I've been working with "camera raw" versions of my images.
Camera raw are the pristine, proprietary files that are created inside a professional or high-end consumer camera. In the past, the camera would convert the captured data into a jpg or some other format for downloading and viewing. Now, however, it is possible to download and adjust the original, non-converted image data. The screencapture to the left shows a camera raw file available for adjustment in Adobe Bridge.
Apple has the first professional tool for working with camera raw files. It is called, "Aperture,"
version 1.5, and costs $299. Adobe is working toward a release of a similar tool for Windows
users called, "Lightroom." I am adjusting a camera raw file in Lightroom, Beta 4, above.
The beta version of Lightroom can be downloaded free from Adobe. I don't know what the
cost will be when version 1.0 is released.