The extremely obvious question must be asked

[SmileThere]

I know I'm a total newbie at DSLR and thus, at a complete, total loss. I am learning DSLR and manual focus, from scratch. That means RAW as well.

How do I shoot in RAW? I set it to RAW, try to focus, and the screen is entirely black. I know I'm doing something wrong, but what?

After you finish banging me over the head, please do tell what I'm missing.
:o

[mai_lin]

You to need to set your exposure too - read your manual and it'll tell you more.

No shame in shooting in P mode until you get used to things. I went from green box to P to Manual in about 6 months.



Jen D.

[Tommy]

First, shooting in RAW is just like shooting in JPG only a different file format is saved... so it would have no effect on your ability to focus or even actually take the photo... so something else is up, but from your info, I can't figure out a possibility...

Second, perhaps if you're just learning, stick to shooting JPG... taking things one step at a time usually yields a better learning experience. ;)

[Tommy]

You to need to set your exposure too - read your manual and it'll tell you more.

No shame in shooting in P mode until you get used to things. I went from green box to P to Manual in about 6 months.



Jen D.

Ahhh.... I didn't correlate his "shooting in RAW" to "shooting in Manual"... lol...

[sandpiper]

RAW shouldn't affect the view at all, it is simply recording the data without converting to jpeg afterwards. You shouldn't see anything differently whilst shooting.

Stating the blindingly obvious here, but I presume you had taken the lens cap off ?

Do you have mirror lock up activated ?

Sorry, but I can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

[seaside]

It would help if you could tell us which camera you are using. When you say "screen" are you referring to the viewfinder or the larger 2 or 3 inch screen on the back of the camera?

If you have the camera turned on, the lens cap off and looking thru the eyepiece viewfinder you should see what you are pointing the camera at.

[Tommy]

After reading Jen's post a thinking about this more... Since he's shooting in RAW, he would have to be in M, Av, or Tv.... correct? I think he's having an exposure problem... in which case, this is his best answer::

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003

[mai_lin]

After reading Jen's post a thinking about this more... Since he's shooting in RAW, he would have to be in M, Av, or Tv.... correct? I think he's having an exposure problem... in which case, this is his best answer::

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003


You can shoot RAW in any mode I think. I've been shooting RAW since the begining and although I don't remember if I could when 'green boxin' it' I could when I was in P mode.



Jen D.

[midav]

When you mentioned that the screen is completely black - I presume you are talking about the 3" screen on the back of the camera, not the view you see inside the viewfinder, correct? If that's the case - the screen will not show you the picture. It's not the same as point-and-shoot cameras where the screen on the back of the camera acts as a viewfinder. The 3" screen only shows picture or "display" information when you press certain buttons. It acts as a viewfinder only if you have "live view" function on your camera, and even that needs to be activated manually.

[Tommy]

Forgot about P mode...

But I'm pretty sure that in green box or the "scene" modes you're forced to shoot JPG... Although none of my bodies have been off of manual in the past few years...

[fitzfitz]

The auto/greenbox mode forces JPG I believe regardless of the camera setting in most of the XTi/XS/XSi series - not sure about the 30/40/50D and up though..

P mode will allow RAW though.

[SmileThere]

He's a she :lol:.

To clarify: I shot some in Auto mode, saw them on the display right after shooting, or when reviewing. I shot the same stuff in Manual (RAW) and the LCD comes up completely black, even when reviewing the photos already snapped.

I am not at the point where I will be shooting manual entirely, nor RAW, but just trying to figure out the camera etc.. and I know that I'm doing something wrong.

Thanks for your patience in dealing with this *&^%*&# newbie!

Esther

[Tommy]

what mode is your camera in (the dial on the top)??

[SmileThere]

Scratch that <slaps forehead>

The issue isn't RAW or JPG. The issue is Manual vs P or green box mode. :lol:

[SmileThere]

Wonderful lesson just learned: Don't jump to ask dumb questions, before you really play around and learn the basics. I figure it's simply because I don't know how to shoot manual (duh!), so I'm going to shut the computer until I have learned the real basics by reading the manual and then I'll be back to ask some more questions.

Thanks all

[Tommy]

When you're ready to learn about exposure and what all that stuff means, get that book that I linked to a few posts back. ;)

[SmileThere]

I have it. That's my first step.