Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Real World) Reviews

• An Important Contribution to Knowledge

  
  By A3N1W9LTFPYICD on 2007-12-11
  This book should be reviewed in the context of three key directions in which the Creative Suite developers have been moving digital imaging over the past few years: workflow and process integration, major development of the raw processing pipeline and the creation of many more user-friendly and powerful tools which directly respond to the needs of photographers. To date, the culmination of these related initiatives is the production of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw 4.x and Adobe Bridge 2.x. The important new features of these applications are so extensive that no book dealing with previous versions of Camera Raw and Bridge will give users adequate instruction and advice about how best to use them.
  
  This leads to the question of who should be using these programs, and therefore who should be reading this book. Anyone who wishes to maximize the quality of their photographs and have the fullest possible control over doing so should use a camera giving them "raw" files, Adobe Photoshop and Camera Raw for converting those raw files into high quality photographs, and this book to learn how to master and manage Camera Raw, Bridge and the DNG open-source raw file format.
  
  There is, however, much more to this book than editing the appearance of photographs, as fundamentally important as that is. Reflecting the contemporary evolution of these programs, the book has three major areas of emphasis, these being a primer on the nature of a digital image and a raw file (very useful for understanding what one is working with and why some kinds of editing operations are preferable to others), instruction on how best to use Camera Raw for getting the most out of the images one has captured, and workflow (i.e. "what to do when") - emphasizing and explaining not only an orderly way of working within the Camera Raw module itself, but also how to get optimal efficiency in organizing, identifying and processing ones' images using the integrative features of Bridge, Camera Raw, and Photoshop. This structure of the book makes perfect sense given the intended integration of these applications to facilitate efficient and effective workflow.
  
  Hence Chapters 1 and 2 provide a compact and highly readable primer on the anatomy of a digital image and a raw file and basically how Camera Raw works. If you weren't totally convinced before you bought the book why you should be working as much as possible with raw files rather than JPEGs, these two chapters will make that issue will go away.
  
  Chapter 3 provides a handy integrative overview of how Camera Raw, Bridge, Photoshop and DNG all hang together as a system. The remainder of the book is devoted to a very detailed and comprehensive explanation of when and how to use these tools.
  
  Chapters 4 and 5 explain the Camera Raw controls in depth - which is really important, because the last I counted there are at least 84 of them that could be independently combined in infinite ways to produce the image in the eye of the user's mind (and this excludes DNG creation and camera calibration also explained here in depth). The book explains what each of these tools do, how to use them, and most instructively, in Chapter 5, the authors present a very well selected variety of imaging situations we would all encounter, showing firstly how to evaluate what the images need done to them. Then they demonstrate in detail the individual edits performed to improve sharpness, contrast and color as appropriate to the objectives of the edits. Once you've completed reading this chapter you will have a very solid knowledge base from which to gain experience using this program to greatest advantage on your own images. I've processed about 1600 images in Camera Raw and I've run across every situation the authors cover here. I think they've done an excellent job in terms of both correct treatment of their sample images and the exposition of how to do it. It's clear, well illustrated, detailed and accurate.
  
  That takes us to page 201, and Chapters 6 to 9 inclusive. As far as I know, you won't find a more convenient, comprehensive and detailed treatment of how to work with Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw, developing efficient workflows for handling files, folders, collections, metadata and process automation. For busy people needing to organize, recall and process large numbers of images quickly and efficiently, there is a wealth of indispensable instruction here covering the many features in these programs which make this possible.
  
  Having read the book, I'm now keeping it beside my keyboard. It will serve as the most useful hands-on reference work that I own on Camera Raw, Bridge and DNG. It is with deep regret that Bruce Fraser is no longer with us to celebrate the accomplishment of this book, but we can take comfort in the fact that Jeff Schewe has picked up the torch, run with it and brought to fruition a remarkable piece of work which makes a really important contribution to our knowledge of digital imaging.
  
  
  

• Still THE book on RAW

  
  By ALCJ8GFQ81SD0 on 2007-11-30
  Jeff Schewe and Bruce Fraser, RIP, have done an excellent job in the second edition of Real World Camera Raw. Jeff obviously believes in the view - `if it ain't broke, don't fix it' because Bruce Fraser's original concepts (and some newer ones) are still the backbone of this volume.
  
