Camera settings while shooting in RAW

[Captain IK]

I think I know the answer to this but would like to confirm...
If you shoot in RAW, camera settings such as "vivid , portrait, monochrome, colour balance" etc. are useless. Correct?
Assuming shooting in manual, exposure compensation is also useless. Correct?
and even shooting in aperture or shutter priority exposre values are not as important...presumably because it is easier to adjust exposure in a RAW file?

So basically while shooting in RAW you are simply capturing all the data available to the sensor and any filters, adjustments etc can be applied in PP.

 

[Big Mike]

If you shoot in RAW, camera settings such as "vivid , portrait, monochrome, colour balance" etc. are useless. Correct?

I believe those setting still affect how the image looks on the LCD and maybe even the 'as shot' settings in your RAW software...but as I understand it, those settings can be adjusted in post...so don't need to be fiddled with while shooting.

Assuming shooting in manual, exposure compensation is also useless. Correct?

Pretty much. With my camera (and most Canons I think)...there is no exposure compensation in manual mode. The same control that you would use to change the EC in auto modes...controls either the shutter speed or aperture when you are in manual mode. I think I read that Nikons are different, and you can adjust the EC in manual mode...and it adjusts a bias for the 'needle' on your expose scale/meter.

and even shooting in aperture or shutter priority exposure values are not as important...presumably because it is easier to adjust exposure in a RAW file?

Exposure is always important. Yes, RAW files do have more flexibility in terms of exposure...but you should still strive for optimal exposures. If in doubt, bracket.

So basically while shooting in RAW you are simply capturing all the data available to the sensor and any filters, adjustments etc can be applied in PP.

You are saving all the data from the sensor...without the in-camera processing that you would get with a JPEG file.

 

[Captain IK]

Thanks Mike,

That's pretty much what I thought.

 

[Seefutlung]

Correct exposure is still important for your final IQ, under or over exposed RAW files will still be over and under exposed resulting in dark noisey images or images with un-recoverable blown highlights.

RAW does a great job in color balancing, but it is not a magical setting ... just another tool which can be used to fine tune you photos.

Gary

 

[Miami Photographer]

Great info!!

 

[JE Kay]

Think of shooting RAW files like shooting film, if you don't know what you're doing you'll get crap, well if you shoot manually that is. A RAW file is just unprocessed data captured by the sensor. It allows you to control most aspects of your post image file. Other than shooting to post something online, I can't image why anyone would by a 1K + DSLR and shoot in jpg format, but that's just me.

Something useful is to look-up ETTR, or exposing to the right. It's a whole study on shooting RAW files. It will help you to generate better files to work with.

What you see in the LCD has nothing to do with the RAW file as far as output goes. You can use the 'brightness' to kinda judge the exposure a bit, but it's not what the RAW file will show in an editor.

 

[Seefutlung]

You cannot see RAW in the in-camera LCD. The camera also creates a small JPEG file which it inbeds into the RAW file and that small JPEG is what is shown on the camera LCD.

 

[JE Kay]

The other thing about those low end jpeg previews is that they make it impossible to use the LCD as a precise focus checking device. I guess it depends on the camera as far as how much the image is 'softened up'. In saying that, the previews do look pretty awesome on the 50D :mrgreen: