Viewing RAW files

[civona]

I use a Canon 50D and take my photos in both a JPEG and RAW format. When I download them onto my PC, I can see the JPEG, but not the RAW files. I have Windows 7 64-bit OS.

I also downloaded the Canon Codec RAW software, but that only works for 32 bit systems. Is there a software program available to download or purchase that will allow me to view my photos?

[ScottyP]

I think Adobe Lightroom 4 is an excellent choice.  It will convert the RAW images, and it is fantastic for manipulating the images too.

Unlike Photoshop, Lightroom allows you to apply a "recipe" from one image you have processed onto dozens or hundreds of other images shot at the same time-a real time saver.  It is also non-destructive editing; all you save is the recipe you used.  It gets saved as a "sidecar" file, so you can go back in 5 years and access the original, un-damaged image file and completely start over on editing it.

[7D5D]

I echo ScottyP's comment that Lightroom is an excellent choice.   In fact I think it is just short of a brillant piece of software for managing your images and editing them too.  No it does have all the fancy stuff that Photoshop has but for me I want to create my art with lens and light more so than with a computer and sofware. I think LR is the perfect tool but I am still learning.

I also use Canon's DPP.  If you haven't installed it from your 50D CD I would do so then download the updates for it.  Go to Adobe and download a free trial of Lightroom.  There is a learning curve but lots of great resources online.  I personally like Julianne Kost's video tutorials at Adobe TV.  For printed instruction, I like Scott Kelby's.

[digital]

I use DPP just for culling and deleting. Nothing looks quite as good as DPP in quick check and full screen. I then import into LR or open in CS6 depending on what I'm doing.    

[cicopo]

I don't use Lightroom but do use CS 4 & as soom as I configure it I'll switch to CS6 BUT you have the same ability of saving recepies  to bulk process RAW files

[ebiggs1]

Of course the ultimate is CS6 (Photo Shop) and Adobe Bridge (comes free with PS). But at $150 bucks LR 4 is a next best choice. For many, mainly high production photographers, LR is the best. The automatic nature of LR is what is so appealing. But there is hardly nothing PS and Bridge can't do that LR can. It just takes a little more preparation. Plus there is way, way more editing features in PS that LR can't touch.

[Harv]

You don't need to purchase additional software.

Your 50D came with a CD.  On that CD is Canon's Digital Photo Professional.  You can view and edit your RAW files with that software.  It works very well.

[diverhank]

You can download the Codec from Microsoft. It works with 64-bit Win 7.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26829

[Sami]

What I use

For viewing: FastStone - the fastest RAW image viewer I have found.

For editing:

Standard adjustments and applying recipe files: DPP or Lightroom

Manipulation: Photoshop

HDR Tonemapping: Photomatix

There are others, but these are sufficient for me. For viewing lots of files I recommend FastStone. Extremely fast when viewing RAW files.

[fyigmo63]

I agree completely with what Sami wrote above.  I use the same setup except for one thing, which is Corel's Paint Shop Pro instead of Photoshop as my main photo editor.  As for viewing RAW images, IMO nothing is faster than Fastone Image Viewer for initial viewing and assessment.