Shooting in RAW?

AmyM

AmyM

New member
Can somebody explain this to me in plain English please? LOL I don't really know why to shoot in the RAW format instead of JPEG but the option is there on my camera- so tell me about the benefits and just how bad I could mess up by doing this instead of sticking to JPEG. ;)
by the way - I don't have photoshop. I use pspxi (i think it reads RAW files, not sure) so if RAW is something that's only cool in CS3 or something then just ignore me K?
 
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A few random things I know about RAW (but I don't shoot in it.....yet).

1 - Raw images SOOC (straight out of camera) usually suck. Even if properly exposed and all that. When shooting in jpeg your camera does a few things to the image that you don't even know about (I know it deals with white balance for one). With RAW you have total control over everything.

2 - RAW files are much much bigger

3 - RAW takes longer to post process since you have more control over the image since hte camera does nothing to it.

4 - You have to edit raw in a raw editing program (like adobe RAW). I could be wrong, but I don't think you can open a raw image in PS.
 
You can open RAW in PS and PSP too I believe. I find it annoying to deal with so I usually go with the JPGs instead of RAW.
 
RAW is a digital negative. JPG is a compressed file.

In RAW you will be able to change the white balance (and other things) without compromising the quality. RAW takes up lots and lots of room! Your camera should also have a RAW program that will allow you to use it. You don't need PS at all. I use the program that came with my camera and got the plug in for PSE from Adobe. Using RAW gives you more processing options.

That is my condensed version of explaining RAW. I just think of it as RAW is the layered version and JPG is the flattened image.
 
The other thing I have learned about RAW is that if you overexpose or underexpose it is easier to correct the exposure when the image is in RAW than as a jpeg. I have an XTi and am still learning how to do correct exposure in manual mode so I have been doing the RAW + jpeg option so I have both. The downside to that is your memory card gets full faster. However, it is a good way for me to learn.
 
I shoot in RAW all the time. Tony explained it to me like this:

jpg, it is what it is. The image you have there, is what you have to work with.

RAW, it has extra information for both under and over exposure, white balance, etc, so concerning processing, you have more ability to fix the image if improperly exposed. I also find you can fix the white balance much easier.

You can use RAW in PS CS3, not sure about the other versions. My camera came with a processing program, so you can alter the photos without using PS at all.

I shoot in RAW all the time, despite only having my camera for only a couple of weeks. It really saved me, because I am still learning lighting, and working on my exposure, and I have more "range" in a RAW image that I can work with to fix my errors.

I have both a large .jpg and RAW image with each photo, that I chose in my menu, and have a huge memory card so I can work with both.

That's my mouthful about it LOL! I am using a Canon Rebel XT, DH has an XTi.
 
Awesome info guys! I might have to give RAW a shot then (I have the raw + jpeg option too, so I might try that first).
 
My camera came with some photo editing program but I don't have the slightest idea where it is. Possibly right here at my feet under the computer desk, possibly in some of the boxes I have yet to unpack :blink:
Thank you for the tips. I'm off to check the Nikon and see if it will do JPEG and RAW images. I don't trust myself just doing raw yet.

Oh, and if anybody has tips for editing your exposure (post process) let me know. Is that what curves and levels are for? DUH LOL I have messed it up so bad lately on my pics. I know about aperture and what certain other things do (ISO, etc) but it is really a bugger to look around and then determine what setting to put each one on. Like yesterday I was trying to take a pic of my daughter and her friend. The sky was extremely bright behind them and I think it tricked my camera because the sky looked the same in the picture but the girls were terribly under exposed. I have sooooooooo much to learn.
 
I use Lightroom to edit my RAW images. It does take more time, but I find that I can edit more and don't lose the quality. They are MUCH larger files!!
 
I shoot in RAW because I love the fact that I have more control over the final image. I don't use the RAW+JPG setting because then you have two files saved therefore taking up more space on your memory card and harddrive. Once I process my RAW files and save the JPGs, I delete the RAW files. The way I see it, is if you're going to have to tweek your RAW photos and save them as a JPG there's no point in having both files to start off with.
 
