Processing 16bit files in ACR?

[Mark_Se]

I recognized that i can open my 16/48bit scans in Adobe Raw Converter. It seems that i can do the same things (white balance for example!) i can do with digital raw files. The results look awesome so far! Does someone else of you work this way? It looks like i do not have to use cc filters any more...

[Walter Calahan]

Sure when the image calls for it, but it is best to correct as much as possible at the time of making the image.

[Frank Petronio]

Yep works great!

[Mark_Se]

is there technically a difference between 16 bit /48 bit files and real digital raw files?

[Frank Petronio]

Unless you're shooting from a medium-format digital back, all the DSLRs are 12 or 14-bit at best. I don't know what an Espon Scanner really is. I think a good drum scanner (not all of them) will deliver true 16-bit information.

It doesn't matter, you have to manipulate the image. I like using ACR because you do all the moves in one operation, which is less destructive that making a dozen or more smaller moves in Photoshop.

I think. I gave up trying to be definitive, I just do what works.

[David Higgs]

I missed using ACR, when switching back to film...

numpty question - how do I do this then? I use Silverfast as a CS5 plug in, and I also use Nikon scan for 35mm which gives me TIFFs. These open up straight in CS5 rather than using ACR - what am I doing wrong - do I need to save as a different format?

[Valdecus]

David, you can set up ACR in Photoshop to open JPEG and TIFF files in addition to RAW files. For this, go to the Camera Raw Preferences (by clicking on the Camera Raw Preferences... button in Photoshop's File Handling preferences). At the bottom of the Camera Raw preferences window, you can set your preferences for JPEG and TIFF handling.

Cheers,
Andreas

[David Higgs]

cheers - I'll give that a go!

[Frank Petronio]

On Mac-CS5 I open them into ACR from Adobe Bridge, Apple-R allows you to open them in ACR or double-click to open directly in Photoshop.

[Brian Ellis]

I recognized that i can open my 16/48bit scans in Adobe Raw Converter. It seems that i can do the same things (white balance for example!) i can do with digital raw files. The results look awesome so far! Does someone else of you work this way? It looks like i do not have to use cc filters any more...

And after you open an image and save it to a file in Photoshop you can still re-open it in Camera Raw by right-clicking on the thumbnail in Bridge and clicking on the menu line that says something like "Open In Camera Raw." Just in case you like working with some tool or feature in Camera Raw better than in Photoshop.

[Brian Ellis]

On Mac-CS5 I open them into ACR from Adobe Bridge, Apple-R allows you to open them in ACR or double-click to open directly in Photoshop.

Same with a PC. See my message above. With CS5 I don't think you need to do the "file preference" thingy that Valdecus mentions.

[David Higgs]

excellent - i see a whole new work flow developing - oh joy!

[Greg Miller]

is there technically a difference between 16 bit /48 bit files and real digital raw files?

Yes, there is some difference. RAW files are unprocessed data, so you can change color temperature without damaging the data. You can also recover some highlight data and shadow data.

With a scanned file, you will not have the same latitude with color temperature changes, and whatever highlight and shadow data you have is it (the recovery and fill light slider will not recover any additional data).

[Mark_Se]

"change color temperature without damaging the data."
It looks like that this does also work with scanned film. I tried to correct the white balance of a scanned 4x5" negative which i shoot under fluorescent light and it works great, the file doen`t look damaged.