Photographers, do you shoot Raw?

Question

I've been shooting on the highest jpg setting with my Nikon D200, but I'm wondering if I should be shooting raw.

Also, Whats the deal with raw? How is it different than a very high res jpg?

Answer 1

I have my D200 set to record a dual image, a medium jpeg and a RAW image.

Jpeg's, even at the rightest resolution, is a compressed image. That means that some of the data is simply not recorded. Everytime you open and close a jpeg, the computer fills in the holes that weren't recorded, so you stand the risk of losing data each time.

If you shoot a RAW image, you record all the data in an uncompressed format, that's why RAW images are larger.

If all you ever expect to do is use the image electronically, e.g. on your computer, your TV, your iPod, etc, then you really only need it in a jpeg. On the other hand, if you want to make a near-film quality print, you need to be using a RAW format. If you're worried about running our of CF's, then write you data to a CD and reuse the CF.

Using the dual format, I can get about 100 images (that's one .jpg file and one .nef file) on a 2 gig CF, and I can get a 2 gig CF from Amazon for about $30.00 plus shipping.

Answer 2

I shoot the ceremony and wedding formals in RAW. Almost everything else I use high jpeg or film. (Actually, I still use film at weddings as well.)

Mostly I never open the RAW image unless I really messed the WB. That's where RAW shines. I had a wedding in April with a lot of stained glass, tungsten, and daylight. So I was glad to have the RAW files that time! I think Lightroom has the ability to work a jpeg about as fully as a RAW. If that were the case, I probably would very seldom shoot RAW.

Answer 3

When you shoot a picture, a lot of things happen inside your camera to create the image that is recorded on your memory card.

If you shoot in RAW, the information that is saved to your memory card is exactly what the sensor records. That sounds a bit confusing, but it's not as complicated as it sounds.

All digital cameras shoot RAW, but most (point and shoots in particular) don't let you save the image as RAW. Cameras shooting JPEG always do some amount of post processing and converting before saving it to your memory card.

When you shoot JPEG, the camera takes the RAW image, applies the white balance algorithm that you selected (or selects what it thinks is right if it's on auto WB), adjusts sharpening and contrast to your selected settings, then compresses and converts the image to JPEG.

If you shoot RAW, the camera skips those steps and just records the raw data. You cannot view RAW images on a computer without software to interpret the raw data, and thus, create a viewable image. This software usually comes with the camera if the camera is able to shoot RAW.

Shooting in RAW allows greater control over all areas of post processing. I love shooting in RAW mostly because it allows me to adjust the white balance of an image without degrading its quality. If you take a picture under sunny skies and accidentally leave the camera on the incandescent white balance setting, you will end up with a blue image. If you shot the image in RAW, you can go back later and fix it without degrading the quality. If you shot JPEG, you can attempt to fix it, but it won't be pretty. The image would turn out looking extremely, well, wrong. RAW also allows for color cast removal (Like if you take a picture of someone who's under a tree on a sunny day and their face appears slightly green). You can get rid of color cast with JPEGs too because the color change isn't that radical, but it works better with RAW.

JPEG has its place in my regimen, but never when shooting portraits.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

I always shoot in raw, post process and THEN compress to jpeg. Even the best quality jpeg does not compare to raw...especially when adjustments are needed. You can actually "save" shots that would have been of no use if they had been shot in jpeg format.

Answer 5

If your camera allows you to shoot RAW, then shoot RAW always, unless you want to feel sorry later.

Answer 6

Shooting Raw is Making Sure you get the picture right, but in different positions!