RAW recognition

Discuss Photomator and photo editing.
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2019-05-03 11:33:29

Hello,
Trying to find the ideal way to edit my Sony raw on the iPad Pro,
I use on this moment RawPower to do the first editing. Then I save Back to the photos app.
When I try to open this edited file Pixelmator photo doesn’t see it as a raw file, only a jpg, when I undo the changes in the photos app, then Pixelmator see the raw file again.
Is this a bug or just a result from editing with RawPower.

Tanks and Grtz from Belgium
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2019-05-03 11:48:07

by Jean VR 2019-05-03 11:34:36 Hello,
Trying to find the ideal way to edit my Sony raw on the iPad Pro,
I use on this moment RawPower to do the first editing. Then I save Back to the photos app.
When I try to open this edited file Pixelmator photo doesn’t see it as a raw file, only a jpg, when I undo the changes in the photos app, then Pixelmator see the raw file again.
Is this a bug or just a result from editing with RawPower.

Tanks and Grtz from Belgium
Once you apply changes to a raw file you convert it and it’s no longer a raw file.
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2019-05-03 11:55:27

Thanks,
But for IOS Photos it stay a raw file, I can undo the changes. I think RawPower is just making a “sidecar” file that Pixelmator don’t read.
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2019-05-03 12:14:43

The RAW format itself is read-only and this is by design. A RAW file isn't actually a photo, you can think of it more as a digital negative that can be used to develop a photo. Once the photo has been developed, it isn't possible to continue developing it another app as each app has different algorithms it uses to adjust colors and render images from the RAW file. So the changes need to be saved either as a regular JPEG or TIFF image in a DAM such as Photos or in a sidecar file in the case of, for example, Lightroom. But those sidecar files can only work in Lightroom itself. If any other app was to simply apply the same adjustments, the results would usually be at least subtly different and sometimes drastically so.

Could you let me know a little more about why you've chosen this workflow? Are you missing certain tools in Pixelmator Photo that are available in RAW Power?
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2019-05-03 13:50:16

by Andrius 2019-05-03 12:14:43 The RAW format itself is read-only and this is by design. A RAW file isn't actually a photo, you can think of it more as a digital negative that can be used to develop a photo. Once the photo has been developed, it isn't possible to continue developing it another app as each app has different algorithms it uses to adjust colors and render images from the RAW file. So the changes need to be saved either as a regular JPEG or TIFF image in a DAM such as Photos or in a sidecar file in the case of, for example, Lightroom. But those sidecar files can only work in Lightroom itself. If any other app was to simply apply the same adjustments, the results would usually be at least subtly different and sometimes drastically so.

Could you let me know a little more about why you've chosen this workflow? Are you missing certain tools in Pixelmator Photo that are available in RAW Power?
Ok, you have email address? Will mail you tomorrow evening.
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2019-05-06 07:40:30

If you'd like some more help with this, feel free to post here and I'll answer. But if you'd really like to email me personally, I can also be reached at andriusg@pixelmator.com.
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2019-05-09 18:25:02

Andrius,

Better late then never,
Like I already mentioned, I use for the moment also Raw Power.
If possible, some remarks and integration in Pixelmator Photo.

-possibly delete files direct in the Pixelmator browser (DAM)
-White balance value in Temp
-A definition slider
-Vignette slider with manual midpoint and + and - changes.

All changes I make in RawPower I can undo in the iOS photos app, maybe this is also possible for Pixelmator.

Grtz,
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2019-05-09 18:31:34

by Jean VR 2019-05-09 18:26:01 …-White balance value in Temp…
Yes, please!
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2019-05-10 12:49:54

by Jean VR Andrius,

Better late then never,
Like I already mentioned, I use for the moment also Raw Power.
If possible, some remarks and integration in Pixelmator Photo.

-possibly delete files direct in the Pixelmator browser (DAM)
-White balance value in Temp
-A definition slider
-Vignette slider with manual midpoint and + and - changes.

All changes I make in RawPower I can undo in the iOS photos app, maybe this is also possible for Pixelmator.

Grtz,
We'd absolutely love to add some file management improvements, though this is a little easier said than done. A Vignette adjustment is on the way, as is a Clarity adjustment, which I assume is similar to what you're looking for with definition? Finally, I've added the request for displaying WB temp in degrees to our feature request list for Pixelmator Photo. :ok_hand:
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2019-05-10 12:53:09

Andrius, you earn a first price for customers support.
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2019-05-10 12:59:15

by Jean VR 2019-05-09 21:00:00 Andrius, you earn a first price for customers support.
Since you're back here so quickly, I've also had a chat with the devs about WB temp and degrees and it turns out this would require an overhaul of our color adjustment model. We use the base Apple RAW engine for editing but we've got a whole host of custom processing on top of it and, for example, our own white balance adjustment curve which we've developed to make the adjustment itself more accurate and perceptually consistent. Because of this, we can't simply pull the WB value out of RAW files and we most likely won't be able to make this request a reality. Sorry to disappoint so quickly, but I just wanted to shed some light on the issue!
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2019-05-10 13:19:44

by Andrius 2019-05-10 13:00:07 …we can't simply pull the WB value out of RAW files and we most likely won't be able to make this request a reality. Sorry to disappoint so quickly, but I just wanted to shed some light on the issue!


Since the WB slider in Pixelmator Photo is adjusted in percentage points what is it in relation to? Say I photographed in camera using the Kelvin scale and set it at 5500. If I adjust the WB slider up 10% is that 10% of 5500 (550) added to 5500 for a new total of 6050K? I prefer the accuracy of entering a definite number, however I can accept the complexity of what’s happening under the hood and the limitations you must impose on what is delivered. I will add that the eye dropper tool is excellent for setting a visual WB setting. I love it!