  That isn't to say there isn't anything new - there is - Chapter Four "Camera RAW Tools - examining the Camera RAW Tools In Depth" by itself, is worth the price of the book. One could be a virtual newbie to Camera RAW and be able to convert RAW images well, just by reading and following Jeff's instructions in that chapter on all the past settings and the vast array of new and helpful settings and sliders added by the Adobe engineers for CS3. Jeff's understanding and expertise in the practical use of each setting is well demonstrated, with helpful screenshots (and tips) all along the way. Intermediate and advanced users will benefit from his `inside knowledge' and the most effective use of the new features.
  
  And while Chapter 4 is huge, there is a lot more new material (50 pages worth with bigger & better illustrations, the penguin shots are great ), in the rest of the Chapters, including all the new settings in Bridge and the Digital Negative Converter (DNG), handling of xml files, batch, scripting and suggestions on the various ways to configure ACR and Bridge for optimum use. The information on basic and detailed workflows from camera to print coming from a working photographer is a true value and gives an insight on how a pro best utilizes the tools.
  
  All in all, Real World Camera RAW for Adobe Photoshop CS3 still remains THEE book/bible to have on RAW conversion. Bruce would be proud.
  
  Kent C. retouch forum [...]
  
  
  

• If you are contemplating shooting Raw, this is the book you need

  
  By A2MYQVB8UIKLUB on 2008-01-07
  I am a commercial photographer, as well as an author. I have been a photographer since the middle seventies, and grew up on film. I mention this detail, because if you are shooting digital (and most people are these days) and you are not shooting Raw format, then you are not getting the full potential from your images. I'll go further: apart from sport photogs who shoot JPEGs by necessity (instant wireless transfer of finished images), everyone can benefit from shooting Raw--the capacity to recover highlights and to lift shadows noiselessly alone (and Raw can do so much more) makes this a necessity in countries where the light is very bright--like Australia.
  
  This book provides the understanding of 'what goes on under the hood', essential to a deep understanding of a complex piece of software, Adobe Creative Suite, and its key plug-in, Adobe Camera Raw. Following this, the authors take you through the processing of real images, step-by-step, and showing what the adjustments have done to the original. Alternatives are presented too, so the flexibility of this excellent software is revealed. Following this, the authors take you though the maze of Batch Processing--with humour and precision together--and, frankly, if you are not using Batch Processing, then you are only using a fraction of this software's potential. Do you want to save time? Batch processing is the answer, yet virtually impossible to learn from Adobe's "Help" files.
  
  I was an advanced level user of this software before I bought this book (having used ACR since the first inception), and use Capture One Pro, and two other Raw processors, but feel that the combination of keyboard control and flexibility of workflow when processing hundreds of images makes ACR the winner. You will not need to touch a mouse if you follow the authors' directions; they reveal ALL the hidden keyboard shortcuts. Bruce and Jeff's book is the key to unlocking this power--the additional information I gained about the new sharpening features of the latest version of ACR from this book alone paid for itself in saved time on a project I have starting next week.
  
  IMHO, this is the only book on Raw processing you will need. Once you understand all that is written here, you will be a genuine expert Raw processor yourself.
  
  

• Solid advice on using Photoshop for RAW images

  
  By A9J4UURM4OSDW on 2008-02-13
  A digital camera that gives you photos in the usual JPEG format is doing some photo processing for you before you see the shot. The camera applies the camera manufacturer's algorithms to the way your photos should look. But if you want to do more than take good snapshots you should consider setting the camera to give you images without the automatic processing. That kind of image uses the camera's "raw" format.
  
  If you have a digital SLR, you have the ability to take raw files. (A few non-SLR digitals have the ability to take raw files -- the Canon G9, for example.) Each camera manufacturer has its own type of raw file -- Canon's use the extension .CR2, for example. But all raw images need to be opened by a photo editing package that can read the specific type of raw file your camera produces, like Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.
  
  The major advantage of using raw files is that you have more control over fine tuning the image, and the major disadvantage is that you will probably have to do some fine tuning.
  
