RPP raw processor

[noimmunity]

Since there doesn't seem to be a dedicated thread here on RFF about this RAW converter, I'd like to start one here.

The difference between Photo Raw Processor 64 (RPP) and Capture One Six Pro has been enough to get me not only to change my digital workflow to accommodate RPP, but also to go back to previous work and reprocess the images. Wow!

Thanks to Mitch Alland for the initial Head's Up seen in this thread http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112030

Others have been quietly using the software for some time, but again, there doesn't seem to be a dedicated thread.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Thanks for the link, I just downloaded it to try.

 

[downstairs]

I use RPP all the time. It is more delicate with tones because of the floating point math. You wait a bit but you certainly get a better image to work with.
Summilux 35 with Rpp

 

[ymc226]

I am new to digital and just got LR3. What raw processor does it use and what are the basic steps I need to do to have RPP as the developer? I am mainly interested in B&W conversions.

 

[dreilly]

LR3 utilizes Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) though it integrated so that you barely notice much difference between developing RAW files and JPEGs. RPP is standalone, though if you donate there's a plugin that can be used from LR to bring a file out to RPP and then back again, I guess as a TIFF. I have the plugin but haven't used it yet.

I'd recommend you learn your way around LR3 for a bit...it's a powerful developer and when you compare them, they all do some things better and some things worse. At the same time, you might take some of the same images and see what you can with RPP. The interfaces are totally different, however.

 

[shadowfox]

I use RPP all the time. It is more delicate with tones because of the floating point math. You wait a bit but you certainly get a better image to work with.
Summilux 35 with Rpp

That is just plain gorgeous!

 

[srtiwari]

I downloaded RPP months ago, but only gave it a casual try, largely because of the learning curve involved. It is a bit complex in terms of what each function is. ( I use LR3 routinely and am generally satisfied).
I think I'll give it another go, and look forward to some community insight on how and where to use it best.

Great picture, DOWNSTAIRS !

 

[shadowfox]

Anyone know how is this program different than other dedicated raw processors like Photivo?

 

[ymc226]

I am very new to digital (just got my first digital camera last month) and am using Lightroom 3 to process my files and have some very basic questions. Sorry for the long post but digital appears much more complicated than the traditional darkroom and I've done reading both on the internet and read 2 books on LR3 already.

I read the TIFF to DNG? thread in the RPP discussion forum http://groups.google.com/group/raw-photo-processor/browse_thread/thread/c00ec6fa4f289140#and got even more confused. I come from a wet darkroom background using 35 and 120 B&W film and enlarge from 8x10 to 16x20. I don't plan on posting pictures as my end goal is the final print. I will use the Epson 3880 and just bought the ImagePrint RIP to get the best quality and that is why I am using RPP.

I use the Leica M9 so it captures in DNG format which is Leica's RAW format. As I understand it, my photos are imported into LR3 and processed via Adobe Camera Raw to Adobe's DNG. In LR3, if I post process, the photo remains in Adobe DNG format as it is non-destructive but if I use a plug in such as Silver Ex Pro2, the picture gets exported and is saved as a TIFF which still can be post processed in LR3.

My desire is to have the original picture file remain as "RAW" as possible so I can come back and edit it non-destructively.

1) When I use RPP to develop my Leica DNG files, does it remain a "DNG" file? If not, what type of file is it?
2) I understand that I would set exposure, white balance, saturation, film preset as part of the developing process in RPP. Would I export as a TIFF to Lightroom or DNG? Whatever format that I use, would that have as much information as the original file coming from the camera?
3) Once I open a RPP developed photo in Lightroom, is it fully able to undergo post processing by LR or any other plug in with the same responsiveness?

I hope these questions make sense as I am still trying to understand the various pieces in the digital process.

 

[Ranchu]

I like it, I'd highly recommend it if you insist on not using the manufacturer's processor. Been a while since I shot digital, as far as I recall RPP makes a 'sidecar' file (xmp?) to store the setings, but these settings are for RPP only. If you want them applied before using lightroom you'd want to export a tiff out of RPP rather than using the DNG.

 

[redisburning]

Ive wanted this for windows for a while.

How does it compare to Raw Therapee? I understand RT went over to floating point a few versions back.

