What format do you output to?

Up to now I've been backing up all my RAW files and outputting a maximum-quality jpeg after all the PP, but I think I'm running into some posterization in large, smooth areas (especially noticeable in black and white pictures). Is jpeg the best choice here? Is there any widespread, practical format that doesn't create massive files and retains 16-bit color depth?

Do you keep ALL your RAW files or just the keepers after you have culled the unwanted?

The best lossless format is probably TIFF and in real terms storage is cheap.

I keep all my original RAW files in a kind of digital negative file, then save the post processed images as TIFF files seperately. This is all stored on a dual-drive 2TB external hard drive, because otherwise my PC would grind to a halt.

armis wrote in post #13988629
Up to now I've been backing up all my RAW files and outputting a maximum-quality jpeg after all the PP, but I think I'm running into some posterization in large, smooth areas (especially noticeable in black and white pictures). Is jpeg the best choice here? Is there any widespread, practical format that doesn't create massive files and retains 16-bit color depth?

Are you out putting for a specific use, or just because you can?

I only convert a raw file to an output format if it's needed for something.
99% of the time, that is JPEG, but occasionally I will output TIFF which retains what ever the cameras bit depth was up to 16bit (which is 8bit, 10bit or 14bit, most of the canon SLRS are 10 or 14bit).


If there is no use for the image it stays as a RAW file, why convert it if your not doing anything with it?


Posterization in JPEG can occur if your saving to a low quality setting, or viewing them on a low end monitor, or uploading to somewhere that is re-sizing them, or the printer is not very good.
Otherwise the 8bit JPEG should be very smooth.

I keep all the RAW files. Maybe I should take out the obvious out of focus and blurred ones, but as you say storage is cheap. However TIFF files? I've had individual TIFF files go up to hundreds of megabytes (panorama composed shot) and that's just not manageable. Storage is cheap but 60 Mo files are just unwieldy. Is there really nothing that bridges the gap between 10 Mo jpegs and 60 Mo tiffs (double that if I save them in 16 bit/channel)?

edit: @Moppie: I output because I always have *some* post processing I need to do, if only basic sharpening, and I can't save that to a RAW file. I like having final pictures I can upload here and there, send to friends, print and frame on a whim and put on my tablet to view on the fly.
The posterization I ran into was after uploading to Picasa, which does resize and, I suspect, also compresses more. I can't do anything about that though. However, if I look closely, I can sometimes spot it in my full-size, max quality jpegs. I've never actually printed one of those I could see posterization in but I'd hate to do so one day and see big blobs of color.

Here's an example (hope you can see it):

What are you using for your raw conversion?

Your problem sounds like more to do with file mangement than simple jpeg compression.

I manage all of my images with in lightroom in what ever format they were taken.
Then I just export to share, deliver to customer, print etc.
The same image can then get exported at 800pixels for the web, at high res jpeg for print and as tiff if lots of post is needed in photoshop.
Most of the editing and sharpening then occurs in lightroom.

Try PNG, see this:
http://morris-photographics.com …/articles/png-format.html

In any case, your processed file will be at least 3 times as big as RAW (assuming RGB) as it stores multiple channel values at each pixel while the RAW only has one.

I use ACR for conversion, and most often I open the shots to PS afterwards.

I'll try PNG, see how it works for me compared to jpg and tiff, thanks.

I cull the raws, store them externally and output when needed for the specific purpose, then delete the outputs.

Jpeg, raw kept. Image sharing services compress the heck out of images to save space, don't judge image quality based on what they show.

tim wrote in post #13991876
Jpeg, raw kept. Image sharing services compress the heck out of images to save space, don't judge image quality based on what they show.

True but the OP did say:

So what he needs (or rather WANTS ) is a lossless compression image format that can store 16 bit images. TIFF can do that but TIFFs inbuilt lossless compression is unsuitable for 16-bit images, thus PNG.