I use Lightroom 3.2 to import my RAW images, i normally look at white balance and Lens correction and have set up Qimage as an external editor. When i'm ready to print i select external edit and pass the 'edited' file to Qimage. I seem to remember the settings were Tiff and 600DPI.
Good morning,
I am probably not the best person to answer you since I am a 100% Qimage person.
Many like Lighroom, mainly for its ability to keep you images stored in a sensible manner.
Obviously, you turned to Qimage because you were not satisfied with the prints from LR.
First of all, you can easily let Qimage read the card from the camera and download the images from the card. All you have to do is give your new folder a name.
Second, Qimage (I assume the Ultimate version) immediately develops your raw files. If you think they need some tweaking, you open REFINE with one click, and refine the image with White Balance, exposure adjustment (again each of those with one click), add fill light if needed, and HDR slider to improve any lost detail.
Here's the best part.
You tell qimage ultimage what size print you want. You set the driver to paper type, quality level, and yes or no on color controls (depending on whether you use printer profiles), and print.
There is no upsampling to 600 ppi, there is no double interpolating which degrades the image, nor any other pre printing file needed.
You can crop the print or the image using Qimage Ultimate.
Qimage will save the settings you used for the printer, the JOB, the paper settings, all of it.
Last but not least, you will get the best prints ever!!
I realize that you are accustomed to Light Room, and it wont be easy to convince you. You have to convince yourself. That's what the trial version is for.
Oh, by the way, Qimage Ultimate has Tone targeted sharpening, and also beats ACR (the raw processor used in LR and CS5) to process and develop your raws.
Thank you for listening.
There's loads of help on here.
Convince yourself!
Fred