G6 -Shooting RAW vs Jpeg

Hi fellow Canon users,
I have had a few Canon Cameras in my days.
AE1 Program SLR, and more recently, the Canon G6, - 7.1 MP.

I usually shoot at the highest resolution setting ( L = 3072x2304) and S = Superfine for mostly everything, then bring it into Photoshop for editing, cropping, saving as a .JPG, then either output to larger Photographs...i.e.: 11x14,12x36,etc. with reasonably good results, or compressing/reducing the file size for faster e-mail or smaller prints like 4x6,5x7,or 8x10, with good clarity and detail.

.Jpg for me is easy, but I was just told today from a camera store (because I never read this section of the owners manual) to try shooting in RAW format which is 16Bit, compared to .Jpg 8Bit, so I would obviously get twice the benefit from my photographs. Is this true? If so, I now feel like a dumb^%s!

This guy at the camera store has the new G12, and the ISO level is far better as far as noise than my G6.3200 vs. my 400 ISO. He also said I could shoot Landscapes and Portraits using RAW, but all I see RAW options is from the PROGRAM and all the above Tv, Av, M, C1, and C2, but nothing below the Program mode.

This past summer, I recently took a sunset photo from Corona Del mar, Ca., with my G6, although there were a few "keepers", one came out good enough to make it on the back cover of our local newspaper weather page, but the sun was full of ambient glare, and I wished for something a little less glare, and more defined orange ball, or sphere...What lens would help on that?

I have been looking into buying a tele-converter adapter lens with a Polarizing UV filter. Primarily to protect the original 7.2-28.8mm lens.

Is this the only route to go, or do these adapters cause less favorable results?

What would be a good set up with lenses?

Thanks for all or any help!

Wow, you are setting the stage for a lot of controversial comments! Although you will doubtless receive comments to the contrary, I believe that the G12 would prove to be an upgrade from your G6 (never had a G6 but have the G3, G9 and G12). Likewise, processing from RAW -- if you are so inclined -- will produce better images.

RAW is only available from Program, Av, Tv and Manual modes for all the G series.

A polarizing filter will help any of the G series in strong light. The tele-converter will help to extend the focal length although different adapters are necessary for each model.

My impression is that the G6 is a good one. You'd probably be wise to explore RAW processing from the G6 files before committing to RAW processing from the G12. However, even though I don't know for a certainty, I suspect that the G12 JPEG will offer improvements from the corresponding G6 JPEG.

Good luck and let us (the forum) know the results of your decision and comparisons.

Gordan, thanks for your input.

I guess I did not want to replace my Canon G6 lens, but wanted to know the options as far as using the Polarizing, UV, or any other color lenses for different effects as I did with my Canon AE1 SLR.

I took a few sample shots using both RAW and .Jpg and when I opened the RAW images, Photoshop CS3 opened up the editing page to manipulate the raw image, which was cool.

I added a sunset to give you an idea what I'm talking about. Thanks!

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Color filters from the film days are not used very much with digital cameras. Such adjustments are typically done with "white balance". Your G6 probably has white balance settings. It is common to shoot in RAW mode and then make white balance adjustments during post processing.

You should get a polarizing filter; polarizing effects are best done with the filter and not in post processing. You'll need the adapter tube to hold the polarizing filter -- or just hold the filter in your hand.

Here's a link to my post on lens adapters (G6 takes a different one): http://lightdescriptio​n.blogspot.com …anon-adapters-for-g9.html