RAW - Is it really that simple?

[jonrayner]

I have just started using RAW files (well to be precise RAW + JPEG), and when looking at the RAW conversion software it seems to be that you can amend it however you want. Now with that in mind does that mean that, within reason, the only thing you have to worry about is the composition and camera shake. As long as you get the exposure roughly correct, it can be amended before you ever get to the photoshop stage.

Before everyone tells me, I do realise that the better the shot to begin with, the less post-work is necessary and the 'cleaner' the picture.

At present, I still get confused with all the settings, there is so much you can do (white balance, exposure balancing, filters etc etc), but after this weekend I converted to RAW and forgot all about all the 'other settings' and I was fairly pleased with the results (don't get me wrong, I still have a long way to go).

So is RAW the way to go?

[gjtoth]

So is RAW the way to go?

Without question. The beauty part of working with RAW is when you "develop" your RAW file into a jpg, you keep the RAW in it's original form. Therefore, if you see something you don't like in the jpg, you can reopen the RAW file, do your PP, and save the new jpg with little quality loss. Unlike working with a jpg, the more you save, the more you lose.

[dkippen]

John -

I believe I have the same camera as you do - Rebel XTI and I've been shooting almost exclusively in RAW since I got the camera in Sept. So, yes - shooting RAW is the way to go. Even though you start out with larger files, you can go back at a later date and adjust settings again and again and again. As it was explaine to me, RAW is basically a digital negative.

For example - I took this pictures on a very cloudy, gray overcast day.

http://www.pbase.com/photonanax2/north_shore (click next to continue).

I then adjusted my settings in Camera Raw (Adobe's version of DPP), then continued adjusting in Photoshop.

These were taken before I got the Rebel. All were shot in jpeg, however if I need to go back and "fix", the quality will start to degrade, whereas with RAW, you will always have an original to go back to.

http://www.pbase.com/photonanax2/before_dslr

And yes - it does take a lot of practice.

Happy Shooting and then Processing.

[Snappers]

Raw is the way forward. For all the reasons people have stated above.
I recently changed to shooting in Raw + Jpeg. So far, so Good.