Feature suggestion: auto RAW!

asp1880 · 11-20-2012, 02:51 PM

Most of the time my in-camera JPEGs come out fine. I nail the exposure and my contrast and saturation etc
is how I want it. But once in a while my flash is depleted so I get a dark picture,
I get a flare that robs me of contrast or perhaps I mess up something else that gives me
a large burnt out patch in the picture.

Here's the idea: I'd like the camera to be able to detect these situations and automatically
save the raw file on the side for only the troubled shots.

iPhoto, faststone etc. have one-click "improve my picture" buttons that autolevels the picture.
Maybe the auto raw feature could do that too? That would produce three files for a misexposed shot:
the failed jpeg, the autocorrected jpeg and the raw file.

I think that would be a neat little convenience feature for us jpeg shooters.

Regards,
--Anders.

elliott · 11-20-2012, 02:58 PM

How is a camera going to know if you screwed up?

Just shoot RAW+JPEG, so you always have both.

Adam · 11-20-2012, 03:15 PM

It would be cool if the raw file were only created if there were blown or underexposed areas- but yeah, always shooting RAW+ will also get the job done

DSims · 11-20-2012, 03:46 PM

If you know the shot is messed up when you take it, you can always save it (the last shot) to RAW from the review screen.

snake · 11-20-2012, 04:14 PM

Isn't there a feature to create a RAW out of a jpeg?

Parallax · 11-20-2012, 04:18 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by snake

Isn't there a feature to create a RAW out of a jpeg?

No, there isn't. You can't un-cook a hard boiled egg.

GabrielFFontes · 11-20-2012, 05:54 PM

What he meant is that you can save a raw from a jpeg if you haven't turned the camera off or took another shot...while the image is still "in the buffer", you can always press the exposure compensation button in the playback menu and save a raw

Parallax · 11-20-2012, 06:21 PM

Okay, that's quite different from creating a RAW from a jpeg.

snake · 11-20-2012, 06:29 PM

Originally posted by GabrielFFontes

What he meant is that you can save a raw from a jpeg if you haven't turned the camera off or took another shot...while the image is still "in the buffer", you can always press the exposure compensation button in the playback menu and save a raw

Eggsactly.

Parallax · 11-20-2012, 06:36 PM

Originally posted by snake

Eggsactly.

Sagitta · 11-21-2012, 12:43 AM

Man, now I want some eggs.

**MetteHHH** · 11-21-2012, 01:28 AM

I had a similar thought (or at least I think it's similar

) - a feature that would allow you to save a photo from the buffer onto a memory card for those rare (but always totally spectacular and irrevocable) occasions where I snapped the shot and then saw the text "no card in camera" on the lcd screen...

But, honestly, I think the real cure is learning. I'm not sure I'm capable (given that these things keeps happening at irregular intervals), but anyway, no feature can really make up for "the human factor".

You CAN safeguard. In your case, by using raw+ as previous posters suggest, and in my case by trying to learn responsible behaviour when transferring photos from sd cards. For some reason that just sounds way easier than it is!

asp1880 · 11-21-2012, 02:13 AM

Originally posted by DSims

If you know the shot is messed up when you take it, you can always save it (the last shot) to RAW from the review screen.

Yes and that's a good solution, it's one of my favourite Pentax features. It only works for the latest shot though. Sometimes you're busy shooting away and don't have time for that extra maneuver.

@elliott "How is a camera going to know if you screwed up?" By analyzing the picture looking for "significant" over- or
underexposure. That seems feasible to me.

Regards,
--Anders.

Fogel70 · 11-21-2012, 04:04 AM

I think an automatic feauture like this is very difficult to implement, mostly because different users want to use it differently.

So it either has to be complex and difficult to set up by the user, or it will have to be triggered by almost any situation where jpg don't have all information that is in the RAW.

Timd · 11-21-2012, 04:33 AM

While processing Raw files is a bit of a pain, it is part of the creative process. Remember that the dynamic range of the eye is far greater than of Raw and Raw has a greater dynamic range than Jpeg. To get a Jpeg image of what the eye saw is pretty difficult for the camera. The only time I shoot Jpeg is for snapshots where the light levels are "normal".

Never having been involved in the film development, Raw development (using Lightroom) is quite satisfying.

