Software to process RAW files

[campo]

Should I just buy an Adobe CS suite of software?

LR isn't part of the CS suite. When i bought LR I also bought it with Photoshop which entitled me to a discount as I was buying them bundled together. This offer still applies to LR3/CS5. Go to the Adobe online store to see details.

I believe Capture One is the choice of the pros, I do plan to get this as soon as I can afford it. I am doing a Masterclass online with Peter Eastway (Better Photography magazine editor) and he recommends it as it gives (he says) lots more control of subtle alterations at the RAW opening stage.

but the question is, are the viewers of the images going to notice these subtle alterations?

As for choice of the pros?? None of the professionals I follow (blogs) or ones I have met personally use it, they're all LR/Aperture/NX/PS users

[jjphoto]

...but the question is, are the viewers of the images going to notice these subtle alterations? ...

Very often it's not a matter of "subtle" features but of little differences between which features are available and what the user needs. It may be that Canons DPP gives the best image quality with Canon files but it may be useless in the real world where you need to do much more than just process a RAW file. It's the gamut of features, including the image quality, that determines the suitability of a program for any person. For example, Bibble is blindingly fast and that might be great for some people, but it was at the expense of image quality. Really, it's not just a matter of "subtle" differences in image quality. If it was just that then you could just about say that all RAW converters where the same, which they clearly are not.

...As for choice of the pros?? None of the professionals I follow (blogs) or ones I have met personally use it, they're all LR/Aperture/NX/PS users

I don't doubt you, that the folks that YOU follow don't use it, but suggesting Capture One is a sub standard product based on your interests alone seems misleading.

JJ