Lesson learned!

[Tintype_18]

OK, there are some that will say, "I told you." I had received an email, requesting a photo for a couple receiving an award at the TWRA outing in August. I found the photos but they were all in jpg. If I had both jpg and RAW (as I have done in the past) or RAW only, necessary editing would be no problem with PSE 2021. This is a prime example of what the members have told me on another post. Noted and implemented.

I also plan on keeping a notebook with the names of the people and the photo number for quick reference.

Thanks to all who replied in the previous post. You know who you are.

[FloridaDrafter]

What is wrong with the jpg files that makes you hesitant to use them?

[Tintype_18]

There are those who say to shoot in RAW only. If I'm correct, PSE can have RAW photos downloaded from my T7 with an extension.  In the past, I have shot in both jpg and RAW. jpg for shots that might not need editing or basic editing with Explorer Files.  Both have their place. RAW and PSE 2021 can handle jpg in a very limited way. RAW has a myriad of posssibilities for editing. Also, I can delete photos that I don't want.

[FloridaDrafter]

Sorry, I meant what was wrong with the jpg files that you have that makes them unable to be edited in PSE? OOF, bad exposure, saturation, etc.?

[Tintype_18]

I'm told PSE is limited in editing jpg. I have found that DPP4 and the basic editiing through Explorere File are adequate. If one editing tool doesn't work, move to an other. I have tons of jpg and RAW photos for experimentation. I edited a photo with PSE a while back. Eliminated a couple of things with the old method of trying this and that.

Taking both takes up room on the memory card but I download photos at the end of the day to delete those that stink. I save those that might have use later on.

[FloridaDrafter]

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@Tintype_18 wrote:

I'm told PSE is limited in editing jpg. I have found that DPP4 and the basic editiing through Explorere File are adequate. If one editing tool doesn't work, move to an other. I have tons of jpg and RAW photos for experimentation. I edited a photo with PSE a while back. Eliminated a couple of things with the old method of trying this and that.

Taking both takes up room on the memory card but I download photos at the end of the day to delete those that stink. I save those that might have use later on.

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"I'm told PSE is limited in editing jpg."

So, you didn't even try to edit the photos.

PSE 2021 is limited, but only when compared to full blown PhotoShop, however, it is quite capable when you get out of "Quick" mode and go into "Guided" or "Expert". Guided and Expert will work together, so you can start in Guided then switch to Expert for finishing and layering. IMO, it works quite well and is one of the better "budget" image editors, not as feature rich as some of the other sub $100 programs, but it can hold it's own.

You reference File Explorer as an image editor (here and in other posts), do you mean MS Photos, which is built in to Windows? To be clear, Flie Explorer is not an image editor. You may be clicking your jpg and it's opening something else, like whatever is set to open JPG files, maybe MS Photos for example.

DPP is a Raw editor, and IMO does the job well and in some cases, you can not beat it at initial adjustment of Canon Raw files. I have several Raw editors, but seldom use them. As a jpg/tif editor, it is sorely lacking and I don't even bother using it (DPP) for jpg/tif, but generally, once I edit a Raw file in DPP 4, it doesn't need any other editing. Since retirement, I sale a few prints to my oldest customers upon request. I shoot birds, flowers, and butterflies, nothing fancy that would require post Raw editing (after I've edited Raw), like PS, PSE, or PSP 2021. Once I've edited in DPP, it's good to go as far as IQ goes. Most of my post DPP editing is for cropping and framing. I do like to play in other editors with features I like, but they are for me to play with. I have several editors, but each does something that the others don't, and I even have some specialized editors that do one thing and do it well, but as mentioned, I just play with them and post to FB or this forum.

My strategy and shooting style is to get the best shot I can so I need as little post processing as possible. It doesn't always happen that way, but that is my goal. Get the best vantage point, make sure my exposure is right, and don't spook the subject. Always makes for less post editing. I was a hunter in my youth, so I am a sneaky sucker 🙂 My point is, get it right in the camera and you will depend less on post editors to make your shots look good. Post is needed, so don't get me wrong, but it starts with your camera. BTW, I shoot Raw only.

[Tintype_18]

Could be MS Photos I can pull up Pictures or a specific file and edit jpg photos with a minimum of editing. Many of my photos will never be edited. I will be sending a bunch of photos to a friend who asked for photos of our outing a couple of weeks ago.

I agree...take the best shot and hold editing to a minimum.

[FloridaDrafter]

Great! I'm sure they will be fine.

Newton

[ebiggs1]

I think there is still a big misunderstanding here. I will endeavor to clarify it, once again.

"Many of my photos will never be edited."

This is true for any photographer. Most photos go unwanted.

"I will be sending a bunch of photos to a friend who asked for photos of our outing a couple of weeks ago."

Never, never and repeat never, send a bad photo to anyone. Now you may think, well these are not going to be used in any meaningful way do I can just send whatever. Who cares?

Your reputation cares and you should be extremely careful with it. Once it is compromised it is difficult to over come. And, all it takes is a few I don't care pictures.

"I agree...take the best shot and hold editing to a minimum."

Almost correct! Take the best shot you can under the circumstances. Hold editing to a minimum in the sense of time saving not image compromise. You should look at every single photo you intend to show by contract or impulse to anybody in a good post editor. That act alone is post editing so all your shots are and get edited.

Now to clarify why you shoot Raw. Raw has the ability to do far more correction than jpg does. That and that alone is why you use Raw. Plus the fact it is nondestructive to the original file when you edit. Which editor you use is your choice. By far and away Photoshop is the best. It is the industry standard. All pros use it, period. Your PSE is also a capable editor as is DPP4. There are many others you might choose. 

Why jpg is not the best choice is, the camera does what it thinks is the best correction scheme to the photo. The main problem with that is, it deletes everything it thinks you don't want. Gone forever and unrecoverable. In fact anytime you just save a jpg it undergoes some compression and you lose more data. Now for the average shooter, a soccer mom, iPhone user, etc., this is fine but it is not for a person that considers him/herself beyond the beginner level and moving to the next more professional level.

Now all this is your choice. Most of us, old timers, have given you solid advice. Raw is just one so it is up to you to decide where you are.

[Tintype_18]

Many thanks for your information. I took a RAW photo that I took back in August. The photo was taken in the shade of a tent shelter. I went to Guided and played with the setting bars on the right. Came out great. Plus, as has been indicated, take the best shot first. I like to experiment with photos to fix in my little mind what needs to be done.

Question- I started to download the extension mentioned earlier. It said it was for CR3 but my RAW photos are noted as CR2. Any problem here?

Thanks again.