  Photoshop CS3, the current version of Adobe's industrial-strength photo editing software includes Adobe Camera Raw ("ACR"). ACR recognizes the raw formats from virtually all manufacturers. If you understand the basics of Photoshop or PS Elements, you can use ACR on your own right out of the box, because the basic screen is reasonably intuitive. But "Real World Camera Raw with...CS3" does a great job of helping you get a lot more out of ACR, and there's quite a lot to get. The book explains what raw images are in both technical and non-technical terms and then takes you through the multiple options for preparing them in ACR. The authors clearly know Photoshop from the inside, all the way down to the software code. The in-depth explanations of how Photoshop works are there is you want them. But they don't throw a blizzard of tech talk at you. The instructions are there in plain language to help you make efficient, effective step-by-step use of Adobe Camera Raw. You can stop after Chapter 5 and you'll be a solid intermediate user, or you can absorb the whole book and emerge with an even more in-depth understanding.
  
  The book is written for photographers who have at least a basic understanding of color and of Photoshop, so it's not the first book on photo editing to read. (A good choice would be "Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-on-One" by Deke McClelland -- excellent and less expensive than his DVD-based CS3 version.) But "Real World Camera Raw...CS3" is a great next step as you move up the Photoshop learning curve.
  
  
  

• Another Hit Out of the Ballpark

  
  By A28MARNLZ58NER on 2007-12-07
  Bruce Fraser's death is a terrible loss for those of us who try to stay up on the ins and outs of Photoshop and camera raw, but it looks as if Jeff Schewe is going to take up the slack. If you're a serious photographer you MUST have this book. Nothing else out there comes even close to the clear exposition the book gives to the details of this marvelous piece of software. Kudos to Jeff and, sadly, Bruce, posthumously. We're gonna miss him.
  
  
• A worthwhile update to the previous edition
  By A3SEJSDF3BJ6K6 on 2007-12-28
  While unsuited to repro work and having a less than cutting edge demosaicing algorithm, Camera Raw is nonetheless free with Photoshop and worth getting to know how to use well ... if, for no other reason, than because of its superior Photoshop integration.
  
  This book covers all the basics though you may have to wait until later in the book for key concepts to be explained in depth (such as what a sidecar file is). The main use to many will be the case examples in Chapter 5 which provide useful approaches to editing and some creative split-toning in colour possibilities. Duplicating the raw file opened as a Smart Object in Photoshop to handle highlights separately (through a Layer Mask) wasn't something that had occurred to me and is a worthwhile feature enabled by the latest version. The book is also fairly sanguine about the product's shortcomings and provides a valiant attempt to distinguish between the apply settings options on the flyout menu, how to reset Bridge etc. A positive influence by Schewe would seem to be a toning down of Fraser's gung-ho recommendation to use the ProPhoto RGB working space for everything, especially if subsequent tonality/colour adjustments are to be deployed in Photoshop. One would still wish for a choice of custom output working spaces more targeted to each image's colours/use.
  
  Having previously read the CS2 edition, I was in two minds whether to get this or not, but it's been a useful refresher and enough has changed (especially on the sharpening side) to make the new book a worthwhile read. You'll still be pushing around too many sliders but the coverage from this book should give a good understanding of what you're doing. Recommended.
  
  
• If you only buy one digital photography book this year...
  By A31E4M1H3ODTK8 on 2008-01-31
  This review will be short and to the point. I was looking for a comprehensive book on Camera Raw and wanted to avoid the superficial treatment this subject gets in most books. This book succeeds on that level and countless others better than any other book I've encountered. Bruce Fraser's torch has been passed into the extremely capable and equally accessible Mr. Schewe's and we are all the beneficiaries.
  
  Some of the most significant points I took away from this book were 1) the inner workings of Bridge's cache and how to take advantage of the optimum settings for your digital workflow. 2) the true advantages of DNG in terms of metadata and long-term accessibility. 3) The importance of designing and following a digital workflow that helps alleviate the burdens of processing hundreds of digital negatives following a shoot. 4) Using the full range of features available with Bridge and converting it from a simple file browser to a workhorse for digital image processing, sorting, viewing, and cataloguing. This book has changed my complete outlook on Bridge and has made it a central part of my workflow.
  
