New Luminar 4 support RAF raw conversion?

[Dave Gurtcheff]

I am an 82 year old amateur. My more recent work was done with a Sony A7R II. I used mostly DXO to convert raw images and apply lens corrections. In December, I acquired a Fuji GFX 50R with 3 lenses. I make big prints (20"x30" with Sony, and 24"x32" with the Fuji). I often put different skies into different foregrounds, so the Luminar 4 advertisements say you can do this easily, negating a lot of masking, etc, etc). I have Photoshop CS 6 which will not open or process  Fuji files. My present work flow for Fugi RAF files is slow and cumbersome: Down load the day's shoot to my PC. Batch Convert in DNG converter. Delete the RAF files to save space, bring the batch processed DNGs into Bridge, select the ones I want to work on. Open Photoshop, and using their Camera Raw, process them (it automatically applies "cooked in" Fuji lens corrections).  I then  finish retouching etc in Photoshop, and print from Photoshop. I am wondering if Luminar 4 will directly process RAF files, and simplify my work flow, by eliminating the DNG conversion. Will it also allow ACR type corrections during the conversions, such as levels, curves, saturation? Thanks in advance.
Dave G in NJ
www.modernpictorials.com

[MHMG]

I'm a bit confused with what part of the workflow you'd like to eliminate. If you are accustomed to using Adobe Bridge and opening from Bridge into ACR, no need to first convert to DNG format. Bridge will open an RAF file directly in ACR. Thus, no need to convert RAF to DNG if you don't want to.

I've been around and around on the merits of DNG. My conclusion is it's a mostly a solution looking for a problem. As long as Adobe and other RAW file apps keep supporting proprietary file formats like NEF, RAF, etc. I just don't get the point of DNG. Also, other RAW convertors often punt when it comes to handling DNG, e.g, they may open a DNG made from a NEF file, but not from RAF, and even using a linear DNG conversion is no guarantee that other RAW convertors will know how to handle the DNG format correctly. Seen many DNG fails before with non Adobe software. DNG is just not the universal open source RAW format solution that its creators had hoped would occur. I don't want to go there again.

I also much prefer the Bridge/ACR raw workflow to the LR raw workflow, but that's a personal choice. Both use the same Adobe RAW file conversion engine.

cheers,
Mark
http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com

[DP]

I'm a bit confused with what part of the workflow you'd like to eliminate. If you are accustomed to using Adobe Bridge and opening from Bridge into ACR, no need to first convert to DNG format. Bridge will open an RAF file directly in ACR. Thus, no need to convert RAF to DNG if you don't want to.

He spends money on GFX system and does not have any left to upgrade to PS version that brings ACR that supports RAFs from GFX (workarounds involving just Bridge exist but not "legal") ... so he can't open them... he has to convert into DNG first using a free Adobe DNG Converter... choices, choices...

[Dave Gurtcheff]

I did get a free version of Capture 1 Express with the camera. The old saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" has some truth to it. I just cannot use C1...I can never find where my images are to open them...if I find them and save, I can never find where they are. I do like that I can apply the Fuji film simulations, which other developers (including ACR) do not have.
Thanks all for your input
I "pre-ordered" Luminar 4 for $69, ......but it sounds like the company is not reliable. My mistake, probably.
Dave in NJ