Can you open a jpeg file in RAW

[hrlazar]

Is the a way that you can open and edit a jpeg file in raw and if so how?

[Sepiana]

Hi, welcome aboard!

In the Editor, go to File > Open As, and select Camera Raw as the format -- your jpeg file will open up in the Converter.

[weyburn bartel]

Hi, welcome aboard!

In the Editor, go to File > Open As, and select Camera Raw as the format -- your jpeg file will open up in the Converter.

That's really neat ,thanks for that info. Just tried it and opened a picture in Camera Raw. Now I have two questions which spring to mind:
i) As it is really a JPEG file at the point of opening do I have to change it to 8bit from the 16 bit mode displayed?
ii) I wonder what advantage there is in opening it as a Raw file over conventional straightforward PSE Editor techniques?

:confused: Forgive my ignorance but is it much better to do this, and is it always advantageous to do so or are there certain conditions that make it so?

Thanks in anticipation,

[dj_paige]

ii) I wonder what advantage there is in opening it as a Raw file over conventional straightforward PSE Editor techniques?

Adobe Camera Raw presents you with a different set of tools than the PSE Editor. Depending on your point of view and what you are trying to accomplish, one set of tools may be superior to the other; and for a second person, the other set of tools may be superior. Would you rather use a wrench or a pliers?

[hrlazar]

Thanks for the info... have tried it and now using it... great site

[elizabeth]

hi. I'm by far NOT an expert but here is my take. You can do almost all of the basic ARC corrections in Editor. The one exception for me is that it is very easy to adjust the color temperature in ARC. Sometimes that can really 'make' an image. I also find vibrance and clarity useful in ARC. cheers. elizabeth

[BOBGRUETTER]

Welcome to the Village. I have nothing to add, as I have never used ACR. My skills are very basic and most viewers of my work like it, but you have stirred my interest. May have to try ACR myself.

Welcome.

Bob

[Not4wood]

I would say just make sure you are using the latest version of ACR - Adobe Camera Raw for your application. Adobe has stopped creating updates for ACR for some of the older aplications out there.

Also, some of the older versions of ACR DO NOT Open as like it was recommended in this thread. For example, I use Elements Version 5 and with the latest updated ACR for it I can open as in my editor.

But, I also have an older version of the CS Line, CS2 to be more exact and the latest version of ACR in here does Not open as. An advanced program like this and I can't do this??? Not Fair......... but what can you do?

Have a Good Memorial Day Weekend Everybody...

[JonE]

jpeg is already 8 bit

[Michel B]

jpeg is already 8 bit
Yes, it is 8 bits.
But ACR lets you open the edited file either in 8 or 16 bits. As a matter of fact, when opening the jpeg, ACR works internally with the higher bits. This does not create more 'degrees' in the image and does not make it 'smoother'. However, any kind of heavy editing such as highlight recovery or fill light will transform the resulting image with less rounding errors; it will be less prone to posterization. That is the theory.
Now, if it exports in 16 bits instead of 8 into Elements, you can work in 16 bits and have the same advantages, so long as you are using 16 bits edits like adjustments, gradient maps ...
In practice? I have compared different heavy edits and found subtle differences in favour of 16 bits.
Probably not a decisive argument to choose 16 bits from jpegs except for a few tricky edits. You don't get the advantage of opening in 16 bits from raw files.
As already mentionned, opening jpegs in ACR gives you access to a nice, simple and effective interface to correct difficult contrast or white balance situations. What had not been mentionned is the possibility to open several images at the same time to apply the same corrections and the possibility to use the previous conversion for a picture in similar shooting conditions.

[Not4wood]

Yes, it is 8 bits.
But ACR lets you open the edited file either in 8 or 16 bits. As a matter of fact, when opening the jpeg, ACR works internally with the higher bits. This does not create more 'degrees' in the image and does not make it 'smoother'. However, any kind of heavy editing such as highlight recovery or fill light will transform the resulting image with less rounding errors; it will be less prone to posterization. That is the theory.
Now, if it exports in 16 bits instead of 8 into Elements, you can work in 16 bits and have the same advantages, so long as you are using 16 bits edits like adjustments, gradient maps ...
In practice? I have compared different heavy edits and found subtle differences in favour of 16 bits.
Probably not a decisive argument to choose 16 bits from jpegs except for a few tricky edits. You don't get the advantage of opening in 16 bits from raw files.
As already mentionned, opening jpegs in ACR gives you access to a nice, simple and effective interface to correct difficult contrast or white balance situations. What had not been mentionned is the possibility to open several images at the same time to apply the same corrections and the possibility to use the previous conversion for a picture in similar shooting conditions.

That's interesting. Like I had mentioned above, I have Elements 5 and CS2 and when I'm working in 16bits a lot of the menu choices are blanked or grayed out and to use these if I wanted to I have to change the mode of the image to 8 bits.