Noob RAW question

[drdeutsch]

So I'm starting to get into RAW shooting and I have a really noob questions.

Let's say I have a .CR2 or a .DNG file. I open it in Camera Raw (Bridge/Photoshop) and I hit "Auto" to adjust it. Then I go back, add bulk metadata, yada yada and archive it. If I end up going back to the photo at a later time, can I just open it in Camera Raw, hit "default" and make other changes?

I mean, are the changes applied to the photo itself or are they "stored" in a file that says what changes have been done. Basically, I'm wondering if, after I save them and archive them, I have the ability to go back, get the "default" image back, and do other work on it, or is it saved for good once I make changes in Camera Raw and save and archive it?

Thanks.

 

[Joves]

If you save it as a CS type file then I believe it is saved as is and, you will have to modify it from the point you last saved and, will not return to default. You will need to make sure it doesnt overwrite your original file to start from scratch. That is the best answer I can come up with as, I have never done what you are talking about.

 

[Ripskin]

I have never done that type of change myself, but working with NEF raw files if I open them in PS and make changes then open the file I will save it out as something else and never overwrite my raw file. Then when I go look in the folder their is a temp file with the same file name as the raw just a different extention. This is a file that PS reads when opening the raw file and adds the changes previously made to the file back into it. I have never tried hitting default or something to see if it takes it back to normal. But I do know deleting this file will make the raw open at default when its loaded.

Not positive but would assume the other file types for raw are similar?

 

[harsaphes]

If you use Lightroom...and you should be....it never touches your original file.

 

[Auric]

I mean, are the changes applied to the photo itself or are they "stored" in a file that says what changes have been done. Basically, I'm wondering if, after I save them and archive them, I have the ability to go back, get the "default" image back, and do other work on it, or is it saved for good once I make changes in Camera Raw and save and archive it?

When you make changes to a RAW file in ACR -- or Lightroom, which is based on ACR -- all of those changes are stored as metadata in one of two ways. The default method is a "sidecar" file with a .xmp extension; one for each image. Alternatively, you can store all of the changes for every image in a central database. Either way, those changes will be loaded each time you bring up that RAW file, and you can clear them either from Bridge or within ACR. The photo itself is never touched. Lightroom is not required.

 

[drdeutsch]

When you make changes to a RAW file in ACR -- or Lightroom, which is based on ACR -- all of those changes are stored as metadata in one of two ways. The default method is a "sidecar" file with a .xmp extension; one for each image. Alternatively, you can store all of the changes for every image in a central database. Either way, those changes will be loaded each time you bring up that RAW file, and you can clear them either from Bridge or within ACR. The photo itself is never touched. Lightroom is not required.

This is what I was looking for. Awesome. Thanks, Auric!

I have been playing with Lightroom a bit, but it's just too sluggish on my X2/2gb RAM. Bridge is pretty snappy and seems to fit into my workflow well.