burancap
Veteran
I just dumped two test DP2M files over to the local Walgreens for printing at 8x10.
One was OOC with B&W desaturation, the other through LR4 and SE2.
Done in 15 minutes and the results? I need to go BIGGER!
One was OOC with B&W desaturation, the other through LR4 and SE2.
Done in 15 minutes and the results? I need to go BIGGER!
GaryLH
Veteran
So how much bigger.. 30x20 
Btw. I am just about ready to pull trigger on dp2. A couple of questions come to mind.
- seems like only current support for raw is sigma's own. The LL and Huff site both report buggy and slow. I think Huff is running a pretty fast iMac. In your experience is it really that bad since u are a long time DP user.
- large jpg + raw supported? Given the above on the raw converter, I am thinking of using jpg master in aperture and exporting only the best shots to the raw converter.
Thanks
Gary
Btw. I am just about ready to pull trigger on dp2. A couple of questions come to mind.
- seems like only current support for raw is sigma's own. The LL and Huff site both report buggy and slow. I think Huff is running a pretty fast iMac. In your experience is it really that bad since u are a long time DP user.
- large jpg + raw supported? Given the above on the raw converter, I am thinking of using jpg master in aperture and exporting only the best shots to the raw converter.
Thanks
Gary
GaryLH
Veteran
Pulled the trigger
Pulled the trigger
I decided to pull the trigger. Ordered the dp2m.
Gary
Pulled the trigger
I decided to pull the trigger. Ordered the dp2m.
Gary
burancap
Veteran
burancap
Veteran
Your approach (JPG+RAW) is perhaps a more typical workflow and not really that different than I do with my digital workflow outside of the Sigma world as I will try to express. Regardless, you will still need HD storage capacity somewhere for the large RAW files until the PP work on them is determined.
I have a written a good bit over the last (few) months about this here and elsewhere. So, I will start by plagiarizing myself from a Flickr comment:
"I shoot only "RAW" (X3F in the Sigma world). I use SPP for evaluation. I find that 90% of the time the files are good and a quick desaturation with SPP is all I do. If the file isn't quite "there" yet -I use the "AUTO", and then desaturate [EDIT: (100%)] with as small of adjustments [EDIT: (besides desaturation)] as possible. The "fill light" is very powerful and can fall into a HDR look too quickly. If any other adjustment is required, I export to TIFF and run through GIMP, LR4, or SE. That said, these tend to be the least processed files (if at all) I have dealt with -that says a lot about the Foveon sensor."
OK, so ... I am a bit of a glutton with regards to the Merrill(s). I only shoot in "RAW" generating ~45-55mb files and store ALL of them. That way I have a single-source file to work with regardless of what I decide to do later with the files. I never particularly considered the SPP SW as buggy, but rather exhibiting similar symptoms as any piece of SW trying to choke down massive image files.
Treat the PP just as you do the camera, with patience. Based on my experience to date, it is the ONLY "rosetta stone" to unlock the X3F files, whether you edit from there or TIFF and process them elsewhere. I have tried a few other "hacks" without any success. The only other hope, and a good one -is that Adobe will pick up and publish a proper converter for the files (are you listening, Adobe?).
So where does that leave us? Hmmm, oh yeah! I actually went out and bought a new laptop -exclusively for handling the Sigmas (though other stuff is trickling in!). I must admit that though I had no thoughts of doing so, the infrastructure upgrade/purchase paid huge dividends in PP. If you are running technology even a few years old -I would highly recommend it!
burancap
Veteran
So how much bigger.. 30x20
Well, this really is sorta' for fun -seeing how the files hold together as I go larger with a quick, inexpensive, local source -Walgreens. I am working under the assumption that if they hold together here -they will knock one's socks off at a proper printer!
That said, I might as well GO BIG OR GO HOME! They have a 24x36 for $29.99USD and wifey handed me a $10 OFF coupon for print orders over $20 -I think I even have a wall for it (or the kids can color it in -if a miserable failure)!
So, why? For the fun of it -and I have never seen a file from a camera this size that *I think* can take it!
From Dirty Harry ... "I gots to know!"
GaryLH
Veteran
Thanks. Gary
I wonder if part of spp issue is related to memory. I have 8g on my iMac. I know photoshop is a memory hog...
Gary
GaryLH
Veteran
burancap
Veteran
I finally had a chance to do this.
I reprocessed a file that I liked and felt would be successful at this size. My coupon expired at midnight so I got the file loaded last night and picked up the print this morning.
Though I had to convert the final file to JPG for the uload, it held together wonderfully. The store errantly printed it to canvas, which I never would have chosen. However, at this size, I think it actually works.
The deal was $29.99 for a 24x36, -10.00 coupon = $19.99. They told me the canvas print at that size retailed for $60 ... Nice mistake!
As my 4 year old summed it up: "It sure looks really real -I could jump right into that picture."
I reprocessed a file that I liked and felt would be successful at this size. My coupon expired at midnight so I got the file loaded last night and picked up the print this morning.
Though I had to convert the final file to JPG for the uload, it held together wonderfully. The store errantly printed it to canvas, which I never would have chosen. However, at this size, I think it actually works.
The deal was $29.99 for a 24x36, -10.00 coupon = $19.99. They told me the canvas print at that size retailed for $60 ... Nice mistake!
As my 4 year old summed it up: "It sure looks really real -I could jump right into that picture."