Auto levels in a RAW browser?

360 Photography · 02-05-2007, 10:06

Yesterday was a typical day of making the most of a sunny day and some reasonable surf. I visited 2 beaches and have almost 1000 RAW files to go through to select those for my website. In general this will end up with 500 files to upload.

I use Rawshooter Premium which is generally excellent but for one major draw back which is the lack of an auto levels option. The auto white balance and exposure are

good but the levels still need to be adjusted on every photo which is a time consuming process

. It does not need to be spot on as I only upload low resolution copies, when prints are ordered I process the files properly.

Does anyone know of a package out there with an auto levels button like that in Photoshop but with the batch processing power of Rawshooter?

I would be grateful for any feedback - and a hopeful solution!

**Markulous** · 02-05-2007, 10:22

PS with a batch-processed Action?

360 Photography · 02-05-2007, 10:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markulous

PS with a batch-processed Action?

Markulous

To use PS I am guessing that I have to open each file seperately and then run the Action, or can you apply the action to 500 photos at once? If not with the time taken to open and save each file it is propably quicker, or as quick, to do it in Rawshooter.

Nick

**Markulous** · 02-05-2007, 10:52

Action can work on a whole folder of files, Nick, and, although I'm not familiar with Rawshooter (use Sigma S/W for RAW) PS3 is pretty good at RAW conversion with some useful options/adjustments

Boofers · 02-05-2007, 17:19

Use bridge after you have a preset made up in PS Raw. , select all your photos from bridge and apply that perset from bridge and it chugs away.

360 Photography · 02-05-2007, 17:27

Thanks for your inputs. I have a feeling that this question is going to end up costing me money, but such is the price of progress - and getting to bed a few minutes earlier!

I am using Photoshop CS, are the features being discussed available in this older version? I have heard of Bridge but I do not have it (unless it is one of the many parts of PS that I have yet to discover). Were can I go to get a look at this?

**Dabhand16** · 02-05-2007, 17:29

In CS2 there is a button for Bridge in the top of the screen towards the RHS.

360 Photography · 04-05-2007, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

In CS2 there is a button for Bridge in the top of the screen towards the RHS.

Thanks, but I only have Photoshop CS, it looks like further investment is coming up!

danpen · 04-05-2007, 13:48

If you bought Rawshooter Premium didn't that entitle you to a copy of Lightroom for free?

LR can certainly set autolevels, whitebalance, develop presets etc. across multiple images and would be cheaper than upgrading Photoshop to get Bridge, especially if you can get it for free

. This is one of the markets that LR is aimed squarely at, professional photographer needing to quickly sift and perform inital processing on a large number of images ready for display to potential clients.

Have a look at the trial and see what you think, there's going to be a tool released for converting all your RSP settings to LR settings as well so that may make migration easier.

There's a FAQ on the Adobe Forums site, hopefully mentioning them doesn't mean I fall foul of the "Don't mention other forums" rule, Adobe can surely not be considered a competitor / rival of Pixalo.

360 Photography · 05-05-2007, 07:07

Thanks for the post. I had a brief look at LR when it was first released but found it slow on my computer so did not look too deeply into it. Certainly I am happier to upgrade computers more than software at the moment so I will have another look at it. If it can stop me dreaming at night of an auto levels button it has got to be worth it!

brian wright22 · 05-05-2007, 10:21

Don't laugh,

have you tried IRFANVIEW free Slide show ,image adjust and now Auto colour with batch conversion. Also it will batch convert vitually any file to any file type.
It may pass away an hour and at least you can see the results and will not have to spend any cash!!. You can find it via Google down load from Tucows.
Regards Brian

360 Photography · 18-05-2007, 07:50

I have tried IRFANVIEW but have just found another option which seems to work OK, and considering the time that it saves is probably the way that I will go which is Photobot. Just set up a folder to drop your photos in and it processes them all automatically! The website is The world's first Zero-Click™ picture correction software! and you can download the full program for free and try it with 100 images before needing to purchase for just $29.95.

Dave Canon · 20-05-2007, 13:43

Given that you have taken a lot of shots in very similar lighting conditions the you should be able to apply settings to a batch of files in Rawshooter. I only have the free version of Rawshooter but there is a buttom towards the top right which allows you to save the setings applied to the current picture. You can then select any or all of the other pictures in the folder and paste those settings. This is better than an auto-levels as you can make a simple or a complex set of corrections to a single picture and then apply to hundreds of others in seconds. What is vey useful is that you do not have to paste all of the settings but can just select some of them (e.g. tonal corrections). I am sure that this feature will be in Rawshooter Premium, if it available in the free version.

Also, even if you cannot run Lightroom now, I would get your free copy in case the offer is time limited. You may wish to benefit from it in the future.

360 Photography · 20-05-2007, 22:20

Thanks Dave

I have used the copy settings, but only to apply them to the next image, not to a batch. I will try this and see how it goes.

I did look for the free Lightroom upgrade the other day but could not find it, do you know if there is a link to it that still works?

