Raw

[JaGWiRE]

I think I may have become a raw junkie. The way I have been able to save so many photos and still get great quality out of them is so far beyond me, I love being able to adjust the white balance of photos, exposure, etc, and if I shoot at low resolutions I'm generally good. If I can get composition right in those tricky times where you can't set everything up perfectly for the shot, I can usually go later and fix everything with raw and then just do the normal photoshop cropping and stuff.

Heck, I refuse to get the G7 as it has no raw right now, and am thinking of actually getting the Panasonic LX-2, haha.

So what about you guys? Are you also raw junkies?

[Lightstream]

No. JPEG workflow here. Seldom need to correct exposure and WB.. most of the time it works out first pass. I do occasionally need to do highlight and shadow recovery but the thing is, it can be done with JPEG - something not many folks know. The usual arguments about dynamic range will probably come in but if I can't tell a difference, I can't tell.

I do agree the G7 desperately needs raw, which is a special case because P&S usually over-process the images, and I would dearly love to turn off some of the sharpening on some of those P&S. The more ISO noise there is in an image (which is already there at ISO 100 on the small sensors), the worse an image responds to sharpening. If the P&S sharpens it, the noise is amplified and thus that is the dead giveaway to me that a P&S was used.

Some professionals do need RAW and I respect that (I have my own RAW workflow for important shoots), but too many other shooters use it as a crutch "We'll fix it later on computer".

[JaGWiRE]

No. JPEG workflow here. Seldom need to correct exposure and WB.. most of the time it works out first pass. I do occasionally need to do highlight and shadow recovery but the thing is, it can be done with JPEG - something not many folks know. The usual arguments about dynamic range will probably come in but if I can't tell a difference, I can't tell.

I do agree the G7 desperately needs raw, which is a special case because P&S usually over-process the images, and I would dearly love to turn off some of the sharpening on some of those P&S. The more ISO noise there is in an image (which is already there at ISO 100 on the small sensors), the worse an image responds to sharpening. If the P&S sharpens it, the noise is amplified and thus that is the dead giveaway to me that a P&S was used.

Some professionals do need RAW and I respect that (I have my own RAW workflow for important shoots), but too many other shooters use it as a crutch "We'll fix it later on computer".
I don't like that attitude, but sometimes I use it, with low ISO and a good shot, some exposure problems or whatever can generally be dealt with raw (I don't know much about jpeg workflows, although they seem much more difficult?) I just can't get the camera settings right always. Sometimes I'm sitting there chimping my histograms trying various settings to try and get it right, and just missing the shot oppertunity right there.

[Lightstream]

True, not saying that RAW shouldn't be used entirely, there are times and situations when it is called for or when you are not sure.

While I believe in chimping, I also chimp on when I am not needed to be shooting at that instant. Instead of looking at the histogram during those moments, I recommend you bracket. Since I shoot in Av, I just flick the quick control dial left and right to get a -2/3rd and +2/3rd bracket (for some reason I like 2/3rd). Also, know the behavior of your meter, there are some days when I can't trust the meter so I go to manual and ignore the scale (which is still linked to the meter regardless of shooting mode).

My preference for 2/3rd may originate in how I found -2/3rd is good for evening/dusk/dark shots. It crushes out the sky nicely (screws with the histogram too, it looks crazy but it isn't), but more accurately reflects what the eye sees and therefore is more pleasant.

[joegolf68]

If and when I can learn Photoshop better, or some, I will give RAQ a second, or third look. There has to be something there with all of the fans (antics) lol ;)

[kevin_c]

I shoot RAW all the time, but there is no substitute for correct exposure and getting it right first time. For me it's the ability to 'nail' the WB correctly.
Yes, you can rescue some shots but that is not the way to go IMO.

Don't take this the wrong way, but try not to get into the habit of relying on it to excuse sloppy photographic skills. (like I do sometimes :-))

[Lightstream]

I shoot RAW all the time, but there is no substitute for correct exposure and getting it right first time. For me it's the ability to 'nail' the WB correctly.
Yes, you can rescue some shots but that is not the way to go IMO.

Don't take this the wrong way, but try not to get into the habit of relying on it to excuse sloppy photographic skills. (like I do sometimes :-))

That's essentially the point I am making. RAW is a good tool but should not be used to form bad habits.

