What steps are involved in order to import RAW images from a digital camera such as a Canon EOS 5D in OSX?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
How Intuitive is Importing RAW Files?
- Thread starter Spies
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
Both Aperture and iPhoto will do it natively like any other camera - plug in and let them import.
If you're talking about how to import them into a folder of your choice, not using either of the above, then I'm not entirely sure... Automater to set up a workflow everytime you plug in the 5D?
If you're talking about how to import them into a folder of your choice, not using either of the above, then I'm not entirely sure... Automater to set up a workflow everytime you plug in the 5D?
Never done it on a windows machine... but it is wonderfully simple. It depends on what level of control you want... Also if you use a card reader or printer with a card reader the card reader will appear on the desktop and you can drag the images.
If you plug in your camera or card, iPhoto will open automatically, read the card and ask if you want to download all the photos. If you have aperture installed you can set it to do the same... You don't even need to install the driver or photo software that comes with the Camera... Can it be more simple?
If you plug in your camera or card, iPhoto will open automatically, read the card and ask if you want to download all the photos. If you have aperture installed you can set it to do the same... You don't even need to install the driver or photo software that comes with the Camera... Can it be more simple?
That was a bit, unecessary.What part of "plug in and import in iPhoto/Aperture" didn't you get?
Windows will import images (jpeg's admittadly) with the scanner and camera wizard, no 3rd party software required.
Is iPhoto bundled or is it extra?
That seemed entirely unnecessary.
Some cameras show up as a device in finder and you can just drag files to any folder you'd like. Canons, unfortunately, don't seem to work this way, so something like iPhoto or Aperture or the software provided with the camera is the way to go.
iPhoto is included with any Mac.
Some cameras show up as a device in finder and you can just drag files to any folder you'd like. Canons, unfortunately, don't seem to work this way, so something like iPhoto or Aperture or the software provided with the camera is the way to go.
iPhoto is included with any Mac.
What I do, for quickest performance, is configure my Macintosh to launch Image Capture when it sees a memory card. Image Capture is a tiny utility that comes with every Mac and with Mac OS X. I configured it to automatically download everything, and after it's done, it launches an AppleScript that umounts the card automatically. So just put the card in, wait for the download, and pull the card out.
Later on, I use Aperture to move the files from that directory into its own library.
So, no third-party software is necessary, and if you chose to use iPhoto to download the card directly, that's not third-party software; included with every Macintosh as mentioned above.
One feature that I believe doesn't exist with Windows in any version is Finder previews with RAW files. Since RAW decoding is handled within OSX (Aperture and iPhoto use this capability), Finder previews work even for RAW files. My understanding is that you do need a third-party application to do this (correct me if I'm wrong) in Windows.
OSX RAW decoding handles the Canon 5D.
EDIT: Since you used the word "intuitive," and I didn't remember how my computer was configured when I got it, I just plugged my 350D's memory card with some photos on it into my daughter's MacBook which has never seen a camera's memory card before, to see what happens by default. What happened was that the memory card showed up on the desktop, and then iPhoto launched automatically. It brought up its Import screen which has an Import button clearly shown. I would judge this to be about as intuitive as it can get with today's technology.
May I ask why you have this question? Might be helpful to focus our answers better.
Later on, I use Aperture to move the files from that directory into its own library.
So, no third-party software is necessary, and if you chose to use iPhoto to download the card directly, that's not third-party software; included with every Macintosh as mentioned above.
One feature that I believe doesn't exist with Windows in any version is Finder previews with RAW files. Since RAW decoding is handled within OSX (Aperture and iPhoto use this capability), Finder previews work even for RAW files. My understanding is that you do need a third-party application to do this (correct me if I'm wrong) in Windows.
OSX RAW decoding handles the Canon 5D.
EDIT: Since you used the word "intuitive," and I didn't remember how my computer was configured when I got it, I just plugged my 350D's memory card with some photos on it into my daughter's MacBook which has never seen a camera's memory card before, to see what happens by default. What happened was that the memory card showed up on the desktop, and then iPhoto launched automatically. It brought up its Import screen which has an Import button clearly shown. I would judge this to be about as intuitive as it can get with today's technology.
May I ask why you have this question? Might be helpful to focus our answers better.
Hi!
iPhoto is bundled. Aperture is not. Both will import AUTOMATICALLY.
good luck sport!
so you have a 5D, shoot RAW, yet dont know how to import photos? LOL
^^ Mmmm....
iPhoto is pre-installed on every new Mac and has been since about 2002 or 2003. So assuming one does not buy a Mac that is more than four years old, yes, it's as simple as plugging it in. You plug it in, iPhoto launches, the pictures import. No setup of any kind. If you don't want iPhoto to handle your pictures, you can use Image Capture, which is included in the Utilities folder, and set it to act on your photos instead of iPhoto. It's really astonishingly simple.
But if you're looking for a fight, you can always manage to find one.
