Digital Photo Professional Help Needed

[Red Squirrel]

Can someone help me please with Canon's DPP?

I've always used Zoom Browser to download pics from the memory card then stored them in Windows. Mainly because that was the easiest thing to do.

Now, I've had a go at shooting in Raw but when I open DPP all the buttons are greyed out except for Folder View and I can't see where to get the Raw files from.

Don't even know where to start. I might add that I'm pretty useless with computers so please be gentle.

[big bill]

Red Squirrel I have Canon as well and shoot in Raw btu unable to help using DPP what programm do you use to edit your photographs in ,ie. Photoshop,elements,ect.maybe able to work around it that way

[Geoff F]

DPP can be a bit tricky to get the initial settings correct. I also struggled initially but now everything works automatically.

Are you downloading your RAW files with the standard Canon download programme and do you want to edit the photos with DPP or just use it to convert to Tiff for editing with other software?

I used to convert my RAW files with DPP then edit with different software but the latest edition of my editing programme now accepts direct import of RAW so I will need to have a look at DPP to remember what settings I used.

But it isn't difficult - just a little confusing at first. So if you haven't sorted it out or, in the meantime, somebody else manages to explain things better, I will return.

[Geoff F]

Well I've had a quick revision of the DPP set up and think I might now understand your problem - but explaining it may be the difficult part!

Firstly I would recommend having a good read of the DPP Help files. Under 'Performing Detailed Edits in the Edit Image Window' there is quite a bit about RAW files. But it is quite a hard read.

I usually just convert my RAW files, with any white balance corrections, then do my editing in another programme; but you can edit with DPP although the options are more limited.

My first thought is that you simply aren't clicking on a displayed RAW image. The Edit Window is greyed out until you select a RAW image, not the embedded Jpeg which should also be displayed.

But let's start at the beginning. I import files using Canon EOS Utility then edit and/or convert them with DPP. But you can also use RAW files which are on your hard drive. Are they definitely RAW files with a camera icon and the word RAW?

Show the edit menu box (click the Tool icon on toolbar). When you select a RAW image the RAW part of this box should become live. Adjust white balance or other edits if necessary.

You can move on to other images until the whole folder has been adjusted or just select individual images for edit.

When ready for final conversion, I usually use the Batch Process button and do everything in one go. Set the format for converted files (I use 16 bit TIFF); the output resolution (I use 300 dpi); your files can be saved in a different location under the Save folder option (I like to use a totally different location to save confusion); file numbers can also be changed if required. finally click Execute and everything should be automatic thereafter.

You can also convert and edit individual images under File-Convert and save. Set output details as required.

Under the Tools menu from the toolbar top line you can select Preferences and make other overall setting adjustments including just showing the RAW files not the embedded JPEG, which is what I prefer.

Is this making any sense? You may need to ask some more specific questions.

Using RAW can appear a bit complicated at first but you soon get the hang of things. Whether it is really that much better than a large fine JPEG is open to dispute and will vary from person to person. You do get more detailed information in your files but whether you can see any difference in the final photo with depend on a number of things.

I usually shoot RAW because it does give me a second chance to correct faulty white balance settings and recover blown highlights, but don't expect to see an obvious improvement in every photo.

[Red Squirrel]

Thanks for the info Bill & Geoff.
My main problem Geoff is finding the Raw files ( def. Raw files ). I shall print your advice off and go through everything systematically. I feel certain that it's something stupid that I'm doing wrong.

I think that when I find the files I'll be able to sort out the editing in DPP and I think I understand the method of converting to jpegs.

Fingers crossed.

[big bill]

Red squirrel ,what I have done is made a folder on the desk top especially for photographs,inside this folder I sub-divide it into Raw files and other files of photographs .
When in comes to downloading your pics from camera you then download them directly to this folder and into the Raw file folder inside and when you come to work on a file its easy to find ,click on desktop then look for the folder with the name that you gave to your photograph folder simple

[Red Squirrel]

That's teriffic big bill. Will try that. Gawd I hope I can do something soon. Been out today taking pics of red kites. Two x 4GB and one x 2 GB cards used so need to sort myself.

Thanks for your help all. Much appreciated.

[Geoff F]

If you still have any problems, do ask again.

I use a similar system to Bill. Download the original RAW files to a holding folder then save the converted/edited images to another folder. In fact I use 2 completely different folders on my desktop so I can't possibly get confused (in theory). The important thing is to make sure you select the correct destination when saving from DPP; I find they don't make the choices obvious so care is needed.

[Red Squirrel]

Thanks Geoff, I really appreciate your help.
I feel that this is where my problem lies ie the pics aren't going into the correct folder or at least I'm not creating the folder properly.

I'll get there in the end.

[big bill]

When it comes to downloading your files to the Pc instead of automatically doing a straight download if you follow as below this should help put them in the correct file,
!. when it comes to download files to PC click on Select all Files
2. open the folder you made to put the files into
3. select paste and paste them into the folder that you have selected for your
pics
4. Let download into this folder easy.