I only shoot RAW. For a LOT of reasons. I found a really good explanation of all this the other day... hmmm, let me think where that might have been...
 
Okay, I have no idea what exactly I was doing when I stumbled across that excellent explanation, so who knows where I found it. :D

Basically, RAW gives you so much more to work with and it's not a lossy format, which JPEG is. If you get the exposure, white balance, etc pretty bang on with your JPEG, then it's not really that big a deal. If processing time is limited for you, this may be the better route to go.

With RAW, though, you have so much more information there to work with, and so many more options available to you. And the quality of that image and all that information remains the same and doesn't deteriorate each time you open it and work with it. Every save with a JPEG deteriorates the quality a little bit more.

You can open your RAW images in PS, but it is definitely a pain working with them one by one like this. There's generally camera software you'll have or can get to deal with this, but I highly recommend Lightroom. It makes it very easy to process your RAW images, and you can do so much with it.

If you're unsure of all this, continue to shoot in the highest quality JPEG format and research the whole RAW workflow to see if it will be for you. While I personally think RAW is the way to go, I know it's not a convenient option for everyone. While you're trying to decide, there's nothing wrong with really working on your photography skills to try and produce the best possible image in camera with your JPEGs.

I hope that helps a bit, but I've probably made things clear as mud!
 
Yeah, what Joan said. :D RAW files contain all the data that is recorded by your camera when it takes the shot. By contrast, with jpeg files, the camera has already interpreted and compressed the data in a way that you can't completely "undo". If you disagree with that interpretation (for example, if you want to change the white balance the camera selected), and make changes in jpeg, you are losing data each time and basically damaging the file - resulting in more noise and less effective results. In RAW, if you change something, there is no data loss, there is more data in the file to use to make the changes, and so you have much more latitude to edit.

So, in general, you can do a lot more with RAW files, which is the upside. The downside is that they are much bigger. I don't find them harder to use because once you get used to a RAW processor/editor, like Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw, it's actually easier/faster to edit than using something like adjustment layers in Photoshop.
 
DawnMarch said:
So, in general, you can do a lot more with RAW files, which is the upside. The downside is that they are much bigger. I don't find them harder to use because once you get used to a RAW processor/editor, like Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw, it's actually easier/faster to edit than using something like adjustment layers in Photoshop.
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Yes, this is the thing, when you get something like Lightroom, it really becomes a breeze to work with your RAW images. The main issue becomes storage. For myself, I've always felt that storage is cheap and memories are priceless. That can be easier said than done, I know, but these days storage really has become very affordable and I think it's well worth having plenty of it.
 
I don't know if it's a Vista thing or not, but when I edit RAW photos and save them as a JPG, the JPG thumbnail is very small and skinny like it's been squished...I have to open a new canvas the same size as the photo then drop the image into it and save it as a JPG in order for the thumbnail to show up right.
 
Christy Lyle said:
I shoot in RAW because I love the fact that I have more control over the final image. I don't use the RAW+JPG setting because then you have two files saved therefore taking up more space on your memory card and harddrive. Once I process my RAW files and save the JPGs, I delete the RAW files. The way I see it, is if you're going to have to tweek your RAW photos and save them as a JPG there's no point in having both files to start off with.
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I think the nice thing about the Raw + Jpeg option is that in the very beginning it's going to help the beginning photographer see just what happens to the photo inside your camera. It's going to show just how much or how little post processing is going on "inside" the camera!!! Then when you become accustom to dealing with and post processing your photos yourself you can ditch that option and go full out raw!!!

It's like that last little crutch!!! :D :D
 
I started shooting in RAW last fall, and haven't gone back since! Sure, you can't email them off immediately to people, but I've always tweaked my images at least a bit so that wasn't really an option anyways.

I started shooting RAW after reading Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Book - he gives great reasons for doing so in there (and at under $20, its one of the best investments for dSLR shooters!). But I think everyone's done a good job explaining it here. :)

But really, I've significantly noticed the difference in my photos. I use Lightroom (which I got for super cheap through the Academic Superstore - if you have kids in school you can too!), and it takes so little time to process my images that I refuse to use any other program now! [Except for a few actions in PS, which I do when I really want to play around with my photos.]

HTH!
 
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