I've been pushing Mac users to try Iridient Digital's RAW Developer app for quite some time. They have been fast to add compatibility for new cameras and DNG has been well supported. It's incredibly good at what it does, getting natural, detailed conversions out of camera RAW files. Now version 1.9 runs as 64 bit with rendering speed improvements. Otherwise everything looks and seems to work the same on the surface.
With the feature set unchanged for so long I was hoping to be more excited when RAW Developer reached 1.9. Yes it's much faster. Still, Adobe's CS5 converter pans and renders to Photoshop slightly faster than the 1.9 RD. This is only a quick first impression looking at a few 20D files that should be easy lifting on a 27" iMac. The RD version history says higher processor core counts mean better performance with 1.9. RD pulls out better micro contrast detail but it lacks some seriously powerful non-destructive RAW tools in Adobe's converter that I am appreciating more and more. Adobe's lens distortion tools, adjustment brush, spot removal tool (super valuable) and vignetting tool are all missing counter parts in RD. That sounds like I'm advocating feature bloat. RAW Developer is a basic converter by design. Sure you can open in Photoshop to do these things later. That was my old workflow for years.
I'd still highly recommend RAW Developer when the finest detail matters. The price is far more attractive than Photoshop. The RAW Developer tool set seems to have stagnated. Maybe now that the code is 64 bit and the rendering speed is on par, Iridient Digital will advance the features or innovate. -pw
RAW Developer demo (link)
my past coverage of RAW Developer (link)
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