Digital Help

Is Digital Camera Adobe RGB And Adobe RGB (1998) In Photoshop The Same?
Q. I read with interest your article on Camera Raw Workflow in the April 2006 issue of Shutterbug. My equipment is a Nikon D100, Photoshop Elements 3.0, and just received but not yet installed Nikon Capture 4. My camera has II (Adobe RBG) but does not say (1998). Is there a difference? Will I be able to handle this color with Capture 4? I'm going on a very important trip and intend to take lots of pictures in the best quality possible. I've been subscribing to Shutterbug for a long time and I don't recall any article on Capture. It would be nice to cover this subject. Always anxious to get the next Shutterbug.
Jacques Pleau

A. The color space choice Adobe RGB (licensed from Adobe) when used by all camera companies was re-formatted and the (1998) designation was dropped. This was because the Adobe RGB (1998) file was formatted for a computer application work space, and the formatting for digital cameras required a slightly different file structure, although the color space is the essentially the same. In other words, all brands and models of digital cameras which offer the color space only use the Adobe RGB name, with no (1998). Nikon Capture supports all file attributes generated by Nikon digital SLR cameras, so Adobe RGB would be included.

Continuous Flow Bulk Ink Printer Systems
Q. I have been seriously interested in one of the two available Continuous Ink Systems (CIS) for printing, but can find nothing on the web, in newsgroups, or in magazines like yours about how well they work, how safe they are for the life of the printer, etc. I use a Canon i9100 (dye-based ink) and would love to go this route, for the price of inks is something like supplying gas for a very large SUV (which I don't do). Could you take a look at the available systems and print your findings? I did note that some of the very large prints currently on display at the Eastman House (Rochester) used or credited Lyson inks, so some photographers are using them for serious purposes. There is also the issue of these CIS systems using pigment vs. dye-based inks.
All in all, I think some kind of review might be worthwhile.
Gene Endres

A. I have tried continuous flow bulk ink systems twice with desktop printers. In both cases I soon abandoned using them, and at a considerable loss in the investment made. In addition, I have become aware from feedback from users that those who do use them with satisfaction are people who are doing large numbers of prints and are using the printers involved almost daily.
In all cases I have had experience only with Epson printers and also those who have reported back to me their experiences with Epson printers. The Canon printers involve a very distinct, replaceable print head, which may be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Canon's Bubble Jet print heads also do not readily support the use of pigment inks, except possibly their newest PIXMA Pro9500 that is designed to use pigment inks. In other words, with Canon printers I would hesitate commenting further because I do not have personal experience with them with continuous feed ink.
From the feedback I have seen, as well as data on some websites, continuous flow ink supply systems do require quite a bit of maintenance--but that may be in part due to the fact that many who do use them are doing a large volume of prints. If your main concern is cost, there are other solutions if the amount of printing is moderate. And that is using the latest ink cartridge designs that do not have an internal sponge and include a poppet valve. These can be refilled from bulk ink quite effectively, if the chip is re-programmed.
I would suggest one of the more reliable, quality suppliers; one with good informational support on their website is MIS Associates, Inc. at: www.inksupply.com.
Also, if the number of prints being made is quite large, you might consider investing in a professional printer that uses a very large cartridge ink supply system. What I would choose if quantity print production were an issue and I wanted to reduce ink cost while maintaining reliability, high print quality, and archival prints would be Epson's Stylus Pro 4800 printer, which will use 220ml ink cartridges. These will produce a high number of prints per cartridge set and lower per print costs.

Got A New Digital Camera And Photoshop Does Not Open The Raw Files
Q. I can't get my raw images to open up in Photoshop Elements 3.0. I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and I download with a card reader. The file extension is CR2, e.g., Img_7245.CR2. I can view the photo on the camera's LCD screen. I get an error message on the computer--it says invalid file. I double click in Explorer and still get the same error message. What are your thoughts?
Sheila Corbin

A. What you need to do is to obtain the latest upgrade of camera support for Camera Raw for Adobe's Photoshop Elements 3.0 from the Adobe website. It is a fairly small download that is easy to install. The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT came out with its new file format after Elements 3.0, so you just need to update Elements to be able to recognize and convert the .CR2 file format. Go to www.adobe.com/photoshop/ and go to the download section for Camera Raw.