Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) is the default raw-file converter, but it’s worth considering other solutions. Each camera uses different standards for creating raw files, often with undocumented features. For example, they can compensate for lens deficiencies, distortion, chromatic aberration and softness at the corners.

The newest version of ACR, also found in Lightroom, provides tools for correcting lens faults; but without proprietary data, the corrections are approximations. I detect improvements in tonal gradation and sharpness when using Capture One on a Phase One file or Phocus from Hasselblad. They also offer unique features: Capture One has a skin-tone enhancer and focus map; Phocus allows total camera control while tethered. Both work with cameras from other companies, but Phocus boasts a killer advantage: It’s free.