Any other graphic formats?

[JohnMN]

Is JPEG the only image format that images can be downloaded from the camera? What about the RAW mode as I want to get the best possible image into my image editing package. Do USB card readers need driver software for either a PC or a Mac or can they just be plugged and and 'go'.

[henkbos]

Open the manual of your camera and start reading at page 1.

[UK_Terry]

henkbos wrote:
Open the manual of your camera and start reading at page 1.

what great advice, but how many of us take it.
camera out batteries in and off we go,click..click..click
instruction book.....oh yes, something to look at now and then.
If we did take more notice of the book, i am sure we would all learn more about the camera we own and probably take better pictures.

remember books cost money to print, if they were unneccessary the manufacturers would soon stop issuing them.

[lord.hypnos]

henkbos wrote:
Open the manual of your camera and start reading at page 1.

RTFM is harsh but usually the best advice. :D

[Anona]

Harsh? You bet! But also RIGHT ON!!! The onlly thing I can add is to reread the manual from time-to-time...especially BEFORE important functions. Case in point: many of my family pix from the T-day gathering will need a lot of PhotoShopping due to my lack of attention and forgetting some of the subtle camera settings.

[ken-w]

JohnMN wrote:
Is JPEG the only image format that images can be downloaded from the camera? What about the RAW mode as I want to get the best possible image into my image editing package.

As noted, check the manual to see if the camera can do RAW. In real-world terms there is very little difference between the highest quality setting for JPEG and RAW. The big "advantage" of RAW is that you can post-process tweak settings such as White Balance which are recorded by the RAW mode but not set (until you make the conversion to another format such as TIFF).

Personally, I did a lot of shots in both RAW and JPEG to see the difference when I first got my G1 and I couldn't tell the difference on either my monitor or in prints so now I just shoot JPEG. RAW involves a lot more work so I went the easy route :D

In terms of editing, the first thing I do is convert a photo I want to edit into a lossless format ( i.e. PNG or TIF ), then edit away to my hearts content and then save the final version in both lossless ( PNG ) and JPEG ( for distribution, web posting, etc. )


Do USB card readers need driver software for either a PC or a Mac or can they just be plugged and and 'go'.

I use a Verbatim USB Compact Flash reader with Windows ME and it is just plug and go. This should also work with Windows XP. It needs a driver for Windows 98. The reader shows my microdrive or compact flash card as another HD making it easy to move files back and forth.