P.S. Does XP have software to open RAW images out of the box? I didn't think it did. Which program within XP itself is able to actually view RAW images once you get them off the camera?
iPhoto is pre-installed on every new Mac and has been since about 2002 or 2003. So assuming one does not buy a Mac that is more than four years old, yes, it's as simple as plugging it in. You plug it in, iPhoto launches, the pictures import. No setup of any kind. If you don't want iPhoto to handle your pictures, you can use Image Capture, which is included in the Utilities folder, and set it to act on your photos instead of iPhoto. It's really astonishingly simple.
But if you're looking for a fight, you can always manage to find one.
P.S. Does XP have software to open RAW images out of the box? I didn't think it did. Which program within XP itself is able to actually view RAW images once you get them off the camera?
The wizards in XP don't recognise raw files as images, you have to drag them across then convert then in Photoshop. As raw files, you dont even get a thumbnail in the shell.
Depending on your volume of pictures, what a lot of people like to do in OS X is to use iPhoto to import. If you set PS as your editor in iPhoto (this is a preference you must set, but it takes literally 15 seconds), then you can double click images in iPhoto to launch them in PS. This way iPhoto will always save unmodified copies of your photos for you to which you can revert should you need to do so.
But if you want your photos dumped into a folder, you can just open Image Capture and set it to be the thing that gets triggered when you plug in a camera instead of iPhoto, and it will very easily do this. If you used the Wizards in Windows, Image Capture's behavior is more or less analogous to them.
PS also comes with yet another RAW camera importer, if I remember correctly. So you have a plurality of options if the default (iPhoto) doesn't work for you. But probably the best bet is to just give iPhoto the first shot.
The not mounting as a disk is a minor nuisance... but not too bad for most people. Some pros decide to go for card readers so they don't need to have their camera plugged into the Mac.
99% of switcher complaints about iPhoto highlight *THE* issue that every switcher should understand about Apple before they switch. OS X, iLife, and Apple in general offer you a very easy, straightforward, and no hassle way of doing the things you want to. BUT, it tends to all be designed around using the products in the way they were conceived to work. Apple products tend to suck at being heavily customized. They are not really designed for you to get involved in how the innards work.
iPhoto is a classic example of this... most of the switcher complaints have to do with the way iPhoto organizes its library on the hard drive. They're usually not about the way it organizes it *in* iPhoto. And its really designed for you to not go poking around in its library, just like iTunes is. If you can get over this, you tend to be very happy on OS X and with Apple. If you can't, then, honestly, I think you're better off on Windows or Linux, because you'll just be constantly pulling and tugging at OS X to do things it doesn't want to do.
I don't mean that as fanboyism. That's just my take. If you're someone who wants to do everything for yourself, customize everything to appear exactly the way you think it should, and manage individual media files on the hard drive, you're just not going to be happy on OS X.
so, is it as intuitive on a mac as it is on the PC that doesnt even recognise RAW files? is it me, or did this thread just get a little more retarded?
Well... as for the rest of us, is it flame mode, or is there anything else we can do to help you figure out what the answer to the core question you have is?
wait... i'm confused..
your thread title is "how intuitive is importing RAW Files"
and this is what you had to do in windows
and this is what you do in OS X
connect memory card, iphoto pops up, click import
which one is more intuitive?
and your
doesn't really mean anything because that has nothing to do with RAW, jpeg can be imported the same way as windows (drag and drop) or like RAW in OS X, connect memory card, and click import
i'm not sure where your bitterness is coming from
To be honest, I was equally confused about these very two statements Lebowski quoted.
So I rebooted my daughter's MacBook into XP and stuck my card reader with my 350D's CF card in it. For about a minute, nothing happened. Then it mounted the card as a drive as you'd expect. Then nothing happened.
I opened a window for the card and could see the CR2 files there.
So I went to the Control Panels and saw no Scanner and Camera Wizard at all. I clicked the "Classic View" and then it showed up. I opened it. Nothing but the iSight showed up.
So I went back to the camera and switched to RAW+JPEG and took a few shots. Now it works pretty much as well as Mac OS, though it completely ignored my RAW files.
Now, of course, you said that. But this thread was not about JPEG files, it was about RAW files.
So what are you asking? I outlined the steps I use to download RAW files, and I outlined what happened in OSX by default, and I compared what happens in Windows XP by default. I'm not sure what's left.
So I rebooted my daughter's MacBook into XP and stuck my card reader with my 350D's CF card in it. For about a minute, nothing happened. Then it mounted the card as a drive as you'd expect. Then nothing happened.
I opened a window for the card and could see the CR2 files there.
So I went to the Control Panels and saw no Scanner and Camera Wizard at all. I clicked the "Classic View" and then it showed up. I opened it. Nothing but the iSight showed up.
So I went back to the camera and switched to RAW+JPEG and took a few shots. Now it works pretty much as well as Mac OS, though it completely ignored my RAW files.
Now, of course, you said that. But this thread was not about JPEG files, it was about RAW files.
So what are you asking? I outlined the steps I use to download RAW files, and I outlined what happened in OSX by default, and I compared what happens in Windows XP by default. I'm not sure what's left.
- Status