Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Mirrorless Cameras => Topic started by: Alan Smallbone on September 05, 2014, 01:29:20 pm

Title: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: Alan Smallbone on September 05, 2014, 01:29:20 pm
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
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: Misirlou on September 05, 2014, 06:56:54 pm
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.
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: eronald on September 05, 2014, 10:05:39 pm
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
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: The Ute on September 06, 2014, 12:25:18 pm
Can you use it if you don't use Adobe ?
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: Alan Smallbone on September 06, 2014, 01:32:13 pm
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
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: The Ute on September 06, 2014, 02:22:36 pm
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.
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: eronald on September 06, 2014, 07:01:18 pm
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 (http://www.fastrawviewer.com/) by the same authors also lets you look quickly at your files.

Edmund
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: Alan Smallbone on September 06, 2014, 11:22:11 pm
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
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: Misirlou on September 08, 2014, 10:36:41 am
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.
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: Alan Smallbone on September 18, 2014, 10:26:27 am
Actually Helicon Filter will also do stacking, focus and/or for noise reduction.

Alan
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: Alan Smallbone on September 19, 2014, 09:42:01 am
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
Title: Re: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: soboyle on October 24, 2014, 03:34:05 pm
Wondering how this raw processor turned out - has to be better than SPP.
Title: Possible alternative for Sigma DP2Q and DPxM raw processing
Post by: dumainew on October 25, 2014, 05:01:00 pm
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