And.. you already know that it shouldn't become a habit, so that was not meant for you :)

We all slip up sometimes..... *hides gigantic and ever growing pile of JPEG discards* :mrgreen:

[EOSAddict]

I shoot RAW exclusively partly because the workflow is so different and I hate to mix it up. My RAW PP is generally a little tweak to contrast and saturation in RSP, little else. 30 secs an image.

[In2Photos]

I shoot RAW exclusively partly because the workflow is so different and I hate to mix it up. My RAW PP is generally a little tweak to contrast and saturation in RSP, little else. 30 secs an image.
Yup same here. See my sig. My normal workflow is very simple (taken from schmoelzel's RAW tutorial).

1. Open the file in ACR. Fine tune exposure/shadows/brightness/contrast and adjust WB to taste (20 seconds).
2. Go to the calibrate screen and adjust hue/saturation to taste (10 seconds).
3. Open in CS2.
4. Shadow/highlight tool (10 seconds).
5. FM's Intellisharpen plug in (15 seconds).

If preparing for web:
6. Resize (10 seconds).
7. Output USM (10 seconds).
8. Convert to sRGB and save (10 seconds).

My workflow for some shots is more extensive but this is the treatment for 90-95% of my shots.

[PhotosGuy]

Are you also raw junkies? THAT'S ME!
Why I love RAW - '53 Ford Sunliner (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=43761)


-=The RAW Faqs=- RAW Processing info and links (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80337)

[JaGWiRE]

If and when I can learn Photoshop better, or some, I will give RAQ a second, or third look. There has to be something there with all of the fans (antics) lol ;)
Get lightroom or something, raw is dead easy.

I think WB is a big thing for me though. Sometimes you shoot indoors and get a horrible color cast fixed in the matter of seconds with raw :D.

Photos, I love the ford job!

[E-K]

Like EOSAddict I shoot RAW because I like a consistent workflow and for most cases I don't need to shoot JPEG. Most of the shots its just tweeking but occasionally it's useful to have the additional lattitude that RAW offers.

The only reason right now that I do shoot JPEG is if I'm low on card space.

I don't bracket much as most of my subjects are moving targets :(

[tim]

There's an interesting Ken Rockwell article on jpg vs raw, google will find it. I shoot RAW 100% for commercial work.

[Jason77]

RAW all the time for me. i don't shoot jpeg because i don't like letting the camera throw away information it determines to be unnecessary.

[René Damkot]

Jpg when in controlled circumstances (which is rare), RAW otherwise.
Why? I take pictures in very uncontrolled circumstances ;)

Example:

RAW converted with camera settings:
(WB: 2800K, sharpness 3, sat -1, contrast 0)
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/POTN/rhd_20061006EHBO0112j.jpg

RAW after 3 different (exposure -1.5 in ACR; exposure 0 and + 1 or so in DPP) conversions, a few layer masks, and some channel mixer and curves:
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/POTN/rhd_20061006EHBO0112.jpg

I could have done more on the jpg, but some things would have been rather difficult, if not impossible.

[rarewolf]

JPEG workflow here. Seldom need to correct exposure and WB.. most of the time it works out first pass. I do occasionally need to do highlight and shadow recovery but the thing is, it can be done with JPEG - something not many folks know. The usual arguments about dynamic range will probably come in but if I can't tell a difference, I can't tell.

I do agree the G7 desperately needs raw, ...

My opinion as well! Besides not supporting RAW, the other disappontment with this camera is the color space is presumed to be sRGB, and no options for AdobeRGB. Surely, the G7's color gamut is beyond viewing with a computer monitor and sRGB printers(??)

[rdsmith3]

If and when I can learn Photoshop better, or some, I will give RAQ a second, or third look. There has to be something there with all of the fans (antics) lol ;)

I used to think that, too, but I decided to give RAW a try.

IMO, for 90% of what you probably do, it is easier to shoot in RAW and edit the shot in something like ACR 4.1. It has these slider controls that allow you to tweak exposure, highlights, shadows, saturation, clarity, sharpness, curves, etc. all in a non-destructive way. For me, it is easier than using Photoshop CS3.