Q: Editing RAW images in iCloud photo library

The original images are never modified anywhere - editing is lossless always keeping the original (RAW or JPEG) unchanged - if you are using iCloud Photos Library all edits (and additions and deletions) are made to all systems

LN

Do you mean this alert?

• Continue editing as JPEG? This RAW photo was previously edited as a JPEG. Switching to RAW will preserve adjustments, but may change the appearance of the photo.

Your iPad cannot do any RAW processing.  If you edit a RAW photo on an iPad, the embedded JPEG will be edited instead. This will suffice for sharing the photo and to get an idea what the edits will look like, but will not have the same quality as editing the RAW file in Photos on your Mac. If you edit RAW photos on the iPad and want to edit them furtehr on the Mac, use "Image > Duplicate" to save the edited JPEG, and then start over with the RAW version. The appearance of the photo may change indeed, if you used any specific processing in your camera, when you took the photo.  These in-camera processing will only be showing in the embedded JPEG thumbnails, but not in the RAW files. Photos for Mac will ignore the in-camera processing when processing the RAW.

Have you read Keith Barkley's user Tip? It has been written for Aperture's RAW processing, but applies to Photos a well:   The Big Three: Setting your camera for the best Aperture RAW results

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6511

You can not and never have been able to edit a RAW so there is no possible work flow to do something that can not be done - Photos uses extensions rather that commands for external editions   --   Photo Editing Extensions for Photos for Mac   -- you can purchase the External Editors for Photos extension from the app store ($0.99 last I looked)  - 

LN

mohan.shyam wrote:

 

Helpful information, indeed.

 

Would you suggest a workflow, which helps in having RAW files but easily editable? Photos seem to have removed the "Edit with external editors" option available in iPhoto, as well.

You can use any 3rd party image editor of your choice with Photos.   All you need to do is purchase the 99¢ External Editors For Photos from the App Store.  This user tip shows how: External Editors in Photos Are Here

External Editors for Photos lets you edit RAW originals. But it will either convert the RAW file to JPEG or TIFF.   I'd use the TIFF option, because the TIFF is a lossless format. Seelct "Convert to Tiff" in the Open Image panel,

For example - opening a .RW2 RAW file in External Editor:

And the DxO Optics Pro Extension lets you edit the RAW file directly, if your Camera is supported.