p.1 #1 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
I am ordering a Sony A900 and am curious which Raw converter those who have this camera use.
I have heard mixed reviews about ACR and how it handles the A900 Raw files. Some say Aperture is better. I have both Lightroom and Aperture but don't use them much yet in conjunction with PSCS4. I am coming from Nikon and have used Capture NX2 for my Nikon Raw files.
Also, what quick release plate do you use for the A900? I have had ones made for the specific camera I was using. I have an ArcaTech ballhead and can use any Arca-Swiss type plate. I know there is an L bracket but that is for use without the grip. I couldn't find anything else for the A900.
Do you just use a generic quick release plate?
p.1 #3 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
I agree with the above overall. I have found both Raw Developer and Capture One capable of a little more detail than ACR/Lightroom. For quick editing of large jobs that do not rely on the nth degree of detail though, it is hard to avoid using Lightroom. I also find the B&W conversion tools built into Raw Developer greatly lacking compared to ACR/Lightroom. Ultimately, it depends on what you are doing with the files.
p.1 #5 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
Thanks for the help. Douglas, I would be interested in the b&w profiles for C1 if you or anyone else can remember where to get them. Silver Efex Pro is one of my favorite NIK software plugins.
I have been working on an image all day and the detail benefit that Raw Developer gives over ACR is quite astonishing, particularly if you are printing at large sizes. I will see if I can post a quick comparison.
p.1 #9 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
Welcome. Here is a comparison using what I have been working on today. This image is intentionally very low in contrast as I'm using it to print a negative for a cyanotype contact print. First the image: http://www.gibranstudio.com/a900test.jpg
Finally, I will be printing this image at a final size of 45" x 67.5" - crazy, I know - and making 9 individual negs 15" x 22.5" ea. that will be combined to make the final piece. So, here is a section at that size but at 50% view which is what the final neg. quality will look like regarding detail. The resolution difference becomes pretty noticeable the larger you go. ACR on left, Raw Developer on the right: http://www.gibranstudio.com/a900large.jpg
p.1 #11 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
pintofguinness wrote:
I am ordering a Sony A900 and am curious which Raw converter those who have this camera use.
I have heard mixed reviews about ACR and how it handles the A900 Raw files. Some say Aperture is better. I have both Lightroom and Aperture but don't use them much yet in conjunction with PSCS4. I am coming from Nikon and have used Capture NX2 for my Nikon Raw files.
I normally use Sony's own IDC as I find it gives the nicest look, esp. in terms of color. I adjust white balance, exposure and color, and then export to CS4 for resizing etc. I also used NX2 on my NEF files.
Also, what quick release plate do you use for the A900? I have had ones made for the specific camera I was using. I have an ArcaTech ballhead and can use any Arca-Swiss type plate. I know there is an L bracket but that is for use without the grip. I couldn't find anything else for the A900.
Do you just use a generic quick release plate?
Thanks for the help
-pint
¨
I also have an Arcatech ball head and use the Arcatech universal one. Works brilliant.
p.1 #12 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
I use the 1.5"x1.75" generic plate that I think I got from RRS. I do not use the hand grip, as I feel that defeats the purpose of a smaller, lighter camera (I also use 1DS III system). I use DXO for conversion, as I depend on their lens "fix" modules to correct distortion, CA, etc.
Dave
p.1 #13 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
I only produce colour from digital, and IDC is just so accurate and faithful to the scene, great colour tone handling without the rather peppy default look many mass market converters give. New version (3.2) is now out which apparently improves noise (!) at the high ISO levels so beloved by so many, especially the Canikon marketing teams.
I rarely see troublesome noise or CA but tend to focus on the overall image quality to the neglect of nth degree noise suppression or distortion fixes.
Colour is it, but unlike mortyb, I do all that in PS which has much more sophisticated controls and tools and availability of specialist plug-ins and profiles. Joseph Holmes' DCam colour spaces and chroma profiles in particular are very harmonious with Sony output, much more so than for NEFs.
I doubt DxO or CS5 are gonna help me much with Contax and Mamiya lenses that have not been produced for a decade or two, somehow.
I use Markins own plate for the M3 head - I am sure they are all great.
p.1 #16 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
Beautiful shot.
Obviously, color in a converter is just a matter of profiling. Interesingly, the A900's standard jpeg setting, while pleasing, isn't necessarily known as being accurate. Which settings did you use in IDC?
p.1 #17 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
mortyb wrote:
I normally use Sony's own IDC as I find it gives the nicest look, esp. in terms of color. I adjust white balance, exposure and color, and then export to CS4 for resizing etc. I also used NX2 on my NEF files.
¨
I also have an Arcatech ball head and use the Arcatech universal one. Works brilliant.
p.1 #18 · Which Raw converter for Sony A900 and Quick Release plate
Hi Douglas, thank you. I never shoot jpegs, all my output is ARW converted straight through IDC with noise controls off, no sharpening, just the RC basics of density and WB. Then it's off to Photoshop for a layer workflow.
Is it so that 'color in a converter is just a matter of profiling'? And if so, why do RCs vary so widely, and therefore some of them get it so wrong, even well-established ones like C1?
I have read a lot of your material so I must thank you for that help over the past nine months or so. I went into Sony eyes open thanks to the fine people at getdpi primarily.
I would like to have another RC (or two) to compare, and will get CS5 later this year so by then I am guessing LR3's ACR will be there, abd I have read it is pretty good for Sony now. If I could get IDC colour in something more useful, like LR, that would be a big step in the right direction, given other advantages in demosaicing many have over IDC, plus the DAM built in. The RC game is very confusing. regards, Philip.
