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02-09-2013, 04:07 PM   #1
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How many people shoot RAW?

I always shoot in JPG.
I sure some of you seen my photos and the amazing results I get.
What's the real advantage to RAW and what's the easiest program to use for RAW images?

02-09-2013, 04:44 PM - 1 Like   #3
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I think the mistake people sometimes make when they've always used JPG is that they switch to RAW and expect something to happen for the better, and of course it doesn't. Usually it is for the worse (at first). A JPG is just a RAW image that has been processed in a pre-defined way. With RAW you can define it later any way you like, but RAW is always more work -- you are removing some of the steps that your JPG workflow does automatically and taking responsibility for those steps yourself.

Another mistake is that people think they can "see" RAW images and they post things like, "This is RAW, no processing." There is no such thing -- you can see no image until you process it, and so there are always some settings applied. (And there really is no default.) A RAW file needs to be "developed". It isn't even quite like a negative (because you can at least hold up a negative to the light) -- it is more like exposed film that hasn't been developed.

Last edited by vonBaloney; 02-09-2013 at 10:56 PM.
02-09-2013, 08:08 PM   #4
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Please correct me if I am wrong.
I was told that JPEG is a lossy format, in that every time that something was changed and saved the quality would decrease, like a copy of a copy of a copy of an analog video or audio tape.
RAW so I was told is the data comes from the sensor, that can be processed into the finished product save as a PNG or TIFF, reprocessed saved without a loss in quality

02-09-2013, 08:11 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by jpaulb Quote
Please correct me if I am wrong.
I was told that JPEG is a lossy format, in that every time that something was changed and saved the quality would decrease, like a copy of a copy of a copy of an analog video or audio tape.
RAW so I was told is the data comes from the sensor, that can be processed into the finished product save as a PNG or TIFF, reprocessed saved without a loss in quality
It is true, but is generally a non-issue for most people since most people don't constantly edit and resave the same image.
02-09-2013, 08:12 PM   #6
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Always shoot RAW.
02-09-2013, 08:21 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxlover22 Quote
I sure some of you seen my photos and the amazing results I get. What's the real advantage to RAW and what's the easiest program to use for RAW images?
I suggest you read the threads linked to above and then grab some books on the subject.

For an idea of the benefits of RAW, the second image in your Telluride album would be even more amazing by controlling the blown highlights in the clouds if a RAW format was originally used.

M

02-09-2013, 09:31 PM - 2 Likes   #8
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To me, it's sort of like asking how many people use a shovel instead of digging with their hands. You can often get similar results...until you hit some rocky soil.

I have found my K5 to be amazingly better when working with the Raw files. The wide K5 DR is easily manipulated, and you don't lose the colors or resolution like you do when pushing the Jpegs. Of course, it can be argued that if you get the Jpegs perfect in shooting, Raw is not needed. Maybe some are "perfect" shooters, but I'm not one of them.

Regards!
02-10-2013, 04:55 AM   #9
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As succinctly as possible:

QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxlover22 Quote
What's the real advantage to RAW [compared to jpg]?
With raw, you decide what the sensor data means and with jpg the camera decides.
With RAW you are capturing data and with jpg, you are capturing, to a much greater extent than RAW, a final image.

There is no "advantage" of one over the other only choices. If you want to take sort of a technical-artisan approach and are willing
to invest the time and effort to getting the final image as close as possible to what you want go RAW, Otherwise go jpg.
Only you can decide.

QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxlover22 Quote
what's the easiest program to use for RAW images?
Not having used all the various RAW programs I don't have a clue. Speaking only for myself I use ACR-Photoshop.
02-10-2013, 05:43 AM   #10
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Always. Not because I'm a master post processor, but because I want the ablity to try to save some dark areas or highlights and also to have more control over the whole process. But I suspect that often the OOC JPEGs might be better than what I end up with.
02-10-2013, 06:00 AM   #11
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been there...
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography-industry/211239-me-ju...ml#post2233304
staying RAW
02-10-2013, 07:02 AM   #12
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Like most, I started with JPG, and only used RAW when I had a special photo I knew I would want to edit (like a portrait). I was sure I would not want to spend the time sitting at my PC developing RAW photos.

That was until I got Lightroom last summer. The fast workflow combined with the ability to save shots that would have been poorly exposed (or wrong color balance) have changed me into a full-time RAW shooter.

Now I only wish I had RAW files of some of my earlier work.

I'm no pro, but if you are serious about your photography, but you don't want to use RAW (yet), I highly recommend going RAW+JPG.

Last edited by klh; 02-10-2013 at 08:17 AM.
02-10-2013, 07:18 AM   #13
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99% of the time I shoot RAW. I use in-camera JPG only when I have to send a picture somewhere straight away.
02-10-2013, 08:13 AM   #14
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Always shoot both. While jpeg is usually OK, there have been many times when a raw file came to my rescue.
02-10-2013, 08:27 AM   #15
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I am a newbie . Shooting jpeg caused some problems to /me. Sometimes my Kr didn't have good AWB and jpeg image was just bad.

After about 10k pictures in JPEG I have switched to Raw: That really helps /me to save some pictures but it requires more time to process image.

I would switch to JPEG when I have enough experience with Manual WB and color settings in Kr....
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