Rawker

Pros

• Has three different color spaces
• Quick and efficient
• Allows users to modify their photographs quickly and easily

Cons

• Does not allow users to change a photograph's DPI settings

Rawker is an application for Mac that allows its users to convert RAW files created by digital cameras into other file formats, including PNG, JPEG and TIFF. As you may know, digital photographic cameras use their own file type for producing new files. This file type is known as RAW, and it can only be read by the device that created it.

In order to make RAW files readable and editable when using different computer programs, you need to convert them to other file types such as the ones that were previously mentioned. In addition to making the conversion of file type, Rawker preserves all the metadata from the original files.

Without a doubt, a file conversion program such as Rawker relies on processing power to fulfill its purpose efficiently. Luckily, Rawker is powerful enough to convert files quickly and accurately and, best of all, without neglecting quality. The result is a speedy and effective conversion process that does not neglect the quality of the final result. These abilities allow the users of Rawker to convert large batches of photographs in a few minutes. What is more, the result of this conversion process is flawless, maintaining all the information, color depth and metadata completely intact.

As previously mentioned, Rawker can convert RAW files to TIFF, JPEG or PNG. In addition to being compatible with different applications, these file types feature different color depth profiles. These color depth profiles go as follows: TIFF files have 48 bits per RGB pixel, PNG files have 16 bits per RGB pixel and JPEG files have 8 bits per RGB pixel.

Regarding the aforementioned conversion process, Rawker has two options for getting it done. On one hand, it can use Dave Coffin's DCRaw tool. Very conveniently, this tool does not need to be installed separately as it is embedded in Rawker. If decided by the user, the app can alternatively use Apple's Core Graphics (Quartz) technology. Sadly, unlike DCRaw, this tool needs to be downloaded and compiled into the program by the user.

In addition to converting RAW files to other formats, Rawker gives its users the ability to adjust different settings in order to modify the appearance of their photographs. By adjusting these settings, users of the program can improve and optimize their photos before they are used with another program or sent out for printing. They include gamma, exposure, brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness levels.

While these adjustment settings are rather basic in comparison to those offered by professional photo editing programs, they are effective for pre-editing and preparing your photographs before they are converted to TIFF, PNG or JPEG. Rawker allows these settings to be adjusted within three different color spaces: sRGB, Adobe (1998) RGB, or generic RGB.

Pros

• Has three different color spaces
• Quick and efficient
• Allows users to modify their photographs quickly and easily

Cons

• Does not allow users to change a photograph's DPI settings