Benefits of Camera RAW for Macro?

[DarrinMB]

Yesterday was the first day that I actually decided to shoot in camera raw instead of jpeg. I was wondering if there is a benefit to using RAW over jpeg when shooting macro.

I have CS3 and have been using photoshop for PP but think that RAW may allow for better quality pics instead of jpeg but am not sure. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[tim]

There's no difference between macro and standard shots when it comes to the RAW vs JPG debate. There are hundreds of threads on RAW vs JPG you can have a look at :)

[macro junkie]

i use jpeg 100% of the time.i know most use raw i will soon as i can get a big enough card.raw take up alot of spcae and when you shooting 200 pics on u only have 2gb card..lol..

what cards do u guys use.2gb.?3gb?4gb?

[slappy sam]

I shoot raw and use a 2gb card. I have never had to use my second 2gb card. Maybe you take more photos, but if you delete your photos as you go (like - oops I know I missed focus, or missed exposure, or the subject is halfway out of frame, etc.) you can substantially prolong the time you can go with a smaller card. Raws are about 8-9mb on my XT so my 2gb card can hold about 220 I'd guess. That's a lot of photos, so I don't view 4gb as neccessary because if I was to lose 440 images on one card I would be crushed. If I lose 220/440 its not as big a deal.

[tim]

I just got a 40D (well, two of them), after the first time I used it I went and bought an 8GB card for the main camera. RAW files are perhaps 50% larger than with a 30D. I also have 2x4GB, and some 2GB cards. I may get another 8GB card just to avoid changing cards. I've not had any problems with cards in 4 years professional shooting (touch wood).

[canonloader]

I was wondering if there is a benefit to using RAW over jpeg
Of course there is. In RAW mode, you can adjust WB, exposure, shadows and highlights, contrast and brightness much better than you can a jpg. When you export from RAW to jpg, there will be way less noise than if you worked with a jpg to start with.

Once you have done those adjustments and exported the jpg, then open that in CS3 to do the crop, resize, any noise reduction and finally any sharpening before saving the final image.

It's a work flow you get very use to and it will go fairly fast when using Bridge and ACR to do the initial work. My suggestion is to bite the bullet, immerse yourself in CS3, learn it, use it, and you won't be disappointed. :)