Why would I use the Adobe Camera Raw Interface ?

[milspec]

I have often wondered why you would open a raw image in Adobe Camera Raw Interface, make some alterations and then proceed to make further changes in Photoshop. I understand that Photoshop does not open raw images directly, but why make changes to it before it reaches Photoshop?

Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks

[dbax]

well one reason is that you can make adjustments to exposure if you've under or overexposed your image, and or adjust the white balance if its not quite right.

[davesmith]

White balance is a great reason. I also have loaded presets for my specific cameras that I can apply too. It kind of mimics the camera's processing as a start point rather than apply Adobe defaults and still has all the detail of the raw image rather than the in-camera jpg.

[campo]

Whilst I don't use it directly (i use lightroom which provides the same functionality in a 'prettier' interface), I strive to get the shot in camera and minimise post-processing by not needing to edit images in Photoshop before delivering them to a client. ACR helps this by providing a quick and easy way to process hundreds of images for basic things such as exposure, colour, white balance etc - the kinda stuff you'd do chemically in a darkroom

[maccaroneski]

Yeah my understanding is that ACR / Lightroom are essentially "develop" modules whilst Photoshop could be viewed as the "Adjustment" module.

The short answer to the question

why make changes to it before it reaches Photoshop?

would be "because they do different things".

[Analog6]

It is an incredibly powerful tool which any serious photographer should (in my opinion) learn to utilise properly. It has many functions, eg, just one is: You can add filters to your shots, just as if you had one on the lens, you can graduate that filter and make it start and finish at any point and skew it to any angle. And you can choose any colour and tone, not just the ones filters some in.

Whyever would you NOT use it?

[campo]

It has many functions, eg, just one is: You can add filters to your shots

that said, there are some filter effects that work much better when taking a shot (eg. CPLs)

Whyever would you NOT use it?

exactly, it's fast and powerful. ACR/Lightroom are workflow tools that save time and effort, not one-off editing programs like Photoshop.

[Calxoddity]

Whyever would you NOT use it?

Coz I use Aperture? I've heard of ACR though - some quaint little gadget to get people partially immunised to Adobe's user interface before exposure to the complete horror of PS...

Regards,
Calx

[Lani]

Many times by making a few tweaks in ACR or LR, you don't need to take it to Photoshop. For me WB and recovering highlights or shadows is it's strongest application.
Also my understanding is the adjustments aren't actually applied to the image until export, so it is also non destructive to the image.

[milspec]

So if I understand correctly, ACR will allow you to make changes at a pseudo camera level where as PS will allow you to make changes at a bitmap simulated level.

[Analog6]

And milspec, you can make changes to images in batch. For instance, I took a series of 19 images at the surf the other day - they all looked about 1/2 to 1 stop under exposed. I used shift-click to open all 19 in Camera raw, clicked Select All, and adjusted the exposure on the whole lot in one go. Then, because I did not want to open 19 images in Photoshop, I clicked Done instead of Open and they are all adjusted for me in the Browse window.

[milspec]

And milspec, you can make changes to images in batch. For instance, I took a series of 19 images at the surf the other day - they all looked about 1/2 to 1 stop under exposed. I used shift-click to open all 19 in Camera raw, clicked Select All, and adjusted the exposure on the whole lot in one go. Then, because I did not want to open 19 images in Photoshop, I clicked Done instead of Open and they are all adjusted for me in the Browse window.

Hmmmm, I think I'm sold. Thank's guys for clearing this up for me

[Big Pix]

....... I do most of my PP in ACR....... only major retouching done in PSCS3......