RSP vs. Dimage Viewer for Minolta 7D

[edwardabel@adel]

I use RSP all the time, and love it to death. But this past weekend, I discovered something. For fun, I decided to try the dull, bland, lack of options, etc, etc.. Dimage Viewer that came with my Minolta 7D. I took a RAW.MRW image, performed white balance with my WhiBal, and adjusted exposure if needed. IT was converted and then printed using my Epson R300. The prints had more accurate color, and better highlight/shadow detail, than the same prints converted from RSP, and printed through Adobe Elements 3.0.

I have not yet tried to print a converted RSP image in Dimage Viewer. Is it the software I'm using to print that's the difference, or the RAW converter?

FYI,
After converting the images from RAW, I do no further adjusting. Also both images were converted to TIFF, 16bit.

Thanks for the response,
Ed

[MichaelT]

It is probably the initial setting that each raw converter uses. Within RSP you should establish your "norm" and save it as a User Appearance to be applied to all images as a starting point. The 7D raw converter starts from your camera settings, which will give the default setting more contrast and saturation, which can be confused with accurate color in some cases.

[edwardabel@adel]

This does appear to be the case. And I'm glad. I love the speed and options of RSP.

In the "Proceesing Bias Parameters" window, are those settings adjusted strictly on personnal taste? Also, will those settings be the basis for my images when the image is first opened in RSP, whereas you mentioned the 7D converter uses the cameras settings for it's basis?

Now.....if I am correct with the above comments, if I set the Exposure Bias Parameter to let's say .25, then when I adjust a picture in RSP to say a +.25 exposure, I have a total over-exposure of .50 over the original image(non-destructive of course)?

What exactly are the "bias" settings used for? I know the Minolta 7D has a reputation of underexposing a stop or two, but I prefer to brighten an image rather than have it ruined with "blown highlights". Hence, a bias setting of .25 always set in the specified ISO range will correct this? But why not just do it during the editing phase?

Thanks for taking the time to respond,
Ed

[MichaelT]

Ed,

Your assumptions are generally correct. Th bias setting are just for what you mention,. if you would like to adjust ALL 7d image +.25 then the bias adjustment will do that behind the scenes, without indication on the adjustment panel. So if you adjust the adjusting panel to .25 you will have a .50 boost. So the processing parameters are like a camera setting profile, setting that are applied behind the scenes to ALL of that camera model in addition to your panel adjustment settings. make sense?

[edwardabel@adel]

Yes. Makes sense. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.


Thanks again,
Ed

[MichaelT]

Sure..