  I am recommending this book to anyone who's been on the fence about RAW, DNG format, or Bridge. It is simple a masterful product that is both incredibly practical as well as a joy to read.
  
  
• Adobe Camera raw
  By A25YBW5E92WN9J on 2007-12-23
  Having read some books on Photoshop color management, tweaking curves, channel blending etc, it is refreshing to see what can be done even before the picture enters Photoshop. Where most books pay token homage to this "plug in" (really a program in its own right) this book actually shows you how to optimize your photograph . It not only takes you through basics like how camera sensors are built and work, how the camera registers each pixel (linear capture) but also shows how one can practically totally edit your photo in ACR and then provide the "icing of the cake in CS3.
  Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Real World).
  
  
• Camera Raw manual for Adobe CS#
  By A3TF5QIMF2MXXE on 2008-01-12
  Excellent book, well written, easy to follow and loaded with examples. This is a must for any professional digital photographer using Adobe Photoshop and ACR.
  
  
• Great presentation of camera raw
  By A203MXMVS52P8R on 2007-12-31
  I bought this book based on the review on the Luminous-Landscape site. It is everything that Michael Riechmann talks about in the review. If you REALLY want to understand how to work with ACR, this is the book for you.
  
  
• Real World Camera RAW
  By A3C9CDBXDC5H5G on 2008-01-27
  Very well written and very insightful for Adobe Camera RAW users.
  
  Bruce Frazer was an outstanding writer and Jeff Schewe did a magnificant job of stepping in after Bruce died.
  
  This book explains the ins and outs of ACR and shows how to use it to get the most out of a wonderful product.
  
  Highly recommended.
  
  
• ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE ON MY DIGITAL PHOTO LIBRARY
  By A2UO17Y0ICGEPH on 2008-01-28
  If you want to know everything there is about Adobe Camera Raw, this is the book you need. It really surprised me as almost every book I buy about Photoshop leave me some kind disappointed. This books is as complete as it can be. This one don't have any waste.
  
  
• This has all the info that Adobe didn't include and then some
  By A1C8ASO4Q2ROPQ on 2008-02-16
  I love Adobe Camera Raw in Photoshop CS3. But there were many facets and functions of ACR that I didn't understand. This is a great book, written in friendly manner and packed with illustrations and screen shots. The book answers all my questions and has me saying "Ah Ha . . ." in almost every chapter and subject.
  And may I say that if your camera includes Raw mode and you don't use it you're missing a great way to improve your photos and your workflow.
  Thanks, Jeff Schewe for a great book.
  
  
  
• Fantastic Book!
  By AJAG2J6G119C6 on 2008-02-25
  This book is the best one I have read on the topic of shooting raw verses jpeg; why to shoot raw, and how to take advantage of the expanded potential in digital raw photography. The authors provide extensive rationale and great technical background on the topics of adjusting raw images to best effect. Although I use Photoshop Lightroom 1.3 instead of the Camera Raw within Photoshop Bridge or Photoshop CS3, the discussions and techniques are equally applicable to my workflow.
  
  This is one of the most productive books I have read to date within my library of digital photography books!
  
  
• Initial handling of digital images
  By A3TUMQ1SQE9P0A on 2008-02-08
  The book has excellent coverage of CS3 Camera Raw capability and how to use its features. The first step in dealing with images from your camera is to bring them into Adobe Bridge, and from there initial edits in camera raw. This is the how to do it efficiently book. Deal with many images in the shortest amount of time. Adobe does not put a paper manual in its products anymore so, if you are new to the product or need intro to new features, something like this is essential.
  
  
• first rate!
  By A3B8OK903D0PPB on 2008-05-29
  Most of us have gotten used to moving an image through Adobe Camera Raw quickly and doing all the real work in Photoshop. In earlier versions, this may have been the right thing to do, but the new ACR is a much better tool than PS, and you can easily back out changes. The only sort of things you must do in PS are the localized changes, and there are all kinds of things you can do in ACR that you just can't do in PS.
  Jeff Schewe and the late Bruce Fraser explain ACR's capabilities in a clear easy-to-understand way, using mostly the language of ordinary human beings rather than super geeks. If you are using ACR blind, without the techniques explained in this book, you are missing out on a lot.
  
