How to view RAW data in Develop Persona?

[hooty]

I am trying to get a better understanding of the Color Filter Array and RAW, as far as image processing, so I have a couple of questions about Develop Persona. I found this article which is pretty cool but doesn't really say how I can see RAW values: https://affinityspotlight.com/article/raw-actually/

When I open a RAW file in any software, I am usually looking at something that I assume is demosaiced already because it looks like a normal picture with colors.

1. But how can I see just the brightness values of the RAW output in Affinity?
2. Why does the RAW file already look like a normal picture in a RAW developer. Is the software creating this nice preview somehow? Is Affinity doing the demosaicing here or something? I don't suppose this data is in the RAW file and that Affinity is looking at the RAW data and processing this preview.
3. Is there a Color Filter Array view that would show whatever pattern the sensor has or is that not actually possible? I was looking at Darktable and they have a demosaic debug mode that apparently shows the CFA pattern but was wondering if Affinity can also do this.

I'm just curious to see the literal source and then how it turns into a beautiful image in the software but I'm not currently sure how I'm getting from "RAW black and white luminance values" to the processed image in the Develop Persona preview.

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Affinity forums.

None of that information is available within the Affinity applications. And I believe the Affinity Spotlight article you pointed to explains everything that has been done before you see the image in the Develop Persona.

I have no idea what other application you could try to see the true raw data at the bit level, except for looking at it with a hex editor.

[hooty]

Oh I see. That works for me.

Thanks.

[mopperle]

If you really want to dig deeper into RAW files, should check one of those applications (trials available)

FastRawViewer https://www.fastrawviewer.com/

or RawDigger https://www.rawdigger.com/

Both are developed by the same group that maintains the libraw library for converting raw files, which is used by many applications including Affinity Photo.

[hooty]

4 hours ago, mopperle said:

If you really want to dig deeper into RAW files, should check one of those applications (trials available)

FastRawViewer https://www.fastrawviewer.com/

or RawDigger https://www.rawdigger.com/

Both are developed by the same group that maintains the libraw library for converting raw files, which is used by many applications including Affinity Photo.

I'll check those out. Thanks a lot.