Darren, Bob, Brian, Jostein, Thank you all very much for your extensive and informative replies.
I think Jostein's below comment explains why SilkyPix developer produces a better looking output: >>It might be that SilkyPix' understanding of proprietary data gives it an edge >>in the processing. I use LightZone and still like it very much. However, in spite of my attempts at slight exposure compensation (using K20D) to expose to the right, LightZone displays the default images as 1/2 stops or more underexposed. They simply look lifeless at first sight. The same pef files look different (properly exposed) under SilkyPix. I guess I can make it sing somewhat like SilkyPix by tweaking its tools. Its "styles" can work more or less like "presets". Anyway, your comments were most helpful for me to understand the issues better. Bulent --------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.flickr.com/photos/bc_the_path/ http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=2226822 http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/bulentcelasun 2011/3/4 AlunFoto <alunf...@gmail.com>: > 2011/3/3 Bulent Celasun <bulent.cela...@gmail.com>: >> My question is this: >> Is there a practical way (other than trial and error) to >> use/copy/replicate the effect of a curve of, say, Silkypix for another >> raw developer? >> Or, the curves are hidden, embedded, protected etc.? > > Bulent, > If I understand your question correctly, you want to know if there's a > standardised way of tuning a raw converter to the specifics of a > particular camera, and whether these settings are portable between > different software. The short answer is no. Partly because softwares > approach the issue in different ways, and partly because SilkyPix > have, in my firm suspicion anyway, access to information in the raw > files that other converters have not. > > Adobe Lightroom use "presets" which can include many types of > processing, and can be applied to your images when you import them to > your computer. For the "curves" tool you can tweak it manually, but > there's also an option to choose between "linear", "low contrast" and > "high contrast". I suspect the rendering you get as default in > SilkyPix is "linear". Adobe also has a level of correction called > "camera calibration" which address colour biases inherent in the > imaging chip or the camera firmware. This too may affect the rendering > of the tonal range. > > I know converters like LightZone and PhaseOne RawOne have different > interfaces (though RawOne and Lightroom has a lot of common heritage). > It's been a few years since I used either of them, and can't recall > whether they can apply presets in bulk the way LR does. > > For SilkyPix (or Pentax Digital Camera Utility), some "preset" > functionality seem to be built in, such as camera settings for > highlight protection and shadow enhancement, or colour space emphasis > in White Balance settings (eg. "landscape", "bright", "portrait" > etc.). In principle, those functions should not be active when > shooting raw files, but SilkyPix is able to read the camera settings > out of the file anyway. It might be that SilkyPix' understanding of > proprietary data gives it an edge in the processing. > > > Jostein > > -- > http://www.alunfoto.no/galleri/ > http://alunfoto.blogspot.com > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
