Lack of RAW

[MDJAK]

Or, why I won't buy a Canon P&S.

Sorry if this has been covered already. I'm quite disappointed that Canon took away RAW capture from all its P&S cameras. I'm in the market for a P&S but will not buy one that does not shoot RAW.

I've come to appreciate RAW workflow since taking a four day workshop on it that I just never shoot jpeg.

What are your feelings on this?

mark

[Graystar]

removed

[Jon]

My A620 does well enough that I don't feel a pressing need for RAW in it even though I shoot RAW on the DSLRs. I don't use it for the same things I do the DSLRs so RAW isn't as important as the other features (size, flip-out screen, video capability for instance).

[283CID]

I have to assume your post is a 'pot stirrer'...

Point One: If you think a S2/S3/G series is "Point and Shoot"... try one. [maybe you will figure it's compexities quicker than the rest of us]

Point Two: I shot some RAW with my G-1. What a pain in the keister.

You asked for 'feelings'

[theRIAA]

theres a RAW hack for the A620....

http://mikey.wordpress.com/2007/01/08/canon-powershot-a620-raw-format-hack/

works fine for me...

[RadAL]

interesting. yea, the A620+ are great cameras... might be a little bulky to some but i can still fit it in my pocket fine.. depending on how lose my pants are (no, not like ghetto or gangster or nothing).

[Olegis]

Well, I was pretty disappointed with the lack of RAW format in these cameras, until I tried the A630. This camera produces very nice results in JPEG format, you just have to make sure that your settings (ISO, WB end exposure) are right for what you shoot.

In short, I found that lack of RAW was no show stopper for me.

[eccles]

Probably the biggest let-down from not having raw images is that in substituting processed jpg images you're denied the opportunity to start from scratch with a PP program that can usually get better results. In camera noise reduction, for instance, can usually be bettered by Neat Image or similar programs. Blown highlights can often be recovered from a raw image but they are lost once converted to jpg, although shadow detail can more easily be recovered.
So there IS some benefit from raw, even with a compact camera, but in practice it's a PITA because compacts take ages to write the image to media, the images are huge, and you have to mess around with them for ages to get a print. People expect to do this with a DSLR but it's not what a compact is all about.
If you think about what you're shooting, try to avoid high ISOs with their inherent high noise, underexpose by 1/3 stop in high contrast lighting to limit blown highlights, then you can mostly compensate for jpg image shortcomings. And to be fair to the S3, unlike other manufacturers, Canon were reasonably easy on the in-camera noise reduction that didn't blast away all the detail in high ISO shots, meaning that Neat Image can do quite a good job of cleaning it up and still retain some detail.

[Woogie]

If you really want Raw, you should really look at some of the G-series cameras. The G6 is an awesome camera. Even some of the earlier G series cameras still perform like champs. They do indeed record RAW. The G7, however, seems to be lacking raw.

Try a G6, i don't think you'll be disappointed.

[Mike Reynolds]

I also wished for RAW as that is what I'm used to. I'm looking forward to giving the "RAW hack" a try thanks