pages, text documents, audio and video files, graphic files including Flash and much more. The number of supported files exceeds seventy. The program lacks the usual settings and options for us, with the exception of changing the design. It should also be noted that there is no Russian language, but given the simplicity, do not underestimate the program. Free Opener is a versatile and very handy program for reading various types of files.
Picasa is a program for viewing images and sorting them, characterized by an abundance of various functions and a user-friendly interface. This program was recently bought by Google, and therefore it has an integration with the services of this company. The program itself is able to scan all disks and display all found photos and pictures. At first, some users may find it inconvenient that the program sorts them in the order they were created, but if you create several albums and break these pictures into topics, then finding the right image will become much easier. In addition to simply scanning images, the program can...
Due to the growing popularity of SLR cameras, very often people begin to wonder what kind of file it is with the extension .cr2 (Canon) / .nef (Nikon) / .pef (Pentax) / .mrw (Minolta) and how is it all- still open.
Format description
RAW (English raw - raw, unprocessed) is a file format that includes raw (or minimally processed) data, which avoids information loss, and does not have a clear specification. Such files contain complete information about the stored signal. That allows you to keep the image quality at the maximum level with almost no distortion, although this has a downside, the files weigh a lot and one photo shoot takes up more than one gigabyte on the hard drive.
Ways to open RAW files
I will not go into detail about the difference between this format and regular jpg, there are specialized sites for this, I will just try to suggest a few to open it:
- The first and easiest is to use the "Microsoft Camera Codec Pack", which is the official codec pack for the Windows family of operating systems. It works like clockwork, supports a lot of cameras, and most importantly, you just need to download the required version (32 or 64 bit) from the Microsoft website, install it, and you can already view any photo through the image viewer built into the system.
Download from the Microsoft website: http://www.microsoft.com/ru-RU/download/details.aspx?id=26829 - XnView is a free program for non-commercial use, with a claimed support for 500 graphics and multimedia formats, add to this basic image editing functions such as crop, color correction, resizing, red-eye removal and a number of ready-made filters and you get a very good package, moreover for free.
Download from off. website: http://www.xnview.com - FastStone Image Viewer - Free software for any non-commercial activity. It includes a built-in thumbnail file manager and database so it can also be used as an image manager.
Download from off. website: http://www.faststone.org/ - IrfanView is another free image and video viewer. It has a simple interface, it can also slightly edit a photo, not Adobe Photoshop of course, but it's free. In addition, it has a batch conversion of photos, which in my opinion is a big plus. It also has a large selection of plugins that can greatly expand the capabilities of the program. It is also considered one of the most popular image viewers in the world.
Download from off. website: http://www.irfanview.com/ - ACDSee - and of course, where without this heavyweight. Meet 80Mb of almost perfect code for viewing, editing and sorting photos. Yes, it is paid, but by paying $99.99 you get a very powerful package, as well as the ability to use ACDSee online cloud storage to store your photos. Well, if you do not want to give such an amount for the program, then there is always IrfanView for you.
Buy off. website: http://www.acdsee.com/
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Almost all photographic equipment at the moment can take pictures in RAW format (a format with minimal processing of the photo by the camera itself. Such a system allows the photographer to use more features and effects in the subsequent image processing). Perhaps RAW is not as popular as JPEG, but it is better to use it when shooting.
Still, no matter how good JPEG is, it is still a format that uses compression, and any compression, as you know, affects the quality of the final image. It is for this reason that most professional photographers prefer RAW, which allows you to "pull" as much information from the picture as possible. In addition, this format, no matter how strange it may sound now, is very convenient: you do not have to think about adjusting the white balance, you can slightly underexpose the frame, and so on.
So, here you have taken a lot of pictures in RAW format, connected the equipment to the computer, transferred the files ... And what to do next? For all subsequent work with images, you will need a special program - a converter. Similar software is produced by both manufacturers of photographic equipment and third-party companies. The choice (quite wide, the Internet is literally teeming with all sorts of options) should not be approached at random. Different programs, different algorithms - different effect. Especially for your convenience, we have compiled a small guide to the world of the best photo editing software.
No one needs to represent Adobe. Everyone knows its products: they produce some of the best programs for working with music, video, photos. In this case, this is a specially created software aimed at editing pictures taken in RAW format. In addition, the program can easily work with both JPEG and TIFF. This is what is called providing a "full cycle". In other words, after working with this program, you can already print the finished image. 
The software engine provides you with the ability to correct noise, color correction, increase / decrease brightness or contrast. At any time, you can undo the last action and return to the original image, this is the responsibility of a special service file designed for non-destructive editing. You can work absolutely without fear of losing the original picture. The modified version can simply be saved as a separate file. In addition, the program is attractive with a powerful cataloging system, an impressive set of tools and the ability to integrate with the Adobe Photoshop graphics editor.
