Calibration and processing images as RAW

As you know, camera RAW files are “read only” files, meaning that they cannot be written to (edited or modified in any way) outside of the camera. Camera RAW files contain the original, unprocessed, 14-bit data as captured by the photoreceptors on the image sensor. (The 14-bit data provides 16,384 shades while images converted in the camera to JPG or TIF contain only 256 shades. Images converted to TIF in Foray ADAMS for processing in Adobe Photoshop are also reduced to just 256 shades per color channel.)

Once the image data is written to the media, whether the media is inside the camera or the file is written directly to the hard drive on your computer, the file is stored in a format in which the data inside that file cannot be changed or edited. When you calibrate a camera RAW file inside Foray ADAMS, the calibration information is actually being written to the database, which allows you to print the image as 1:1, etc.

When you send the image file to Adobe Photoshop for processing, Foray ADAMS automatically makes a copy of the original camera RAW file so that the original file is never touched. Again, the camera RAW file cannot be “edited” to add the calibrated resolution information into the metadata. As a result, the calibration information and rotation information (if you rotated the image in the Full View inside Foray ADAMS) is simply retained in the database and the duplicate RAW image is sent to Photoshop for processing. By processing the original camera RAW data, you can take advantage of the full dynamic range (14-bit data) and correct literally any photographic issue – including, but not limited to, exposure, brightness, contrast, color correction (white balance), etc. You can literally correct almost every single photographic aspect of a camera RAW image with the exception of focus.

When the camera RAW image is sent to Adobe Photoshop, the original file is unaware of the rotation (orientation) change(s) that you made in Foray ADAMS and it is also unaware of the calibration information. As a result, if you printed the image while it was being processed in Adobe Photoshop, the image would not print as a life-size (1:1) image.

After you complete the image processing inside Adobe Photoshop, and close/save the processed image and then return it to Foray ADAMS, the calibration and orientation (rotation) information is read from the database and the image resolution is written automatically to the metadata of the processed file. As a result, the processed image will then take on the appropriate size (resolution, width and height) characteristics. If you then select the processed image and decide to reprocess it in Adobe Photoshop, it will have the appropriate resolution and orientation information when the file is opened in Adobe Photoshop, and you will be able to print the image from Adobe Photoshop as a true, 1:1 image.

The bottom line is that once an image is calibrated in Foray ADAMS, the calibration and orientation information is always used by Foray ADAMS when you print your images – including the original, unprocessed camera RAW file – using the “1:1, 4-Per Page …” report. The calibration and orientation information just simply cannot be passed to Adobe Photoshop when the original camera RAW image is sent to Photoshop.

There is, however, a workaround that you can use if you want to print the original camera RAW file as a 1:1 image while it is inside Adobe Photoshop (before it has been saved and returned to Foray ADAMS). While you are calibrating the original camera RAW file in the Full View inside Foray ADAMS, make a note of the resolution (PPI) value. As an alternative, go to the Asset Info View and click on the File Info tab and make a note of the resolution (PPI) information. Process the camera RAW file as usual, and once you have opened the image file from the Camera Raw Converter window in Adobe Photoshop, go to the Image menu, and then choose Image Size …. When the Image Size dialog box opens, make sure the Resample Image is off (no checkmark in the box). Highlight the value (typically the default value of either 240 PPI or 300 PPI depending upon the make/model of camera) in the Resolution field and type over the value using the value noted during the calibration process in Foray ADAMS or the resolution value from the Asset Info View, and then click the OK button in the lower right corner of the Image Size dialog box. The image file will now have the appropriate resolution information and you can print it as a 1:1 image inside Photoshop prior to returning the image to Foray ADAMS.

Again, if you are NOT printing the image in Adobe Photoshop, you do not need to do anything except calibrate the image in Foray ADAMS. Once the processed image is returned to Foray ADAMS, the calibration is written automatically to the enhanced image file and is embedded in the metadata should you want to reprocess the image in Adobe Photoshop again.

It is recommended that if you are going to use this workaround that you do not rotate the original camera RAW image in Foray ADAMS, and that you rotate the converted image after you add the calibration (resolution) information inside Adobe Photoshop. Most people want to view the image with the correct orientation in Adobe Photoshop while they are processing the image, so this saves you having to rotate the image twice.