Tried Searching. Beginners guide to shooting RAW with XTi

[dinanm3atl]

I searched the forums for DIY, Raw Shooting etc. Anyone have a link for a basic DIY?

I believe I need to shoot in RAW format and load it into something like photoshop and make adjustments? Is this an auto piece that knows it is "RAW" to give me a basic guideline of things I need to do?

Thanks! Links with DIY guides are most helpful! Or type it out for me ;)

[beezwax]

not sure why the "Do It Yourself" section is where you are looking about PP+RAW techniques...


What exactly are you wanting to change?


search here

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18

[dinanm3atl]

Oops I posted in wrong section!

If a mod wants to move to that section :)

[mikeb540]

i just started using raw on my xti after haven it for over a year,, and i can tell a difference in image and adjustablity. i use the digital photo pro that came withthe camera to convert it to jpeg later, but adjustments in dpp are set for digital photos, so it works good, i still think photoshop is my last part of post to resize and crop. and put name on it. the down side to useing raw i feel is the huge file sizes.. on my 2 gb card i can shoot 400+ jpegs in L and only 198 in raw.. and the raw files are 8+ MB each, so it transfers SSSLLLLLLOOOOOWWWW>.. id say if your not shooting for speacial event just use the pic jpeg format. but this is just my 2cents, hope this helps
mike
ps,, you may tinker with the user defined photo modes, i got the sharpness at full and saturation and color at +2,, so far i like the way it looks

[dinanm3atl]

Where is this user defined settings? Can I set them to be like that all the time?

Is it in the menus?

*runs to grab XTi and look*

[dinanm3atl]

I found and did setup one. If I "choose" it is it always set then?

[Jethro790]

What Photoshop do you have? Not all support camera raw.

[mikeb540]

I found and did setup one. If I "choose" it is it always set then?


i do beleave its set all the time on all modes,, but you may check,, one thing i have yet to do is set up a good light colorful shot and take pics and change the settings to see how it changes,, i think i might drop the shapeness down a touch but maybe not haha, good luck
mike

[canonloader]

The important thing to know about shooting RAW is that it is the AS SHOT view the camera saw, with no kind of processing done by the camera chips as it converts what it saw to what you have set it to make of it in the camera. Once you download the RAW file and open it in a RAW Editor, like CS2 or 3, or DPP, then you get to convert the as shot image to what you want it to look like. The benefits are huge, but so are the files.

Also, when shooting in RAW, the camera will automatically convert the image to a thumbnail jpg to use for review on the back screen. These images will show nice colors and blue skies, etc, which may not really be there in the RAW file. Just saying, you can't go by the back panel review when judging what the final image will look like. Only the histogram and the blinkers if you have them, will be much help. :)

[logiclee]

I started shooting in jpeg then jpeg+raw but now only use raw.

The ability it gives to adjust the image is well worth the effort and if you are happy with the shot as taken it's quick and easy to convert.

I invested in Adobe Lightroom and it's the best investment I've made other than better Glass.

I did end up buying a new high end PC and 24" monitor so I could have all the tools turned on, see a big enough picture and load and convert quickly but it has been worth the money. My laptop does ok while I'm away but I wouldn't like to have it as my only editing tool.

For me moving from jpeg shooting to Raw has been almost a big a step as moving from P&S to DSLR.

Cheers
Lee

[scrumpy]

ps,, you may tinker with the user defined photo modes, i got the sharpness at full and saturation and color at +2,, so far i like the way it looks

You need to bear in mind that any in-camera adjustments set for jpeg are over-ridden by the RAW format. So RAW files will contain more information - you just have to dig around to get at it in PS or whatever software you have. Good luck.

[dinanm3atl]

So is Adobe CS2 going to be "good enough". Does it "know" that I loaded in a RAW file?

Maybe I should just test it.

[canonloader]

I'm not too sure. I think it will from a 400D. I know CS2 does not read a RAW from a 40D, but you can get the free DNG Converter form Adobe if it's a problem. The DNG Converter will convert the 40D cr2 to a .dng file which will open fine in CS2, as a RAW. :)

[eddarr]

I found and did setup one. If I "choose" it is it always set then?

If you are in AV, T, P or M it will stay RAW. If you are in auto it will only be jpeg.

[troutfisher]

So is Adobe CS2 going to be "good enough". Does it "know" that I loaded in a RAW file?

Maybe I should just test it.

CS2 will open RAW files for a 400D but you need to get an upgrade/plug in off the adobe site.Once you get that you can open and edit RAW files

[dinanm3atl]

If you are in AV, T, P or M it will stay RAW. If you are in auto it will only be jpeg.

I meant my custom user settings