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#42 Support post-processed raw files
open
nobody
1
2014-01-28
2014-01-03
No
It would be awesome if you could add support to post processed raw files. Right now we need to do the post process and save it into a file format that flattens it (like TIFF), and you lose information and dynamic range when doing that.
Could you post some example file?
I think that won't be an easy task as I suppose it will depend on which software was used to post-process the raw file. Here are 9 files with their xmp files, post-processed with Adobe Camera Raw: http://we.tl/eqGnCN8FNh
Photoshop MergeToHDR does read the post process, but it completely destroys the colors.
Last edit: Michel Chafouin 2014-01-03
To support "post-processed raw files" (no such thing, it's just a raw file with a sidecar file unique to a specific raw development program which instructs that program how to set its sliders) you would need to emulate that program.
Yes, I'm not surprised. I think we don't need that if at least we could setup the white balance with a color sampler, and have a preview of what it will look like. Now it's really tricky to use the white balance values, especially with the Green value that is different from every software (I'm used to the ACR / Lightroom one)
Last edit: Michel Chafouin 2014-01-28
You really shouldn't use raw files in LHDR if you want quality. First develop them using a dedicated raw developing program like Lightroom or RawTherapee, save as 16-bit TIFF, and then use those. That way you get the most quality. If you use raw files in LHDR, you lose all the benefits the dedicated raw development program has to offer.
If you want to create HDR probes, you don't really want to touch anything in Lightroom or Raw Therapee. Vigneting and distorsion will be fixed in the stitching software, you don't want to sharpen your images. It's just about applying the same fixed white balance before merging them.
Right now I'm doing what you say, but really, adding in the equation another software, another file format that takes more disk space (because you don't want to delete your raw files anyway) makes the process a bit cumbersome for no special reason.
Everyone is free to do what they want, pre-process their files before if they want, but since all the tech is already there in LHDR, why not add the white balance setting in the wizard and batch window instead of the preferences, leaving the choice to the user?
And if no one should use raw files, why do we have RAW support in LHDR then? ;)
I would gladly try to help but I'm a noob at programming, I just speak from my artist point of view.
Last edit: Michel Chafouin 2014-01-28
Agreed that if it supports raw formats it should let you use a single white balance value across multiple files. However, if it was up to me, I wouldn't bother with raw file support at all in LHDR, I'd use my limited time on making the HDR part of the program better and leave the raw part to raw software developers ;]