Good (Best) Photo Editor for RAW files from XE-4

[Mike Armstrong]

Hey Folks- new Fujifilm XE-4 owner looking to upgrade my photo editing skills by using the RAW files to produce a final product rather than the jpegs.  Unfortunately my iMac Photos does not support the RAW files from the E-4.  I just learned that even the most recent version of the iMac iOS system (Big Sur) doesn't support the XE-4 RAW images.  So I'm seeking input on a photo editor that runs on an older iMac (2012 year model w/ 8 mgs of RAM, Intell Core i5 processor and plenty of hard drive storage) that does support Fujifilm XE-4 RAW images.  I am not a professional photographer, just an amateur looking to upgrade his skill and craft.  TIA for suggestions and advice. 

[jerryy]

Fujifilm has a standalone raw converter program that turns your raw images into either jpeg or tiff files. It has quite a few tools, of course you can then import the jpeg or tiff files into image editors for further processing if you want.

https://fujifilm-x.com/en-us/support/compatibility/software/raw-file-converter-ex-powered-by-silkypix/

https://fujifilm-x.com/en-us/support/download/software/raw-file-converter-ex-powered-by-silkypix/

[Herco]

You also might want to check out Capture One Express for Fuji. It is free software you can download from the Capture One site. It should run on your mac (although a bit slow perhaps). It lacks some of the features of Capture One Pro, but most likely those features are of less interest to you as an enthusiast. 

Capture One also fully supports the Fuji film simulations.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Herco

[dward]

To echo the above, when I had this scenario, I downloaded the free C1 program and X-Raw studio. I then shot a dozen pictures representing my common scenarios (portrait, landscape, family candids, etc). I then processed in X-Raw to my liking and in C1 Express and compared the results.

I really liked being able to “store” recipes (as found on the Fuji X Weekly website) in the X-Raw program and to have those be 1:1 with the potential “in camera” settings. This helped a lot in comparing the various recipes and arriving at a handful of “looks” I liked which I could the load into my camera. 

What I appreciated about C1 program was the possibilities for images after capture. I found recipe selection, while neat, an unnecessary decision while shooting. Instead, with C1, my goal became to capture the best data associated with the image and post process to the look I wanted for that particular image (or set of images). As such, I developed my own style or set of styles for landscapes, portraits, etc.

I hope that makes sense and helps,

David

PS - Capture One Express vs Capture One Pro (for Fuji). The free version is excellent but it is a gateway drug. C1 has excellent tutorials available to accelerate your knowledge. As you learn more about the possibilities, the ability to do local edits via layers, etc. you will soon have your wallet out…

[roberysmit]

Well, you can use a lot of programs, it all depends on your goals - what kind of editing you want to do. Because I'm not a pro, an amateur, and I spent a lot of time studying unneeded tools and unclear effects.  Among those that I liked can recommend background remover - the simplicity and ease of interface is incomparable to many alternatives. You can remove the background on this platform. I cope with the processing of photos in just a few minutes. Now it`s actively used for processing photos in social networks. It doesn`t require any effort to do it manually. Also, some of the functions are absolutely free.