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Will GIMP open RAW files?

I use a Canon EOS 5D - the earlier pre-video model - and being a newcomer to GIMP, I find that I must - apparently - need a plugin of some kind, as it seems GIMP does not open RAW files with the basic version.

I have to be able to open RAWS and deal with image corrections in RAW format, so if GIMP does not serve up functionality in RAW, its a "deal breaker" - there HAS GOT TO BE a RAW plugin for GIMP somewhere... right?

I'm a long-time Photoshop user making the transition to GIMP, tired of the excessively high cost of "CS" versions. I suspect I am far from "alone" in this predicament.

Will read your tutorials - but hope the transition is not a "huge" learning curve ~

Thanks for your help!

There is and there isn't

I've a feeling you're not going to like this answer...

Traditionally UFRaw has been the "plug-in" for processing RAW files, BUT it's essentially a stand-alone application that has fairly good integration with GIMP (It knows how to pass images directly into GIMP once RAW processing is complete)

You need to know that GIMP is still only processing images in 8-bit colour depth, so you are advised to do as much as you can with your RAW processor of choice before importing into GIMP.

There is ongoing development to move GIMP to high bit depth processing, but no time scales are available as to when this will be completed.

Currently UFRaw is suffering some neglect when it comes to a Windows version and other alternatives are available, Photivo & Darktable to name two.

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