Is raw worth it?

[DocFrankenstein]

I'm just wondering. For someone like me...

I have a p800 with voodoo 5500 and a 256 mb memory card. My monitor was decent about 10 years ago, when it was used in a graphics workshop of some kind. Right now it's dark and blinks a bit. I really should just shoot it to stop the suffering.

I tried shooting raw and post processing the images. Setting white balance and do level adjustments is pointless, because I don't have a calibrated monitor... so it's just random basically.

Wouldn't it make more sense to just shoot jpeg for now and print it directly? Later, when I get a decent monitor and calibrate it, I'd start playing with raw?

What do you think?

[maderito]

You make a good case for shooting JPEG but a better case for getting a new monitor. :)

[defordphoto]

I don't have a calibrated monitor, other than myself comparing monitor to camera output to prints. I am fortunate to have a setup that is accurate right out of the box. The only adjustments I have made is with Adobe Gamma and that's a minimal adjustment at best.

Get a decent CRT. They're cheap. You'll need it shooting RAW or JPEG. Just because you shot JPEG does not mean that every shot will be perfect. When I process my JPEGs for print or non-web output, I process 100% of them in one form or another.

[Cordell]

Wouldn't it make more sense to just shoot jpeg for now and print it directly? Later, when I get a decent monitor and calibrate it, I'd start playing with raw?

What do you think?

Simply put, JPEG, RAW, whatever has nothing to do with it. You can actually shoot either and end up with a good, bad, or great photograph if you don't take the steps to get the shot right in camera in the first place. Don't rely on the computer to do everything after the fact. It's simply time consuming anyway. If you do what you need to do in the first place with taking your time and learning "how to use" your camera you can survive with what you have as long as you are not trying to make a living out of it.

FIRST, GET A NEW MONITOR. At the very least get a slightly used one if yours is soooooo bad.

Next, if you simply can't afford it (you will waste money printing due to the possibilities of colors, contrast, etc being all over the place) you can learn to minimize the affects of not having a calibrated system by learning the many values of colors, tones, etc, etc. That is a great hill to climb sight unseen though.

[sGu]

think you better off pick up good old film camera ...

[whowie]

Shoot RAW now, convert to JPG for immediate use and when you pick up that new monitor next week, go back and play with the RAW images.

If your monitor is really that bad and if you can't afford a new one then I suggest you look around for a decent used one. I think you'll be amazed at what your images will look like on even a half decent monitor.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Get a new DISPLAY... which means an AG CRT .... AND a new graphic card... Voodoo?

wow...

[DocFrankenstein]

What brand CRT should I get? I could spare about... 200-250 CAD

[EdViesturs]

What brand CRT should I get? I could spare about... 200-250 CAD

I have a Samsung SyncMaster 753DF. The front glass is actually lensed, which creates the illusion of a flat screen, at a low price. Currently you can get them for $194.94 in Vancouver. They do go on sale, and can be bought for under $180 CAD.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=5478&vpn=753DF&manufacture=Samsung

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