Quote Originally Posted by mudman View Post
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if anyone has thoughts of decent software i could use, let me know. i would rather not haveto go through the conversion process
Totally understandable..... except!
When you use Photoshop you 'HAVE' to go through the process of conversion from raw file type(any raw file type) to .. most likely .. PSD(I think that's the default Ps file type preference)

The only difference with using the Pentax supplied software is that you have to manually open using this software(and Silkypix is terrible no matter the flavour used) edit a bit here and there .. and then open/edit with(in your case Ps).

If you try to open a raw file(eg. PEF in this instance) .. Ps then calls on ACR or even Bridge to open the raw file, you then edit using ACR/Bridge and then once finished in those programs Ps then allows you to work on your file.
Just remember that when editing in Ps you don't work on the raw file in any way. You're working on an Adobe created derivative.

Just having a quick play in Pentax's DCU v5, and it's nearly as slow as Nikon's CaptureNX-D(remembering that CNX-D is also based on Silkypix too).
Nikon's skin implementation of SillyPix tho makes a bit more sense, at least in that if you hover your mouse on any editing tool a balloon dialogue pops up telling you what the arcane icon is for.

In DCU I think I worked out that the S icon in the circle is for sharpening .. but no idea what that same S icon with the F addition supposedly does.
Basically if you don't regularly use it it gives you a sense of as to what each tool does.
One major flaw in DCU is the implementation of the histogram! you can't overlay all three channels over each other to get any idea of colour balance!

As a minimum consolation tho, and as I'd expect .. at least Pentax have very good image rendering with their Picture Styles.

I'm kind'a thinking tho that Am's recommendation to use RawTherapee may not be the solution that mudman is looking for tho.
That is, RT can't do what Ps can in terms of cloning/healing type intricate editing in the same way. RT is more like an alternative to Pentax's DCU(or version of SillyPix) and as such is just the same step processing as would be using Pentax's software and then exporting to Ps.

The only real alternative would be to get a copy of the latest Lr in standalone version (ie. not the CC type) and use it to effect most edits, and then when needed you can then export to Ps for any edits that Lr can't do.
What I don't know (due to lack of trying) is if the latest Lr will export to CS6. I stopped using Lr at v4.

I don't know if there are any hacks available where you could extract a later version of ACR(ie compatible with the K1) and substitute it for the version you're limited too.
That is: if you got the latest version of Lr which would come with a K1 compatible ACR version, if you could somehow manage to point Ps to open the K1 file with this later version of ACR, or replace the (old)one it does link too with the newer one somewhere in the Lr directory.

As for an alternative software to Ps(ie. eliminate Ps completely on the whole) could be the likes of DxO's Optics Pro or Phase One's CaptureOne
Trail versions are available for 30 odd days each.

I've trialled both. Not a fan of Optics Pro, and I like Capture One better than Lr in an overall sense. Some things were better in Lr, but I preferred C1's non enforcement of cataloging .. a major level of silliness in Lr.