to raw or to jpeg

My son downloaded all the updates from Sony last night so I will be able to copy my raw to jpegs.
Old Shape, I think you have summed me up pretty good. There are photos I take which I would like to try and print at A3 and I want to produce photos as good as are shown on here so will keep trying.
Buy for now.
Bern

Yes, hobbyist photo’s only need a Jpeg.
And if you only want to take record shots of trips/family etc. and print no bigger than A4…..then stick to Jpeg. If you want to enter competitions, try and get onto Airliners.net or print to A3 than you will need to learn how to properly process the RAW images, otherwise it is not worth the effort. If Jpegs are serving your purpose then “Stick to yer knitting”. The Sony will serve you well. The last thing you want to do is to be confused at the Processing stage, which will therefore make you tire of taking pictures in the first place which is not the intended idea.

So, now you’ve read up on it, and played with the camera………you still on Jpeg?

well I have switched to raw but it does gobble up memory space.

I think the choice will depend on what I am taking. for instance I have been repairing some dining chairs so took before & after shots of the joints etc. These I took in jpeg. But those of my sons freind’s cat I took in raw.

I have just rought a new laptop with 64 bit vista. The camera doesn’t support 64 bit vista. Therefor I have to download an update. I can now load the raw files but now need an update to convert.

Fortunately I have a son who helps me, but he is not always here. I do find I get exasperated with modern tech. I think I expect to plug and play and instead find its plug fiddle then fiddle again then …… ask my son !!!

I am enjoying the camera. I like the way you can try something and see emeidiatly if its worked and what affect it had.

And there is a wealth of knowledge on this forum where help and advice is readily available.

I will try and add some photos as soon as I am able.
Thanks again.

Beejay

So, now you’ve read up on it, and played with the camera………you still on Jpeg?

Thank you, you have given me a lot to look into.
Groudhogger, I found that piece very illuminating and printed it off.
Thanks again.
Beejay

Ken,
You also have the option to convert your RAW files to Digital negative (DNG) format during the import, thats what I do when I’m using Lightroom, convert to DNG, add to catalogue and copy a backup version to a second HDD, then when I have enough to fill a DVD, I’ll archive them onto DVD and store it away safely.

Raw and Jpeg explained

This Article might shed some light on the subject
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-raw-files.shtml

Though I must admit I’m more of a Tiff man myself , hope this link works and helps explain !

All this is a bit hazy – so forgive me if I have got it wrong……

I remember reading a few years back that if you ‘store’ your pictures as Raw and, say ten years down the line, Canon (or whoever) changes their Raw conversion software and you don’t have the original software, you cannot then convert your pictures into .jpg – or whatever.

In other words, if you don’t have the correct version of the conversion software, it would be like having the exposed film, but no way of processing it.

So – you are totally in the hands of the camera manufaturers and their proprietory software that enables you to ‘see’ the image.

Or am I talking out of my *rse – as usual??

Ken

Thank you all for the advice.

I will be trying the raw & the raw + jpeg.

Beejay

I’ll have a play later with it,i’m using Sony so it might be a little different to your Canon.

I just havent got to grips with the RAW software for my camera yet.And i’m still getting good enough pictures for A.net and JP so for now i’ll stick to JPEG until i master the RAW software

There isn’t much to master. I use raw but my routine is always thus: –
Shoot Raw. Shoot with numbering system as “Continuous”
Copy from Camera to a specific location on Hard Drive, directory called “Raw library”.
Open my Canon S/w, select all those that have been downed.
En masse, adjust brightness, saturation and sharpness.
En masse, export them as Jpegs (For faster veiwing with MS Picture Manager).
Do a contact print of all those just taken (Even the rubbish).
Look at the Jpegs.
Note numbers of the gooduns, delete the Jpeg of the rubbish.
Open the Raw gooduns in the Canon s/w, Export them to Photoshop…they export as Tiffs.
Play in PS.
Save as PSD’s.

In essence, I don’t process my pictures in Raw.

I could shoot Raw & Jpeg in camera, but it wouldn’t be sharpened etc and it gobbles memory on the card.

I just havent got to grips with the RAW software for my camera yet.And i’m still getting good enough pictures for A.net and JP so for now i’ll stick to JPEG until i master the RAW software

I have to agree with Jur about RAW.

The only downside I can possible see is the file size of RAW (if you can call it a downside) but with huge external disks now very cheap storing those images shouldn’t really be an issue. I have three 500gb external drives and everything also backed up onto DVD.

I have the same argument with my best friend about RAW his 5D is stuck on JPEG which I just find really silly considering all the points Jur made above.

RAW is the only way forward 😉

Dave

Unless you require photo’s for immediate use, it makes no sense to shoot JPEG’s. RAW gives you maximum postprocessing flexiblity (e.g. White Balance correction) and is capable of delivering the highest quality possible.

If so required you can very easily make JPEG’s out of your RAW-files by using the conversion option in your RAW processing software. Personally I never ever make JPEG’s with my camera’s but shoot RAW exclusively. Why would you deny yourself the maximum in flexibilty?

I got the A350 too, I shoot mainly in JPEG but i have tried RAW.the quality is much better in RAW but i’m not 100% certain on editing them so I tend to keep to JPEG. If you can edit the RAW shots then use that if ya not too sure on the editing then stick to JPEG,if you use RAW + JPEG then at least youll have the JPEG back up.But this will sap the space on ya memory card.