Preview of RAW format?

**akritic** · Jul 5, 2008 10:44

Anyone know if there is some way of previewing images taken in RAW format?

Most file explorers can't cope with it, and although adobe bridge has the ability to preview RAW captured pictures I wondered if there was any alternative to having to open that beastly Bridge?

Andy

**Datura** · Jul 5, 2008 11:19

I use the file viewer utility from Canon that came with the camera. No problems here. I work on a MAC.

**akritic** · Jul 5, 2008 11:31

My, you are fast to respond

I never installed the camera software. I'm not sure how you feel about it on a Mac, but on windows I usually find those things more troublesome than they are worth..

Photoshop does a great job with regard to tinkering with RAW settings, so I never really thought I'd need the camera software.

I should point out that I'm partially prohibited from putting too much software on this machine because it is of stone age origin... so I don't have too much disk space for other stuff other than files and pictures.

**Datura** · Jul 5, 2008 11:36

Oh, I process the photos in PS as well, they are uploaded right into it with preference setting. I use the file viewer also when I have my desktop cluttered up in working a lot of stuff at the same time. Great utility

**WarpNacelle** · Jul 5, 2008 13:17

IrfanView is a light-weight, free viewer that handles just about every file type on the planet, if you still need something.

http://www.irfanview.net/

Even if you don't this is a handy viewer to have around.

**akritic** · Jul 9, 2008 12:11

I'll check that out Warp, thanks! Never really know when stuff like that will come in handy.

**Will_DR** · Nov 11, 2008 14:36

You've probably found one by now, but FastStone takes some beating for a freebie.

**akritic** · Nov 11, 2008 14:53

Will, Thanks

I hadn't found an alternative actually, but in the mean time I did get a new comp which could handle Adobe Bridge a lot better.. I'll check that program out however, it's always handy to have an alternative on hand.

**Lars Leber** · Nov 12, 2008 09:34

Originally Posted by Will_DR

You've probably found one by now, but FastStone takes some beating for a freebie.

I also use FastStone to view and organize my photos. It is a wonderful free tool.

**messyhead** · Nov 19, 2008 03:31

There's a Microsoft utility that you can install that allows RAW files to be previewed as thumbnails in a folder, on the preview window.

Can't link to it as I'm too new

But try Googling for 'Microsoft raw preview' and you should find it.

**ArtCactus** · Nov 28, 2008 08:31

I use Adobe Lightroom 2.1, this is amazing program to organize all your photos and their Adobe Camera RAW also included there, so you can do any manipulations with the RAW files there.