11-20-2012, 02:51 PM	#1
asp1880 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lyngby, Copenhagen Photos: Albums Posts: 742	Feature suggestion: auto RAW! Most of the time my in-camera JPEGs come out fine. I nail the exposure and my contrast and saturation etc is how I want it. But once in a while my flash is depleted so I get a dark picture, I get a flare that robs me of contrast or perhaps I mess up something else that gives me a large burnt out patch in the picture. Here's the idea: I'd like the camera to be able to detect these situations and automatically save the raw file on the side for only the troubled shots. iPhoto, faststone etc. have one-click "improve my picture" buttons that autolevels the picture. Maybe the auto raw feature could do that too? That would produce three files for a misexposed shot: the failed jpeg, the autocorrected jpeg and the raw file. I think that would be a neat little convenience feature for us jpeg shooters. Regards, --Anders.

11-20-2012, 03:15 PM	#3
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,594	It would be cool if the raw file were only created if there were blown or underexposed areas- but yeah, always shooting RAW+ will also get the job done Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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11-20-2012, 02:58 PM	#2
elliott Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Carolina Photos: Albums Posts: 1,720	How is a camera going to know if you screwed up? Just shoot RAW+JPEG, so you always have both.

11-20-2012, 03:46 PM	#4
DSims Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Southern California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,236	If you know the shot is messed up when you take it, you can always save it (the last shot) to RAW from the review screen.

11-20-2012, 04:14 PM	#5
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183	Isn't there a feature to create a RAW out of a jpeg?

11-20-2012, 04:18 PM - 1 Like	#6
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	Originally posted by snake Isn't there a feature to create a RAW out of a jpeg? No, there isn't. You can't un-cook a hard boiled egg.

11-20-2012, 05:54 PM	#7
GabrielFFontes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Posts: 647	What he meant is that you can save a raw from a jpeg if you haven't turned the camera off or took another shot...while the image is still "in the buffer", you can always press the exposure compensation button in the playback menu and save a raw

11-20-2012, 06:21 PM	#8
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	Okay, that's quite different from creating a RAW from a jpeg.

11-20-2012, 06:29 PM	#9
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183	Originally posted by GabrielFFontes What he meant is that you can save a raw from a jpeg if you haven't turned the camera off or took another shot...while the image is still "in the buffer", you can always press the exposure compensation button in the playback menu and save a raw Eggsactly.

11-20-2012, 06:36 PM	#10
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	Originally posted by snake Eggsactly.

11-21-2012, 12:43 AM	#11
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	Man, now I want some eggs.

11-21-2012, 01:28 AM	#12
MetteHHH Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,817	I had a similar thought (or at least I think it's similar ) - a feature that would allow you to save a photo from the buffer onto a memory card for those rare (but always totally spectacular and irrevocable) occasions where I snapped the shot and then saw the text "no card in camera" on the lcd screen... But, honestly, I think the real cure is learning. I'm not sure I'm capable (given that these things keeps happening at irregular intervals), but anyway, no feature can really make up for "the human factor". You CAN safeguard. In your case, by using raw+ as previous posters suggest, and in my case by trying to learn responsible behaviour when transferring photos from sd cards. For some reason that just sounds way easier than it is!

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11-21-2012, 02:13 AM	#13
asp1880 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lyngby, Copenhagen Photos: Albums Posts: 742 Original Poster	Originally posted by DSims If you know the shot is messed up when you take it, you can always save it (the last shot) to RAW from the review screen. Yes and that's a good solution, it's one of my favourite Pentax features. It only works for the latest shot though. Sometimes you're busy shooting away and don't have time for that extra maneuver. @elliott "How is a camera going to know if you screwed up?" By analyzing the picture looking for "significant" over- or underexposure. That seems feasible to me. Regards, --Anders.

11-21-2012, 04:04 AM	#14
Fogel70 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Albums Posts: 3,062	I think an automatic feauture like this is very difficult to implement, mostly because different users want to use it differently. So it either has to be complex and difficult to set up by the user, or it will have to be triggered by almost any situation where jpg don't have all information that is in the RAW.

11-21-2012, 04:33 AM	#15
Timd Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cape Town, SA Posts: 262	While processing Raw files is a bit of a pain, it is part of the creative process. Remember that the dynamic range of the eye is far greater than of Raw and Raw has a greater dynamic range than Jpeg. To get a Jpeg image of what the eye saw is pretty difficult for the camera. The only time I shoot Jpeg is for snapshots where the light levels are "normal". Never having been involved in the film development, Raw development (using Lightroom) is quite satisfying.