Re-stating Stan's response (which is almost entirely correct) with a bit more expansion:
- JPEG and/or TIFF file outputs from the cameras are not camera specific and do not need any updates to the image processing software. So all cameras producing JPEG and TIFF files are fully supported with all image processing applications. - Native raw file formats are camera-specific, excepting for those cameras which can produce Adobe .DNG format raw files* (like Pentax models since the K10D), and despite most manufacturers re-using the same file extension (eg: Canon uses .CR2 or .CRW, Nikon uses .NEF, Olympus uses .ORF, Pentax uses .PEF, etc etc). Because the decoding and rendering of raw format data requires model-specific camera information, an update from the vendors distributing raw image processing software is required for each new camera model introduced. - For Adobe software, this means that for "Photoshop CSx" or "Photoshop Elements version X" the Camera Raw plugin component needs to be updated, Lightroom (which embeds the same software bits as the Camera Raw plug-in internally, it does not use the actual Camera Raw plugin file at all) needs to be updated, and DNG Converter (the standalone utility that converts native raw formats to DNG format) needs to be updated. * DNG format raw files are supported in all versions of Lightroom, and all Photoshop CSx or Photoshop Elements v X used with any Camera Raw plug-in version 2.4 and later. - The most recent updates of Camera Raw are DNG Converter are v6.3 and Lightroom 3 is v3.3. These support all Olympus native raw ".ORF" files with the sole exception of the Olympus Pen E-PL2. This camera was available too recently for Adobe to include it in this revision release, it will surely be included in the next revision (v6.4 for Camera Raw and DNG Converter, v3.4 for Lightroom). Adobe releases revisions for updated raw support approximately once per quarter, with some variability; minor revision changes with raw compatibility updates included are normally free of charge. - The latest Adobe raw compatibility listing is available on this web page: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/cameraraw.html - You'll likely need Photoshop Elements v9 to take advantage of the very latest Camera Raw plug-in. I strongly recommend investing in Lightroom, however; I feel it is a better image processing environment for most photographer's needs which includes image management as well as image processing adjustment. Photoshop and Photoshop Elements are still very useful, but for more detail oriented image editing than is normally needed by photographic users. Stan mentioned Apple, so I'll include that here too as I'm intimately familiar with how Apple's Mac OS X and application software works. - Apple embeds raw image processing into a system framework (aka "dynamically linked software library") in order that any application written to use the OS services properly can utilize and perform raw processing easily. For example, the Preview and iPhoto applications, freely distributed with every distribution of Mac OS X, can both open, display and edit JPEG, TIFF, raw and various other image formats including DNG*, and Apple's premier pro-app for photography, Aperture, uses the same framework services as well. Apple's releases are not quite as frequent or as comprehensive as Adobe's, but they are reasonably pro-active about supporting new camera raw file formats. Note that, again, incremental updates to the framework adding new raw file support is generally distributed free of charge. A complete listing of Apple camera raw file support is available on this web page: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1475 * Note that Apple's support for DNG format is not as comprehensive nor as well-developed as Adobe's. They do not support all flavors of DNG files (missing particularly the linearly-represention RGB format) and often have some discrepancies between how they handle camera calibration between a native raw file and a DNG file converted from that same native raw file. - Regards Olympus support by Apple, it is the same currently as Adobe where all Olympus cameras producing .ORF files can be used with the sole exception of the Pen E-PL2. Again, it is most likely the case that the camera is simply too recently available for its native raw file to have been available for development and testing on the most recent update cycle. To the best of my knowledge, Microsoft does not have any built-in raw file image processing support in the various flavors of Windows. Godfrey On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 7:21 AM, Stan Halpin <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Mar 10, 2011, at 8:28 AM, Walter Hamler wrote: > >> On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 6:57 PM, Godfrey DiGiorgi <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> "I won't buy anything until I can use the raw files in Lightroom." >> >> Thanks to all for the timely replies. Godders, from your comment on >> Lightroom I am assuming that the program doesn't address Oly Raw >> files? >> How about PS Elements in either ver 8 or 9? Anyone using the E-PL >> series cameras with the PS Elements for Raws? >> >> I use an older ver 7 and it will not open them and I cannot get an >> upgrade as far as I know. I have tried several times and it always >> fails. >> >> Thanks again! >> >> Walt >> > > I am not Godders but will give this a try. First, I know nothing about the > range of Olympus camera models, just the E-PL2. WRT the E-PL2, the camera > produces a RAW file labeled ORF. Which presumably is going to be different > from other Olympus ORF files just as the Pentax K-5 PEF is different from the > Pentax K-20 PEF. In other words, as far as I have seen, every single camera > produces its own unique flavor of RAW, though there must be within-brand > similarities across models from a given manufacturer. Second, the Adobe > family of products, which includes Photoshop Elements, Photoshop, and > Lightroom, all use a common software engine (ACR) to interpret the various > RAW flavors. As new cameras are introduced, each with its own new variant on > RAW, Adobe gets the information and expands ACR to be able to read the new > file versions. Apple goes through a similar process in updating its system > software to enable Preview, Aperture, Quicktime, etc. to be able to read the > new files. I expect MS has a similar process. In the case of Adobe, it seems > to take 1-3 months after camera introduction; in the case of Apple it seems > to take 4-6 months for Pentax cameras [which is one major reason I use > Lightroom rather than Aperture], but I am not sure about their track record > on other brands. Eventually it will happen. > > I am currently on LR3.3 which incorporates ACR6.3. I expect that, in the not > too distant future, I will get an update notice from Adobe which will give me > LR3.3 with ACR6.4. Maybe they'll call it LR3.4. If you are using PSE x.y, > which may be using ACR6.3, presumably you will be able to upgrade it to > ACR6.4 in the fullness of time. I do know that "older" versions of PSE are > not compatible with "newer" versions of ACR but I don't know which flavor of > PSE is the break point. If your PSE uses ACR6.3 now, you should be able to > read the ORF files once ACR6.4 comes out. If your PSE is stuck on version 5, > you'll need to go to a newer PSE which utilizes ACR6.y > > stan > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. > -- Godfrey godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
