Why RAW is your "digital negative"

I had this post in mind for quite a long time now. RAW files are currently viewed as "your digital negative". Let's see how you can "develop" your RAW files to get many different results from a single shot.

Tools I use for my photography elaboration with Linux are:

• The Gimp: general editing, signature, etc
• UFraw: RAW development
• Digikam: archive management, light table
• QTpfsGUI (now Luminance HDR): mostly single-image-HDR (not very good for multiple images in my experience)

Other tools I don't use daily, but I should take a look at:

• Krita: image editing
• Fotoxx: archive management, light table, RAW conversion
• Photivo: RAW development
• RAW Studio: RAW development
• Pinta: image editing
• Darktable: light table, RAW conversion, editing
• Raw Therapee: RAW conversion

Now, to the images!

Original shot

This is the original shot, as converted by Canon algorithms (RAW embedded preview)

UFraw development

UFraw mostly "auto" settings

UFraw "my" settings

UFraw with more "washed out" (less saturated, light color cooler) look

Luminance HDR (aka QTpfsGUI)

These are "HDR from single file" exports from QTpfsGUI 1.9.3 (project is now named Luminance HDR).

Reinhard '02, key 0.18, phi 1, pregamma 1

Reinhard '05, brightness 4, chromatic adaptation 1, light adaptation 0, pregamma 1

Mantiuk, contrast mapping 0.1, saturation factor 0.8, detail factor 1, pregamma 1

Mantiuk, contrast mapping 0.1, saturation factor 0.8, detail factor 1, pregamma 1.7

Fattal, alpha 0.1, beta 0.8, saturation 1, noise redux 0.582, pregamma 1

Fattal, alpha 0.1, beta 0.814, saturation 1, noise redux 0.682, pregamma 1.2

Fattal, alpha 0.1, beta 0.814, saturation 1, noise redux 0.682, pregamma 1.4

Fattal, alpha 0.102, beta 0.932, saturation 1, noise redux 1, pregamma 1.6

Digital has almost the same options than analog, just give it a try!