A Hello from a new member

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Just saying hi. Didn’t see an introduction forum, so posting here. Used Ubuntu all my computing life (since 2004) and have moved to Debian on one computer.

Have used Bibble 5/Corel Aftershot Pro as a RAW converter in conjunction with GIMP, but had trouble installing either on Debian, so moved to RawTherapee 4.2 as a starting point. Went to a blogsite, wound up here. Also installed Darktable, but haven’t touched it yet.

I am a real dinosaur. I use all my DSLRs (Pentax, two K-S1 bodies, a K3 and K10, and a bunch of new and old glass) on manual, disable matrix focussing, use a spotmeter, and still use a lot of film on my Toyo GX 4x5, Linhof Color, and Cambo 8x10, as well as other formats. Digitize negatives on a lightbox with a Pentax K3 and Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro, and process in GIMP.

As my Jpegs are usually first rate because I’m a slow worker, I don’t do much in the way of RAW conversion, but once in a while I have need of a RAW converter and RawTherapee seems to be just as capable as Bibble/Corel.

So here I am to learn, and hope to get to the point of contributing one day. As a rather forward gesture, here are a couple of my photographs so you know what I’m up to. Basically portraits and landscapes.

Babine Lake, British Columbia - Pentax MX, 90mm Tamron Macro f2.8, Tri-X film in Pyrocat HC, 1/125th at f16. Digitized in GIMP with K3 and Tamron macro lens.

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Icefields Parkway, Alberta, Pentax Kx, 70-300 Tamron zoom. Jpg processed in GIMP

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Dr. Henry Iseli, Violin Maker - Pentax K10D, 50mm Pentax-M f1.4 lens, jpg processed in GIMP

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Thanks for looking in!

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Hello Gordon and welcome! You most certainly have an interesting way of getting a digital image. I’m also a Debian (stable) user. I would suggest getting RawTherapee from a community member who is making newer builds ( see RawTherapee - Downloads), if you’re not already. Also you can get a very recent DarkTable build from Debian’s backports repo.

You already are contributing! Thank you for sharing your photos. I quite like the icefields shot, the gradation of the landscape is wonderful.

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Hi Gordon & Welcome!

Mica is right: try to find a more recent version of RawTherapee than what is available from your distro’s repositories.

After having seen your Babine Lake photo, I believe that you would appreciate the Zone system module in Darktable!?

Have fun!
Claes in Lund, Sweden

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Hi @moltogordo! Welcome to the community!

Just caused a wave of nostalgia for me with that grain and clouds. I think one of my earliest shots when I was learning had clouds in it and I distinctly recall the joy and fascination of dropping my first print into the developer and watching them appear like magic. :slight_smile: