Shooting Raw vs JPEG

[DavidJ]

I used to shoot jpg, but have switched to RAW. It leaves all the processing up to the user and you still have a pristine digital negative when you're finished. Yes, it takes up more room on memory cards, but memory cards by almost any standard are not that expensive...especially if you have the opportunity to wait for sales. I also really like having as much control as you do with white balance. Bigger learning curve, but RAW is the way to go!

DavidJ

[Carl one]

Seeing how all of this is brand new to me I would like to know how others feel about shooting raw format vs jpeg. I am not interested in shooting snap shots, I want to learn to use the camera & PSE 5 to create one of those photos that leaps out and grabs you and it just seems to me that shooting raw is the way for me to learn as you have more control over the image. Comments please. Thank you. CTE

[ljameso1]

The more I shoot the more I find myself leaning toward raw. I like having the greater control over tweaking exposure/temperature. I'm currently editing photos from my last trip in which about half were shot in raw and I'm frankly wishing a lot more had been.

[Carl one]

Thank each of you for your reply. It seems as if not that many people shoot in the raw format. I am going to place my empheses there and see how things go. It will be interesting if nothing else. CTE

[Chuck S.]

There's a spirited - and at times rather esoteric - debate on this subject going on in the Canon Talk forum of dpreview.com. Most of it centers on the fact that the latest in the Canon Powershot G series (higher end point-and-shoot), the G7, doesn't have RAW as did its predecessors. From what I distill from all the technobabble, there may be an advantage to shooting RAW in some cases, especially with a DSLR, but it's more effort for perhaps little gain. I just bought the G7, and I'm not going to agonize over the 'loss' of RAW....it has a live histogram and IS, so for me the advantages will likely outweigh the disadvantages.

[Gord G.]

Sorry for this question, just new to the forum.

When you shoot in Raw, do you also have the camera set to record in Jpeg or just record in the Raw format?

Thanks for any help
Gord

[Byron Gale]

Gord,

It depends on your hardware.

Some cameras allow you the decision whether to record JPG along with RAW -- some force both on you.

Byron

[Chuck S.]

Gord, welcome to the forum! It sounds like you may have a camera that provides both a RAW image and an optional JPEG image - is that correct? I have one of those, and I either set it to RAW only or RAW + JPEG Medium (which I think is about a 1600 by 1200 pixel image). The only reason for even bothering with the extra JPEG is to provide a quick photo that can be e-mailed to someone; RAW needs to be converted first.

Chuck

[Carl one]

I have discovered some people get rather spirited when discussing shooting in raw. My dSLR (Olympus E500) capture in both raw & Jpeg, however I have no need to do so. Seeing as all of this is brand new (1st camera & processing program) & I will not be taking snapshots of the family I am going to shoot raw for now. One eason is I do not have to spend time learning all of the varrious white balance settings. On top of that this is a retirement hobby for me & I want it to be fun not work. Carl :)

[GaryK]

Gord

Welcome to the forums.

Don't apologize for asking a question, that is the only way to find something out.:)


Carl

There are few things that get people around here all riled up. Raw is not one of them.
Most of the folks around here are of the opinion that if it works for you, then who am I to tell you you are wrong.;)

[TonyW]

Carl: I'm retired too and since getting a DSLR that made shooting RAW much easier I've been shooting RAW+JPEG because, like you, I have the time to play around if I want to. And I could happily debate the pros and cons at length but have no interest whatsoever about getting riled up about anything. I guess I had enough of that when I was working :D . And you can have a lot of fun with RAW - try taking the same RAW file and saving it with different exposure settings and then combining them. The results can be impressive and it's something you can't do with JPEGS.

Tony

[Chuck S.]

Carl, I enjoy using the Adobe Camera Raw dialog in PSE 5! It's a little additional work, but it's fascinating. I started shooting primarily RAW with my first camera almost 5 years ago, and as a result, I have archived RAW images that I can go back to and touch up with the new tools and techniques I've learned here. I have no regrets!

Chuck

[Edmund]

I suppose if all I was going to do with my photos were to e-mail them to somebody then I would be happy with the results of a small file in JPEG format. But the truth is I enjoy the post processing challenges of editing a raw file with both Nikon Capture NX and PSE-5. NX offers a few tools that to me beats out curves namely Control points. This may be true as I am not so proficient in the curves adjustments. Any way I also am retired and throughly enjoy the results and satisfaction of all the extra effort that goes into processing a raw file. IMHO.
Eddie

[tomlaronge]

Fellow Forum Users,
Would you please list the pros and the cons of shooting RAW vs. shooting JPEGs?

Secondly, if you have a camera that will process both for a single shot, is not the JPEG an inferior file size?

Thank you for the facts on this issue,
Regards,
Tom

[GaryK]

Tom

I'm no expert by any means.

Basically RAW gives better image dynamic range darker and more control in the post editing but this also requires more steps. Another nice thing is that supposedly you can't resave your raw as a raw so you don't have to worry about overwriting while editing. All this quality comes at a file size price.

Jpegs are way smaller in file size, generally quicker to send out as emails and webposting (less conversion and editing steps). The quality is not as good and everytime you open and resave you lose more.


Some of this is more technical/theory and your results may vary. I wonder if the people that shoot in RAW can see the difference in their prints. .. anybody??
And how good a printer do you need to have before your expanded dynamic range will show.
Whatever works for you.:)

[TonyW]

Fellow Forum Users,
Would you please list the pros and the cons of shooting RAW vs. shooting JPEGs?

Secondly, if you have a camera that will process both for a single shot, is not the JPEG an inferior file size?

Thank you for the facts on this issue,
Regards,
Tom

Take a read of Ken Rockwell on the subject. Always controversial but certainly some truth in what he says.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/raw.htm

Tony

[Gord G.]

Hi All: Thanks for the welcome. :)

Chuck--I have the Canon 20D, so I can use just the Raw setting only. Up to now I have only used jpeg at a large fine setting (3504 x 2336). I use L fine setting because I can crop a photo easier than enlarging one, without losing resolution and quality. Then I can make a print for the camera club’s monthly contests. I have read a lot about this raw so I thought I would give it a try, but not sure if I should go with both raw + jpeg setting or just raw. I use Elements #5 and #2 and also the new Adobe Lightroom for raw. Need to learn about this Lightroom and also about taking photos with raw.

Thanks to all for your help.
Gord

[Chuck S.]

Gord, very good point you made that I didn't: if you're not using RAW, the choice of JPEG size and quality, IMHO, should be the largest with the least compression, i.e., large/superfine. I only use a smaller size if it's embedded with the JPEG.

Chuck