20D and RAW

Hello all, I just got the 20D and am new to the DSLR thing. I'm trying to figure out how to get the camera to get to take images in RAW mode. The camera wont let me. I keep following the direction in the book. But nothing happens. Heres what it says. select qualityturn the dial camera icon then press set. Then it has the letters with the fine and normal icons. There arent any with the RAW+Jpeg. What could I be doing wrong.

RAW is only available in the creative modes (P, Tv, Av, M). Not in the green box mode or any of the other preset modes. Doesn't the manual mention that?

Nope the manual doesnt. Now I know why I could'nt figure it out.
Thanks

Page 46, in bold.

Justin Horne wrote:
Page 46, in bold.

Don't you just hate it when that happens?

OK now I'm in the TV mode and I scroll thru the menu and get to the page that give me the abitly to pick the RAW mode I Highlight "that" hit the set button. Now after the photo was taken I bring the card to the PC and I open the file for the card reader and I'll pick an image. And The info doesn't say anything about being in RAW it says that its a JPEG. What am I doing wrong? Please help.

Use Explorer (i.e. the file explorer) to browse the folder on your card. You should see ".CR2" files which is the extension for the Canon RAW images. Drag these onto your disc and open the folder using an application that supports RAW, e.g. Canon's "Digital Photo Pro".

Assuming the CR2 files are there, you must have set the camera to save both formats. This can be convenient, but of course takes up a lot of extra disc space (depending on the quality you chose). Once/if you become comfortable with RAW or you can't cope with the extra files, then you can change the camera setting to RAW only.

Set the camera to RAW first and then take the picture. Once the picture has been taken in JPEG mode and then converted and saved as a JPEG the camera cannot convert if back to RAW.

What In need is to set the camera to RAW. It wont let me I'll choose the set button and I think it has set to RAW. but it dosen't. Please help. Do I need to send the camera back? I belive its something I'm doing wrong

Just to make sure you're doing it correctly, please confirm that you've done the following:
1. Set the Mode dial to "P".
2. Press the MENU button, select "Quality" and press the SET button. Change the quality to RAW (only) and press SET again.
3. Take a photo. Make sure the Mode dial is still set to "P".
4. Copy the file to your PC.
Does the file have a name that ends in ".CR2"?

If not and you have followed the above steps exactly, then it looks like you do have a problem.

The important thing (as Jesper mentioned above) is that you can only make RAW files in one of the "Creative Zone" modes. Another important thing is that you can have a different Quality setting for the "Basic Zone" modes, i.e. the ones with the pictures and the green square. If you set the camera to RAW while the mode is in the Creative Zone, then take photos with the mode in Basic Zone - then you will not get RAW (CR2) files.

Good luck!

I see in your sig that you also have a "Canon Powershot A80". I mention this because, I also have a A80. I also had a DRebel.
The software I got with the A80 was fine with downloading the photo's with the Drebel (jpeg and raw), but not with the 20D.
I was so sure I was shooting raw+S-jpeg when I got my 20d, but when I downloaded photos, all I had were the jpegs. I couldn't fiqure out why I didn't get my raw files.
After updating the software, everything was fine. Could this be the cause ?.
The 20d raw files are "*.CR2", and the software that came with A80 and Rebel did not download these for me.

-hope this helps

jr#8 - while you are trying to solve your problem I recommend you don't use the downloading software that came with the camera. Use the PC's file explorer to copy the file from the card-reader. Once you've confirmed you are getting a CR2 file, then try the downloading-software that came with the 20D (or the updated A80 software).

I had a similar issue with my MKII. When I used the USB cable and connected my camera directly to my PC I got dual Jpegs with the same filename. When I took the CF card out of the camera and put it into a card reader I got my Small Jpeg and RAW image files. Odd, really threw me a loop until I decided to start using my card reader again.

Hope this helps...

Lancea, Thankx that was it it worked fine. I just had to roll the wheel backwards. [/QUOTE] Just to make sure you're doing it correctly, please confirm that you've done the following:
1. Set the Mode dial to "P".
2. Press the MENU button, select "Quality" and press the SET button. Change the quality to RAW (only) and press SET again.
3. Take a photo. Make sure the Mode dial is still set to "P".
4. Copy the file to your PC.
Does the file have a name that ends in ".CR2"?[QUOTE]

Great! Glad we were able to help.