Silverfast Dcpro - the Digital Darkroom for Maximum Image Quality

SilverFast DCPro - The Digital Darkroom for Maximum Image Quality

SilverFast® DCPro - The Digital Darkroom for Maximum Image Quality

SilverFast DCPro as well as SilverFast DC and DC-VLT are dedicated to working with pictures from digital cameras. DCPro is especially designed for processing of raw data formats, such as those coming from high-resolution digital cameras. Many a reader might object, that the camera manufacturer already supplies a free tool along with the camera. It is certainly no surprise those tools only support their own native raw formats. Despite those limitations SilverFast with its integrated work flow accomplishes output quality using the full potential of most all the different raw data formats.

Working with Raw-Data-Formats in DCPro

Currently all significant raw data formats of professional SLR cameras in the market are supported, and in addition high-resolution camera backs such as Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Olympus, Fuji and Jen-Optik.

An up to date overview of all raw formats supported by DCPro can be found on our web page at:

http://www.silverfast.com/show/dc-cameras-raw/en.html.

What is RAW? – Back to the Beginning

While most of the digital photographers are quite familiar with JPEG- and TIFF-formats, many do not know that an increasing number of cameras they are using, have a hidden treasure inside: the option to save pictures in raw format.

With reference to digital cameras raw designates a file format, containing information, which is created by the camera sensor during the time of exposure. This information is directly saved onto the camera media 1:1. In order to use the high quality, which can be achieved from the raw format, with a standard image application, a special conversion process is required. The reason is that the architecture of the digital sensor does not supply the image data suitable for display on a monitor. A dedicated interpretation and adapta- tion of the digital raw material is needed. That is the reason constituting the selection of the expression “raw ”.

Raw Conversion: Comparison of linear converted raw image and converted with profile

To come to the point: If you want to realize the maximum quality from your camera, then you have to use raw format. A digital image that has been saved as JPEG or TIFF has under- gone extensive processing inside the camera. As a digital photographer you cannot influ- ence these processes and have to be content with what the manufacturer has designed into these functions. The raw format is in principle similar to the analog film, processed and enlarged in your own lab or darkroom. With DCPro the photographer can decide for him- self precisely how his pictures will come out. He can enjoy the benefits of the raw formats for the enhanced quality of his pictures:

● increased Dynamic Range compared to JPEGs or TIFFs ● post-processing White Balance without quality loss independent of camera settings during exposure. ● controllable Contrast Behavior with direct visual monitor feedback ● smart adjustment of Sharpness Enhancement ● adjustable Color Saturation ● Color Space Selection (e.g. sRGB, Adobe RGB) ● no Compression Deterioration ( e.g. with JPEG) However complicated those processes might be originally, with SilverFast DCPro processing of raw formats is no magic, but runs as a parallel thread in the background. Working with DCPro, for you as a user, it does not make any difference, whether you work with a JPEG- or a raw file from your digital camera. The big difference will be in the maximum quality that you can achieve.

Internal RAW-Format-Conversion Profile for your Camera

By applying conversion profiles that are especially adjusted to the different camera models, it will assure the software is using the individual features of each camera and its camera sensor. When opening an image with SilverFast DCPro, it recognizes the relevant camera model and will connect the proper profile to the image automatically. Whether your camera is correctly and completely supported, can be checked by looking for the appearance of a third slider for tint and the light source pipette in the picture settings dialog.

If this profile is not available, there will only be a linear conversion of raw data. In case your camera raw data images exhibit a tendency for color inconsistencies, it may be, there isn’t a proper profile on your system.

Workflow for Converting RAW-Data.

Opening a raw file and working with it in SilverFast DCPro is in principle just the same as working with JPEG- or TIFF-files. Simply select the files you want to convert in the Overview of the VLT and drag them via “Drag & Drop” into an Album. As soon as the Camera raw data is moved into the active album, a small button with a green right arrow appears in the title bar of the album window. Clicking onto the green arrow will start the conversion as a background process and you can continue to work with SilverFast.

left: First select the images you want to convert mid: Drag & Drop selected images into Album right: Conversion starts after clicking the green arrow

You can check the status of the conversion by monitoring the progress bar inside the picture thumbnail.

Once the image has been completely converted a blue point appears in the upper left cor- ner.

The conversion running as a background process enables you to work with SilverFast simulta- neously while several raw files are being converted. During daily work with lots of raw files it is advised that you start the conversion process in the background after importing files.

Continue with the familiar SilverFast main dialog to do the desired changes and enhance- ments.

Fortunately DCPro saves the settings that you have used, so anytime after a conversion, you can reopen the processed raw picture via the VLT and you are not required to repeat the previous changes again.

The Next Steps

The converted raw picture will from now on be your “digital original”. You can reopen it at any time with all previous settings, and then adjust for the required purpose and save as JPEG or TIFF.

All familiar highlights and features of SilverFast Ai or HDR are available in DCPro. Precisely speaking, the feature set is identical with that of HDR, but is extended with reference to using raw formats.

This way the possibility returns to you achieving the best possible quality from your image data because you relieve your camera from the conversion decision and main- tain precise control, putting quality back into your grasp.

More explanation on the advantage of raw data processing and the benefits of using a larger dynamic range can also be found here:

http://www.silverfast.com/show/silverfast-hdr/en.html

http://www.silverfast.com/show/48bits/en.html