Regards Nick

02-05-2007, 10:06	#1 (permalink)
360 Photography New here Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tintagel, Cornwall, England Posts: 37	Auto levels in a RAW browser? Yesterday was a typical day of making the most of a sunny day and some reasonable surf. I visited 2 beaches and have almost 1000 RAW files to go through to select those for my website. In general this will end up with 500 files to upload. I use Rawshooter Premium which is generally excellent but for one major draw back which is the lack of an auto levels option. The auto white balance and exposure are good but the levels still need to be adjusted on every photo which is a time consuming process. It does not need to be spot on as I only upload low resolution copies, when prints are ordered I process the files properly. Does anyone know of a package out there with an auto levels button like that in Photoshop but with the batch processing power of Rawshooter? I would be grateful for any feedback - and a hopeful solution!

02-05-2007, 10:22	#2 (permalink)
Markulous Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peak District Posts: 9,691	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? PS with a batch-processed Action?

02-05-2007, 10:52	#4 (permalink)
Markulous Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peak District Posts: 9,691	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? Action can work on a whole folder of files, Nick, and, although I'm not familiar with Rawshooter (use Sigma S/W for RAW) PS3 is pretty good at RAW conversion with some useful options/adjustments

02-05-2007, 17:19	#5 (permalink)
Boofers Feet under the table Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: 40 miles south of St. Louis Posts: 2,318	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? Use bridge after you have a preset made up in PS Raw. , select all your photos from bridge and apply that perset from bridge and it chugs away.

02-05-2007, 17:27	#6 (permalink)
360 Photography New here Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tintagel, Cornwall, England Posts: 37	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? Thanks for your inputs. I have a feeling that this question is going to end up costing me money, but such is the price of progress - and getting to bed a few minutes earlier! I am using Photoshop CS, are the features being discussed available in this older version? I have heard of Bridge but I do not have it (unless it is one of the many parts of PS that I have yet to discover). Were can I go to get a look at this?

02-05-2007, 17:29	#7 (permalink)
Dabhand16 Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Dunstable Bedfordshire UK Posts: 8,999	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? In CS2 there is a button for Bridge in the top of the screen towards the RHS.

04-05-2007, 13:48	#9 (permalink)
danpen Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 875	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? If you bought Rawshooter Premium didn't that entitle you to a copy of Lightroom for free? LR can certainly set autolevels, whitebalance, develop presets etc. across multiple images and would be cheaper than upgrading Photoshop to get Bridge, especially if you can get it for free . This is one of the markets that LR is aimed squarely at, professional photographer needing to quickly sift and perform inital processing on a large number of images ready for display to potential clients. Have a look at the trial and see what you think, there's going to be a tool released for converting all your RSP settings to LR settings as well so that may make migration easier. There's a FAQ on the Adobe Forums site, hopefully mentioning them doesn't mean I fall foul of the "Don't mention other forums" rule, Adobe can surely not be considered a competitor / rival of Pixalo. __________________ A mad keen photographer needs to get out into the world and work and make mistakes. - Sam Abell My Photos

05-05-2007, 07:07	#10 (permalink)
360 Photography New here Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tintagel, Cornwall, England Posts: 37	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? Thanks for the post. I had a brief look at LR when it was first released but found it slow on my computer so did not look too deeply into it. Certainly I am happier to upgrade computers more than software at the moment so I will have another look at it. If it can stop me dreaming at night of an auto levels button it has got to be worth it!

05-05-2007, 10:21	#11 (permalink)
brian wright22 Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Maidenhead Posts: 1,222	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? Don't laugh, have you tried IRFANVIEW free Slide show ,image adjust and now Auto colour with batch conversion. Also it will batch convert vitually any file to any file type. It may pass away an hour and at least you can see the results and will not have to spend any cash!!. You can find it via Google down load from Tucows. Regards Brian

18-05-2007, 07:50	#12 (permalink)
360 Photography New here Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tintagel, Cornwall, England Posts: 37	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? I have tried IRFANVIEW but have just found another option which seems to work OK, and considering the time that it saves is probably the way that I will go which is Photobot. Just set up a folder to drop your photos in and it processes them all automatically! The website is The world's first Zero-Click™ picture correction software! and you can download the full program for free and try it with 100 images before needing to purchase for just $29.95.

20-05-2007, 13:43	#13 (permalink)
Dave Canon Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cheltenham Posts: 505	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? Given that you have taken a lot of shots in very similar lighting conditions the you should be able to apply settings to a batch of files in Rawshooter. I only have the free version of Rawshooter but there is a buttom towards the top right which allows you to save the setings applied to the current picture. You can then select any or all of the other pictures in the folder and paste those settings. This is better than an auto-levels as you can make a simple or a complex set of corrections to a single picture and then apply to hundreds of others in seconds. What is vey useful is that you do not have to paste all of the settings but can just select some of them (e.g. tonal corrections). I am sure that this feature will be in Rawshooter Premium, if it available in the free version. Also, even if you cannot run Lightroom now, I would get your free copy in case the offer is time limited. You may wish to benefit from it in the future. __________________ Regards Dave http://www.cheltenhamcameraclub.co.uk/

20-05-2007, 22:20	#14 (permalink)
360 Photography New here Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tintagel, Cornwall, England Posts: 37	Re: Auto levels in a RAW browser? Thanks Dave I have used the copy settings, but only to apply them to the next image, not to a batch. I will try this and see how it goes. I did look for the free Lightroom upgrade the other day but could not find it, do you know if there is a link to it that still works? Regards Nick