Anyone using RAW Power app to convert B&W negatives?

[madNbad]

I'm just starting out with using a digital camera to scan negatives. A Sony A6000 with a Voigtlander 50 2.0 Heilar and extension tubes on a copy stand. Wireless live view to an iPad to assist with focusing and also has a remote shutter release. The problem is which software to use. Most months I may shoot two or three rolls of T-Max 400 and no digital so, to me, I can't justify the subscription price for Lightroom. The low cost or free software has some limitations, mostly being open source and a pain to install on a Macintosh or optimized for a Windows PC. I've tried both Gimp and Darktable but RAW Power from Gentlemen Coders is optimized for the Mac OS and offers pretty much the same tools as the other photo software but has the advantage of a reset if you make a mistake. I would like to ask if any other members are using it or have given it a try. Any information is appreciated.

[/url]IMG_1797 by Michael DeLuca, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[Godfrey]

I'm just starting out with using a digital camera to scan negatives. A Sony A6000 with a Voigtlander 50 2.0 Heilar and extension tubes on a copy stand. Wireless live view to an iPad to assist with focusing and also has a remote shutter release. The problem is which software to use. Most months I may shoot two or three rolls of T-Max 400 and no digital so, to me, I can't justify the subscription price for Lightroom. The low cost or free software has some limitations, mostly being open source and a pain to install on a Macintosh or optimized for a Windows PC. I've tried both Gimp and Darktable but RAW Power from Gentlemen Coders is optimized for the Mac OS and offers pretty much the same tools as the other photo software but has the advantage of a reset if you make a mistake. I would like to ask if any other members are using it or have given it a try. Any information is appreciated.

I've been evaluating and using RAW Power for some time, on both macOS and iOS (now iPadOS too). It takes a little study and practice to get the hang of it, but I think it's quite good in the end. Much of its operation uses the Apple raw conversion and image processing frameworks, exposing controls and capabilities that Apple apps generally don't make directly accessible to users. And the fact that it works with Photos and extends what Photos can do in the image processing direction is very worth while.

For me, it's a thumbs up.

G

 

[Austintatious]

Gentleman Coders has released Raw Power 3.0 recently.
Anyone have experience with it ?
I wonder how it compares to Affinity Photo ? ( Now 50% off )
Looking for something to use on a Mac mini.

 

[madNbad]

Since I first posted this question, I have been using RAW Power to convert my B&W negatives. I use the plug in editor for Photos as it easily accommodates what I need but it includes the features of the stand alone product. The biggest change to 3.0 is a streamlined sidebar. All of the options are still there, some are incorporated into a dropdown menu instead of being steadily displayed. I like the non-destructive nature and the ability to reset if you're not happy with the results. I did try some color negatives with it and it did work well, there are better, faster products on the market if most of your scanning is color. The set up for capture has changed too. Currently I'm using a Sony A5100 with a 55 2.8 Micro-Nikkor Ai-S, a metabone adapter plus a PK-11 extension ring to accommodate for the sensor crop. Adding the Skier Copybox provided a consistent light and a good negative carrier. Everything is on a copystand which makes it easy to set up and store

[/url]IMG_1827 by Michael DeLuca, on Flickr[/IMG]