And since we already mentioned this program, let's take a closer look at it. It is known to many as one of the best photo editing software. It is the recognized market leader in commercial bitmap image editing tools. The program has an impressive set of photo correction tools and supports the following color schemes: RGB, CMYK, LAB, Grayscale, Bitmap, Duotone, Indexed, Multichanne. This is a real photo lab with unlimited possibilities. 
Multifunctional RAW editor with support for a wide range of model cameras. It provides all the features for both single and batch file processing, white balance adjustment, sharpening, contrast, color temperature, digital noise removal and much more. This toolkit makes Phase One Captur One one of the best photo editing software. Here you can even find a selection of scene programs specific to cameras. 
A special ICC profile has been developed specifically for each camera model, providing the best quality for editing. Here there is an opportunity to correct chromatic aberration, distortion, vignetting and other image defects. In terms of capabilities, the program, if it does not surpass Lightroom, then, perhaps, is on the same level with it, but only on condition that you have certain knowledge and skills, and are also ready to work individually with each photo taken.
This is a very popular editor native to Nikon models, designed to work with RAW. The program provides a step-by-step reproduction of the entire process of processing an image in NEF format, with the ability to cancel changes at any time or save intermediate results. The entire interface of the program is based on special "control points", each of which stores individually selected settings that provide the best color correction. The degree of change of all data is controlled by special sliders, which not only make, but also track all the changes that occur. In addition, there are full-fledged tools for all kinds of defect correction. This is one of the best photo editing software out there. 
One of the most important advantages of this RAW converter is the full-fledged work with "floating points", which has a beneficial effect on the transfer and reproduction of more natural colors. In addition, numerous editing tools for color, sharpness, brightness, noise reduction and more include profiles taken from real films. Of course, the program is not simple and requires certain skills. 
Here is a small list of programs that will help you get the most out of your photos, show the beauty of the world around you and capture the most unforgettable moments. Which one to choose - decide for yourself, they are all worthy of attention even by professional photographers. Many of these programs are paid, but most often they are worth the money they ask for, given the result that they allow you to get.
How to work in Lightroom? (video)
How to learn to take good pictures?
Camera for beginners
I am glad to welcome you again, dear reader. I'm in touch with you, Timur Mustaev. As you know, the blog pages contain information about various graphic editors. We need them, first of all, to extract the maximum information from the photo. But those editors are multi-format, most often they are used to adjust JPG or PNG images.
Now we will talk about which program for viewing photos in RAW format is the most popular, as well as editing.
RAW - why him?
If you answer the question briefly, then all cameras shoot in this format, but not everyone can remember it. Most often, it depends on the processor: if you put a powerful enough “stone” in the soap dish, then it will be easier for him to save volumetric images. If your camera is not new, does not have the ability to save the original data in its original form, then instead of a RAW image, you will get a JPEG file at the output.
This image will lag far behind in detail, amount of noise, and RAW. Why? Because most of the "unnecessary" information from the matrix disappears to save the resource of the processor and memory of the flash card.
Converting the format from RAW to JPG is usually asked for the same purposes. When processing JPEG, you will most likely not have enough dynamic coverage of the image in its complex areas, which may cause the photo to go to the trash.
With RAW, there is no such problem - this format preserves the maximum possible range of colors that the camera is capable of transmitting. Thanks to this, even the darkest, almost black image can be saved if it is shot in RAW, which cannot be said about JPEG. Of course, some information can be "saved", but, compared with the first, this is a drop in the ocean. How to open RAW and process it? Let's figure it out.
You can find more details about this format in my article,.
Software - to each his own
Here it is immediately worth making a remark that programs can be divided according to several criteria. The first of them is the basic software and third-party software. The first differs from the second in that it is very often distributed free of charge among buyers of cameras. The disadvantage of such solutions lies in their narrow specialization: very rarely distributed utilities with a camera can carry extensive functionality. A rare exception may be large camera manufacturers selling a large number of them.
Such editors can already be called universal, although there will still be some limitations. Another thing is editors from third-party developers. They differ from the first ones in that they are suitable for all types of matrices, cameras of all companies. Most often, they are able to process not only RAW, but also TIFF, JPEG. In addition, the range of their capabilities is much wider than that of complete solutions from camera manufacturers.
Now I offer you a selection of the most popular and interesting editors in my opinion.
Adobe Lightroom
One of the few cross-platform programs available in Russian and designed for RAW processing. Of course, you need to buy a licensed version. Only the trial version will be available for free, which is valid for a limited time. In addition to RAW, by the way, the program also handles TIFF, PNG, JPEG, PSD formats well.
