Darktable 1.2 RAW converter
RAW converters generate normal bitmap files from digital negatives. One of the most powerful representatives of this genus is Darktable [1]. The free program (see the "Installing Darktable" box), which is strongly oriented on the commercial Adobe Lightroom relies on a fixed workflow that guarantees reproducible results. It implements non-destructive image editing; although it loads the original files ("negatives"), it always creates separate output files ("positives" or "prints") with the settings you have chosen. Darktable writes these settings – as well as keywords, geospatial information, and other data for the image – to so-called "sidecar files" with a suffix of .xmp.
The program interface takes some getting used to and consists of four different parts in the current version 1.2 [2]. Besides a light table for file management, there is a darkroom for photo editing, tethering for triggering of cameras, and a map for geotagging images.
Darktable basically divides the window into three vertical panes with two broad sidebars that frame the image window. In the bar on the left-hand side, you usually find management information, whereas the bar on the right displays information and actions for the selected shots viewed in the image window. Clicking the small outward-pointing triangles in the panels hides them temporarily and enlarges the image window.
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