 

[deejjjaaaa]

Ive wanted this for windows for a while.

you can ran OSX virtualized by VmWare (commercial) or Oracle VirtualBox (free) on PC/Windows platform... then you can run RPP in such environment... there is no performance penalty vs native Apple iron (not Hackintosh) per $1 invested...

How does it compare to Raw Therapee? I understand RT went over to floating point a few versions back.

like Obama's campaign vs GOP campaign at the moment... less mess = there are just 2 people behind RPP - one, Andrey Tverdokhleb, the original author of it, which does mostly code work and one, Iliah Borg, of RawMagick (www.rawmagick.com, w/ Peter Dove, retired) and LibRaw (www.libraw.com = www.libraw.org, www.rawdogger.com, w/ Alex Tutubalin, very much active) fame(s), which does mostly profiles (and those are way better than RT ) and color magic... I am simplifying of course.

 

[deejjjaaaa]

as far as I recall RPP makes a 'sidecar' file (xmp?) to store the setings, but these settings are for RPP only

there are no proper sidecar files implementation yet in RPP... settings are stored in database by default... you can export current settings in .rpps files too

 

[deejjjaaaa]

1) When I use RPP to develop my Leica DNG files, does it remain a "DNG" file? If not, what type of file is it?

actually Adobe software (ACR/LR) were probably the only raw converters that were in fact sometimes modifying DNG raw files (for example you can update jpg preview in DNG file and then it will overwrite the original one = your DNG is no longer an original one, written by your camera's firmware)... all other raw converters, RPP included, do not modify raw files and all raw converters do non destructive conversion (again except Adobe's - they can modify the files itself in case of DNG raws, albeit w/o destroying the essential data).

2) I understand that I would set exposure, white balance, saturation, film preset as part of the developing process in RPP. Would I export as a TIFF to Lightroom or DNG?

RPP can't save as DNG... you can save only as tiff or jpg... and you can automatically import those in LR upon saving in RPP.

Whatever format that I use, would that have as much information as the original file coming from the camera?

no, your original raw file will be left intact, but what you save (results of your conversion) is not a raw file anymore

3) Once I open a RPP developed photo in Lightroom, is it fully able to undergo post processing by LR or any other plug in with the same responsiveness?

it is the same as when you deal w/ some new tiff file in LR saved by some application and imported in LR afterwards...

 

[deejjjaaaa]

Anyone know how is this program different than other dedicated raw processors like Photivo?

all raw converters are different, I am yet to see 2 different raw converters that are identical (unless you are talking about GUI frontends that run compiled version of dcraw code).

 

[deejjjaaaa]

I downloaded RPP months ago, but only gave it a casual try, largely because of the learning curve involved.

no curve inolved - just a paradigm shift...

It is a bit complex in terms of what each function is.

on the contrary it is very simple

I think I'll give it another go, and look forward to some community insight on how and where to use it best.

the best community is http://raw-rpp.livejournal.com... albeit you need to use translate.google.com (but you can post in English too)... it is much more active community than semi-dead http://groups.google.com/group/raw-photo-processor

 

[peterm1]

I certainly wish this software were available for Windows machines. The results it appears capable of are impressive.

 

[deejjjaaaa]

I certainly wish this software were available for Windows machines. The results it appears capable of are impressive.

I run it on PC/Win7/VmWare... you can do the same... in fact ~50% of users do.

 

[Richard G]

I have sometimes got very muted colours compared to LR, but I do think there is more detail. I am still unsure of the proper workflow, especially to reduce redundant files on the hard drive. From within LR I exported this through RPP, increased black point to 0.45 and brightness to 0.3, I think. I agree that the options within RPP are in themselves very simple. I converted to B and W Photobrom (all of this is from memory.) I then imported into LR, added green filter, fiddled with curves to deepen the blacks and increased the grain. Then I had a cup of tea. Not sure how this might have been more efficient. Conceivably I could have got the very same result in LR alone - but I don't think it would have had those nice shadows in the upstairs balcony. I noticed this particularly in the shadows beneath the verandah of another Victorian building I put through RPP. M9 with 50mm Summicron.


Walsh Street by Richard GM2, on Flickr

 

[downstairs]

RPP is the only way to go if you are keen on delicate tone separation.
On strong subjects, anything does the trick - but for minimal tone differences nothing seem to beat RPPs wide tonal range.
Here's another example done with an M9 and an old Summarit (imagine skin tones):