  
• fantastic guide to raw processing
  By AIOLSC513Q95S on 2008-03-25
  Adobe Camera RAW (version 4 with photoshop CS3) is an amazing product, and this book is a must have when trying to get the most out of it. If you are processing RAW with CS3 do yourself a favour and get this.
  
  
• Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 ROCKS!!
  By A1XXCBNIMBAKBL on 2008-04-17
  Great book. Very well written, easily understood and helpful. This is definitely a must have for digital photographers processing their camera raw files! This book was recommended to me by a professional stock photographer. He was dead on target that it was packed full of important info. I have already recommended this book to several other photographers I know.
  
  
• Real World is a good phrase.
  By A3SBBQXKEV2ON3 on 2008-05-28
  This book is a real help to those of us in the amateur/enthusiast class of digital photography. I suspect the advanced to professional photographer is already working in Lightroom and CS3, thus making them a bit ahead. I say "a bit" with some seriousness, since, having worked in Lightroom for a trial period and had just begun shooting in raw format. I was unable to afford Lightroom on top of CS3, but I was sold on the value of working in raw and how much could be done with the images based upon the pleasing results I got in Lightroom.
  The first half of Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 gets right to work with Adobe Camera Raw and provides the instructional intro to the software and what can be done working with images shot in raw. Lightroom did impress but this book helps the user to make great strides image editing and editing that only the raw format can most effectiviely provide the photographer.
  
  The second half of the book goes into workflow beginning with Bridge CS3 but I have less need for that portion of the book and continually work with the Raw application topics. The levels and flexibility of Adobe Camera Raw 4.1+ are powerful assets in creative image editing as a stand alone or in conjunction with Photoshop CS3.
  
  The book is written clearly and let's the reader/user work as they learn. It is money well-spent if you wish to capitalize on the creative potential of raw photography. I did not give the book the full five star rating solely because of the emphasis upon workflow beginning with Bridge in the latter half of the book.
  
  
• If you shoot RAW buy this book - period.
  By A3J8XDDO1JQFZK on 2008-06-23
  Reading this book has greatly enhanced my ability to process RAW quickly, easily, and with better results. If you use Photoshop and you shoot RAW, buy this book - period.
  
  
• Camera Raw
  By A1B6FTJUSNBP1U on 2008-08-28
  Fine book .... very informative and written in a clear style.
  Great for a beginner as well.
  
  
• Great for the photographer using Raw Format and CS3
  By A2WHOL47CEC1JM on 2008-06-07
  A great book for learning more about the wealth of possibilities using the raw format in photography. Invaluable when learning more about Photoshop CS3 and photo editing.
  The layout of the book is very well done and thoughtfully laid out.
  The sample photos in color lend a great deal to the book.
  
  Recommended
  
  
• full
  By ATR430AOJSI84 on 2008-06-13
  This book, along with the video from Luminous Landscape, are an asset to a photographer.
  
  
• Better images, less time, what a deal!
  By AG35JCCQWDRCS on 2008-06-28
  This book is one amazing guide on the inner workings of rendering an image from raw camera files. If you capture raw files AND you use Photoshop CS3 for your image processing, then this book is a must have. Not only will it help you render better images from your raw files, it will help you do so in less time. While always practical in intent, the book gives the reader the opportunity to understand the camera raw plug-in, tab-by-tab and preference-by-preference.
  
  Since I've been working my way through the book, I've also found less need for tweaking much on the file after I have my initial render. The camera raw plug-in has so much capability - it is one of the wonders of the software world. This book helps one tap into all that is available. It's always best to get it right in the camera and this resource allows you to make the most of what you've captured.
  
  
• A Satisfied Customer
  By A2UAKQ26IQK9VN on 2008-07-26
  I am a new user of Adobe PhotoShop CS3 and Camera Raw. I read the book and then read some parts again. The book is filled with examples and leads you through each step in the process. I am sure that I will be returning to the book as a reference tool. I highly recommend it.
  
  

• Adobe Photoshop CS3 Studio Techniques

• The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)
• Real World Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Real World)
• Scott Kelby's 7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Voices)
• Layers: The Complete Guide to Photoshop's Most Powerful Feature
• The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2