Fuji X-E2 RAF Files from v4.0 firmware

andy.mcdonald · February 6, 2016, 7:27am

These appear to be crashing RawTherapee, RAF files from the previous firmware version are okay.

Any idea if this is a known problem and whether it will be fixed?

David_Wilson · February 7, 2016, 9:05pm

I will hazard a guess that the developers would like you to post an example of one of these RAF files to test.

andy.mcdonald · February 7, 2016, 9:37pm

Yes, I already have - I realised that raising an issue on GitHub might be the best option and that is what I’ve done. And yes, the developers did ask for an example RAF file.

Thanks for replying.

RTCharles · February 7, 2016, 10:19pm

While the dcraw problem diagnosed in the Github festers, there is a workaround: Adobe DNG Converter, which is free, converts the RAF file to DNG, which RT opens without problem. When RT demosaics, it reports X-Trans demosaicing, so the Adobe program does not convert the image data to Bayer.

Morgan_Hardwood · February 7, 2016, 10:46pm

It doesn’t ever convert to Bayer, it demosaics it so the DNG is no longer raw.

heckflosse · February 8, 2016, 12:40am

@Morgan_Hardwood : I disagree here: If RT reports X-Trans demosaicing for this DNG, then it is still raw if i’m not totally wrong!

RTCharles · February 9, 2016, 5:13am

To demosaic is to take input data from a color filter array, which specifies a red, a green, or a blue value at each pixel, and output an R,G,B triplet at each pixel. That is the definition you will see stated or implied on innumerable websites. As far as I know, there are only two CFAs in use in commercial still-photo cameras: Bayer and X-Trans. There might be varieties of Bayer arrays depending on how wide a spectrum of light they admit into the red, the green, and the blue pixel bins.

RT demosaics the DNGs in question. Furthermore, when it does, it reports X-Trans demosaicing. Therefore, Adobe DNG Converter does not demosaic the X-Trans CFA data in the RAF file. The program merely puts the data in a DNG package.

This conclusion is also consistent with the problem that has been diagnosed in the Guthub thread: Fuji changed some header fields in the RAF file with the X-Pro 2, but dcraw and hence RT are hard-coded to the format of earlier RAF files.

andy.mcdonald · February 9, 2016, 7:04am

I’ve tried the “convert to DNG” workaround and I can confirm that RawTherapee does report that it is X-Trans Demosaicing the files when it works with them.

Hopefully this will all be fixed soon but for now I am content to put up with the extra DNG files until DCRaw/RT get fixed.

RTCharles · February 11, 2016, 1:33am

It seems I was wrong. See the evidence, especially the screen shot from Iridient, at this post on another website:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57255070

Basically, he shows that Adobe DNG Converter outputs a linear DNG from an X-Pro 2 RAF and has already demosaiced the image data.

I went according to the progress dialog line at the bottom of the RT window when it brings up a file. It says, “X-Trans demosaicing,” but the evidence above says the file has already been demosaiced. Therefore,

We do not have a workaround on new Fuji RAF files (X-Pro 2 and X-E2 firmware version 4).
Should an issue be started that the progress dialog line is in error or at the least badly worded?

heckflosse · February 11, 2016, 11:44am

@RTCharles Simple solution: Upload a dng generated from an X-Pro 2 RAF and I can check why the progress bar shows x-trans demosaic.

RTCharles · February 11, 2016, 4:54pm

Thank you. A sample DNG from a RAF run through Adobe DNG Converter is at
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzTnwAI2_-qNX2duNnVGUkxyTTA

arangast · February 11, 2016, 9:07pm

Hello, I’ve just posted on the github topic; I’ve been given a fix by the dcraw author and can now open X-E2 and X-Pro2 raws in RT again. I’d include the link but I’m a new member

Would be great if someone could test it and get it integrated (never used minGW & github etc, too many years in the dark embrace of visual studio).

heckflosse · February 11, 2016, 9:13pm

@RTCharles
Thanks for providing the DNG. It definitely gets demosaiced by RT! You also can verify that yourself by changing the demosaic algorithm to ‘none’ in ‘Raw tab’ section ‘Sensor with X-Trans Matrix’. If you zoom in when demosaic ‘none’ is selected you’ll see the typical X-Trans pattern, which you wouldn’t be able to see if the DNG already was demosaiced.

Ingo

patdavid · February 11, 2016, 9:14pm

I’ve made you a basic member, you should be able to post a link now if you want to try.

heckflosse · February 11, 2016, 9:14pm

@arangast Thanks for the patch. I’ll try and push it asap.

Ingo

RTCharles · February 11, 2016, 9:45pm

Wonderful. We spread news about the use of DNG Converter now. The X-Pro 2 might ship to some customers at the end of February. If RT is ready, we can spread the news that RT processes X-Pro 2 RAF files when the first ordinary commercial customers get their cameras.

arangast · February 11, 2016, 10:18pm

@patdavid, @heckflosse Thanks guys!

heckflosse · February 11, 2016, 10:31pm

I pushed the fix to rt-master branch. However for X-Pro 2 there is still an Issue with right border: X-Pro 2 right border black

heckflosse · February 12, 2016, 6:59pm

I just pushed the fix for X-Pro 2 to RT master branch. Happy testing

RTCharles · February 12, 2016, 7:27pm

Thank you. I haven’t used a make file in years, so when someone builds a Windows 7 64-bit executable, I’ll run the four RAFs that I’ve collected from around the Web through it.

Edit: Okay, I see that Sebastien Guyader posted a Windows 7 64-bit executable at http://filebin.net/mgofm89ydb
With it, the four X-Pro 2 RAFs I’ve collected all opened fine, saved full-size JPGs that are 6018 by 4018 pixels. Here is a screenshot of the RT previews of the four images, some or all no doubt familiar to you.

The embedded JPG of the second one, the lady at the piano, is in black and white; e.g., open the RAF in Fast Stone. As you see, the preview here is in color. I don’t know how RT is supposed to behave.