RAW files

[Johnny]

I just noticed that I had posted this message under Premiere Elements rather than Photoshop Elements, so here it is in the right place.
Anyway, I'm new to shooting RAW images. I just transferred the first RAW files from my Canon Rebel t21/550D to my computer and want to try to try some image editing.
I have Photoshop Elements 7, but it wouldn't open any RAW files. I tried using Adobe's DNG Converter, but something's not working. On the Adobe site, in one area it says that I need to use the Camera RAW 5.6 plug-in, but in another area for the Canon t2i it says that the minimum plug-in version is 5.7, 6.1.
Anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks!

[Bob]

Support for the raw format from that camera was introduced in Camera Raw 5.7. You need to be at least at that level. However, Photoshop Elements 7 only supports up to the Camera Raw 5.5 plugin. Higher numbered plugins are incompatible. That means that you can't process the Canon t2i raw files directly in Photoshop Elements.

What you should be able to do is download the current Camera Raw Converter (http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=5258), which is a standalone program, and use it to convert the Canon raw files to DNG raw format. You should then be able to process the DNG files using Photoshop Elements and the Camera Raw 5.5 plugin (which is the most recent plugin compatible with PSE 7). You should only install the converter, not the plugin.

You said you were having problems with the Camera Raw Converter. Which version were you using and what was the problem?

[Johnny]

I had already downloaded Adobe DNG Converter. When I select the folder where prompted to for Step 1, it doesn't take it at all. It also does not allow me to click "Allow images contained within subfolders."

[Bob]

I don't know what to tell you. I use the DNG converter and it works for me -- I'm using Windows 7, but it should work on Vista just as well.

The "Allow images contained within subfolders" checkbox should be enabled once you select a folder. I'm puzzled as to why you can't select a folder. When you click on the "Select Folder" button in step 1, do you get the "select source folder" dialog box?

The "Select source folder" dialog box will not display the raw files -- only the folders. You should be able to navigate to the folder that contains your raw files and click the "select" button.

[Johnny]

For some reason, after trying a few times it did finally accept the folder that I had selected and managed to convert the RAW files in the folder. Thank you for tips.
I'm wondering if it might just be better for me to consider upgrading to newer photo editing software soon, though. Do you think that Lightroom 3 might be a better option than just updating to the current version of Photoshop Elements, especially for working with RAW files down the road?