Double processed RAW file?

[trink408]

What does that mean, double processed raw file?

I'm still learning CS3, and I like to know about the techniques people are using...

Thanks,
Kevin

[Kirk Gittings]

Where did you see that term, in what context?

[Peter Mounier]

Many people, including myself, will process raw images in an appropriate raw processor for exposure, white balance, contrast, etc. then move it to Photoshop to do more processing with layers.

Peter

[David Luttmann]

Many people, including myself, will process raw images in an appropriate raw processor for exposure, white balance, contrast, etc. then move it to Photoshop to do more processing with layers.

Peter

But that wouldn't be "double-processed Raw.".....that would be a standard conversion with normal POST-processing.

Like Kirk said.....what is the context of the question?

[Daniel_Buck]

I'm guessing you process it twice, then blend them together in photoshop? This is sometimes done to recover highlights, since RAW files carry more information in the highlights (how much, depends on the camera), but you can't always see that info in the highlights until you 'under expose' in your raw conversion. Some people will convert the raw file a 2nd time, under exposed, then blend in the recovered highlights into their first raw conversion.

[trink408]

Thanks guys,

I've seen this phrase used when photographers list details on images they post online, was curious what they meant.

I think Daniel might have the answer...

[Greg Miller]

Daniel's answer is correct. Double processing means processing the same RAW file twice. Once to get the shadow detail correct and a second time for the highlight's. And then merge the 2 images in Photoshop.

But this is largely unnecessary anymore with the version of ACR available in CS3. The fill light and recovery sliders will usually give you the results that you need in one pass of RAW processing.

[Kirk Gittings]

Daniel's answer is correct. Double processing means processing the RAW file twice. Once to get the shadow detail correct and a second time for the highlight's. ANd then merge the 2 images in Photoshop.

But this is largely unnecessary anymore with the version of ACR available in CS3. The fill light and recovery sliders will usually give you the results that you need in one pass of RAW processing.

If that is what it means OK, a bit of a misnomer. I still find it necessary at times that exceed the recovery abilities of Recovery. Though in combination with Luminance Masks, not much. It is also useful technique for solving other problems like uneven CA or uneven Barrel disrtortion.

[Daniel_Buck]

But this is largely unnecessary anymore with the version of ACR available in CS3. The fill light and recovery sliders will usually give you the results that you need in one pass of RAW processing.
maybe unnecessary, maybe not. There are multiple ways to do just about everything in photoshop (from complex ways to control colors and contrast, to simple things like levelling the horizon).

I've never used the RAW converter in CS3, but I can imagine it would do good for some shots, and blending by hand would do good for other shots. I'm always a fan of blending things by hand with a wacom tablet, but that's just how I work :)

[Greg Miller]

Per the OP title, the term "double processed RAW file" is commonly known to be referring to double processing a single RAW file with ACR here (not Photoshop processing, and not processing multiple RAW files with different exposure).

For RAW files where the RAW image has adequate information in both the shadows and highlights, ACR (in versions prior to Photoshop CS3) only had the "exposure" slider. If you lowered the highlights in ACR then the shadows went blacker; If you brought up the shadows in ACR then the highlights got brighter. So people would double process the RAW file so that they could optimize both the shadows and the highlights.

In the current version of ACR, you can bring up the shadows independent of the highlights and bring down the highlights independent of the shadows using the "fill light" and "recovery" sliders (the overall exposure can be set with the "exposure" and/or "brightness" sliders).

If the scene exceeds to dynamic range of the capture device then shooting the scene with multiple exposures becomes necessary. But now we are not talking about a double processed RAW file anymore.

[D. Bryant]

Daniel's answer is correct. Double processing means processing the same RAW file twice. Once to get the shadow detail correct and a second time for the highlight's. And then merge the 2 images in Photoshop.

But this is largely unnecessary anymore with the version of ACR available in CS3. The fill light and recovery sliders will usually give you the results that you need in one pass of RAW processing.

That should be totally unnecessary in ACR if we are talking about only one image file.

Don Bryant

[Brian_A]

But this is largely unnecessary anymore with the version of ACR available in CS3. The fill light and recovery sliders will usually give you the results that you need in one pass of RAW processing.

Largely is the key word. I think double processing brings out more than ACR about 30% of the time. Another benefit of double processing the RAW file is that you can dodge and burn the shadows and highlights to be more selective about things.

-Brian