Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing

[Alan Smallbone]

I stumbled upon this about a couple of hours ago, and played a little bit with it before work, and it was able to open up Quattro and DP3Merrill files and process them. I have not used the software before but I am going to check it out further. It is Helicon Filter, use the embedded raw conversion when prompted, it defaults to Adobe.

http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconsoft-products/helicon-filter/

Can't say yet how worthwhile. SPP is slow but since I am not processing tons of images it has not been a giant roadblock but this looks faster and has local adjustments etc. Kind of surprised when it said it supported x3f files and even more surprised when it opened the quattro files without a complaint.

Alan

[Misirlou]

I'll be darned. I downloaded the trial, and it works great. I can't get my head wrapped around the idea that an obscure company could make something that works this well, without every Sigma owner knowing about it already. Sure, it doesn't have some of Sigma's controls, but it works incredibly quickly, and may even make a decent output file.

I must be missing something.

[eronald]

I'll be darned. I downloaded the trial, and it works great. I can't get my head wrapped around the idea that an obscure company could make something that works this well, without every Sigma owner knowing about it already. Sure, it doesn't have some of Sigma's controls, but it works incredibly quickly, and may even make a decent output file.

I must be missing something.

Irident on Mac works too. and RPP.

Edmund

[The Ute]

Can you use it if you don't use Adobe ?

[Alan Smallbone]

yes you can, it seems to have 3 types of raw conversion, Adobe dng conversion, dcraw, and its own embedded conversion... so it seems, I am taking a deeper look today.

Alan

[The Ute]

thanks.

I wondered because I tried the DCRAW (don't use adobe) and it did not seem to work well.

Perhaps the embedded conversion ?

I'll give that a try.


"RawDigger" allows you to view X3F files and quickly convert them to TIFFs. No adjustment.

[eronald]

thanks.

I wondered because I tried the DCRAW (don't use adobe) and it did not seem to work well.

Perhaps the embedded conversion ?

I'll give that a try.


"RawDigger" allows you to view X3F files and quickly convert them to TIFFs. No adjustment.

Yes, FastRawViewer by the same authors also lets you look quickly at your files.

Edmund

[Alan Smallbone]

Another viewer that works well and is free is FastStoneViewer, it will preview the Sigma images from the embedded jpg.

http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

Another one that costs some money is Breezebrowser.

Alan

[Misirlou]

Irident on Mac works too. and RPP.

Edmund

Yeah, I have Macs, but I prefer PCs for my photo work for a variety of reasons.

[Alan Smallbone]

Actually Helicon Filter will also do stacking, focus and/or for noise reduction.

Alan

[Alan Smallbone]

It it does not give you any real choices. It is pretty basic focus stacking in filter, no options just "merge focused areas" and the other part of that menu is average the stack to reduce noise. Helicon focus gives you the options. Not a bad piece of software for $30.

Alan

[soboyle]

Wondering how this raw processor turned out - has to be better than SPP.

[dumainew]

This is the response I got from Iridient Digital regarding the Sigma Quattro:

"The latest Quattro Sigma's use an all new, completely different sensor design from past models and also have significantly altered the X3F file format as well. Unfortunately at this time I do not plan to support these new models at this time. Iridient is a very small company, just myself, and in the past the Sigma camera have required a large amount of work to try to support well and their very small user base just has not justified the amount of work involved in supporting these unique cameras. Of course that could change in the future, originally I did not plan to support Fuji's X-Trans either, but so far interest in the Quattro has been minimal."

Best regards,
Brian Griffith
Iridient Digita