Lightroom works on the same principles as the Adobe Camera RAW plugin, which is used for Photoshop. What does it give us? The fact that we can just as easily correct color, remove noise and sharpen the picture. Also, the connection with Adobe made it possible to apply the principle of indestructible editing here: the entire process is saved in a separate service file, and the original image remains unchanged.
It is important that the entire correction is applied as a kind of filter applied at the very last moment. Among other things, this algorithm allows you to finish work on the desktop and continue on any other device that supports Lightroom. In addition, after processing, you can create a catalog of photos or publish them on any of the social networks.
The second comprehensive program on our list. This is a tool similar to Lightroom that allows you to edit your photos in detail. Compared to the Adobe product, it has only one drawback: the lack of cross-platform. But, this program saves all the data on the work done in one place, which greatly simplifies the process of finding the right file.
The device of the program here is completely unique, often surpassing the products from Adobe in terms of speed and efficiency. In addition, the editor from Apple has a better "noise reduction" and improved sharpness. An equally significant difference can be considered adaptability to the MacOS operating system, which applies only to the MacBook.
One of the most "experienced" image editors. Otherwise, it is called Corel AfterShot B5 Pro, and its first version was released back in 2000. Compared to competitors, even now it has a number of advantages.
- The first is the ability to work on all available operating systems, except for mobile ones.
- The second is the possibility of batch processing of photos. Imagine how convenient it is to simply turn on the program, select the desired frames and wait for the processing to finish.
- The third advantage is the ability to process not only RAW, but also JPEG files.
The functions here are standard: editing colors, changing sharpness, getting rid of noise.
The main thing here is different: the utility was developed a long time ago and was focused on weak PCs. With the power of current desktops, it runs very fast, faster than most competitors.
A very interesting photo processor from Nikon. Due to the fact that it was developed by a camera manufacturer, it only works perfectly with the devices of its creator. His "favorite" format is NEF, the same RAW, only on Nikon cameras. Why do owners of devices of other brands download it?
First of all, this is a step-by-step processing of the shooting results. At each stage, the change can be canceled, applied with greater force, etc., and the intermediate result can be saved. The program also contains the functionality to remove all types, which is undoubtedly very convenient. It is distributed free of charge, complete with Nikon cameras.
It can be downloaded separately from the official website. Nikon.
I could not bypass the RAW program from Canon. Specially designed to work with the CR2 format, this is the same RAW format, only for Canon. The program is distributed free of charge, it can be easily downloaded from the official website Canon.
Specify the brand of your DSLR and go to the Software tab. There, among other programs, you can find Digital Photo Professional. Usually, it comes with a SLR camera on a disc.
The program contains all the editing functionality. It fully handles CR2 files with ease. The program does a good job of editing.
Viewer programs
Below I want to give programs with which you can only view RAW, as well as pull out the necessary information from a photo.
I present to you, my favorite viewer. It is very easy to use and very light in volume. As you already know, raw photos are very voluminous. This utility does not load the computer and easily copes with its work.
I only use it to quickly view photos. For example, it is not very convenient, all the photographs taken are immediately entered into Lightroom, you must first filter out the garbage. This utility helps me with this.
Another plus of Free Photo Viewer is the ability to convert from RAW to JPEG, as well as to GIF, PNG.
The program reads the following formats from all known digital SLR cameras: NEF, CR2, CRW, RAW, ARW, MRW, ORF, RAF, PEF, DCR, SRF, ERF, DNG.
It can be downloaded from the official site. Distributed for free.
This is the next viewer in my arsenal. A very worthwhile utility. Supports, like the first, the formats of all known cameras. Plus, you can highlight, it has a small image editor. With the help of which, you can adjust the brightness, adjust the color, crop, and so on in detail. Of course, it cannot replace a full-fledged editor, but for a free version it is not bad.
It is also possible to convert to JPG, PNG, BMP, TIF. You can download it from the manufacturer's website absolutely free.
In the end, I would like to note that you should not process RAW online. In most cases, your file will be compressed to JPEG before processing.
If you really want to get the most out of your RAW photos, then the following video tutorials will help you get there.
or My first MIRROR– The course will teach you how to properly operate your SLR camera. Before processing photos, you need to learn how to take pictures correctly! The course contains all the relevant and most useful information about the SLR camera.
My first MIRROR- for users of a CANON SLR camera.
Digital SLR for beginners 2.0- for users of a NIKON SLR camera.
– The name speaks for itself. The course is dedicated to Lightroom, in my opinion, one of the best programs for arranging, structuring and editing photos. The video course is designed specifically for beginners. In the course, everything is shown clearly, on their own examples.
Lightroom is an indispensable tool for the modern photographer.
Actually, that's all. These editors are the most popular among digital camera owners. I hope you make the right choice, find the most convenient RAW image editor for you.
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All the best to you, Timur Mustaev.
