Camera Raw Format in Photoshop

The Camera Raw file format is the format used by many digital cameras to capture and save image data and also the image’s metadata. In fact, this format captures everything there is to get about an image. Each camera has its own proprietary raw image format. Fortunately, Photoshop can support most camera models, especially higher-end cameras. In this new version of Photoshop, the Camera Raw plug-in has been directly incorporated into the application, which enables you to work more efficiently with camera data. It also enables you to quickly select and apply your Camera Raw settings by batch processing images using the File Browser. Within the plug-in, you will find controls to make adjustments in white balance, exposure, shadows, contrast, saturation, sharpness, and so on. If, by chance, the Camera Raw plug-in doesn’t support your particular camera model, contact Adobe to see if they will be supporting it in the near future.

Camera Raw files utilize a lossless scheme to capture and save image data, similar to TIFFs. This is advantageous, because no data is lost through compression as it is with the JPEG format. Camera Raw files also have the advantage of being smaller than uncompressed TIFFs. Of all the digital camera file formats, only Camera Raw images contain the actual, unadulterated data captured by the digital camera’s sensor (a Charged Coupled Device [CCD] or Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor [CMOS]) without any camera adjustments, filters, and other processing. Many hard-core photographers consider this file format to be the pure digital “negative,” so to speak. They prefer to analyze, manipulate, and adjust the image data themselves rather than leaving those decisions to the mercy of the camera. This file format also prevents the loss of any image data that can sometimes occur when a file is converted from its native format to a more commonly used format like TIFF or PSD.

Your camera may not capture images in the Camera Raw format. It may just allow you to save your images as either JPEG or TIFF. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine with these formats. However, if your camera is capable of saving images in Camera Raw format, you want to check out the capabilities of this plug-in. Because going into detail on each setting found in the plug-ins dialog box is beyond the scope of this book, be sure and visit Adobe. Here you will find a downloadable User Guide, a Q&A file, and great tutorials showing you all you need to know about working with the Camera Raw plug-in.