raw images

[polock]

should i be saving in raw format if i have no clue about editing yet?

also to sum a few questions up in one post.... what ISO should i use for outside nature landscapes

 

[Applefanboy]

Yes. It is worth it to learn how to edit RAWs.

 

[Alfred D.]

should i be saving in raw format if i have no clue about editing yet?

Yes, you should be shooting in RAW (not saving) if you want to learn.

also to sum a few questions up in one post.... what ISO should i use for outside nature landscapes

That depends on the (amount of) available light and the effect(s) you want.

 

[polock]

is it necessary to have a good photo editing program to shoot in raw?

right now i just have the zoom that came with the canon

 

[Big Mike]

is it necessary to have a good photo editing program to shoot in raw?

It's not necessary but it helps, especially if you have a high number of images to go through. If you camera scan shoot in RAW, it will have come with software to open/convert them.
Basically, what you do is open the RAW files and make some adjustments at that point. You can then save the images into a standard image format like TIFF or JPEG. You can then use any editing program to do as you please with them. Sometimes the included software is adaquate for all of you editing needs.

As for ISO. You should always use the lowest ISO when you can. You might want to raise the ISO when you need a faster shutter speed (to avoid blur) and you are already at your maximum aperture.

 

[Alfred D.]

is it necessary to have a good photo editing program to shoot in raw?

right now i just have the zoom that came with the canon

"Zoom" seems to only be a browser. Not an editing app.

To use RAW you need a RAW converter and an image editing app. Adobe CS3 Photoshop – the pro standard, and therefore not suitable for newbs! – combines them in one suite, but is extremely expensive and has a very steep learning curve.
Better start with a freeware RAW converter and a freeware editor. There are loads of those around. Which one(s) might be suitable for you depends firstly on what operating system you run on your computer (XP? Vista? OSX? Linux?).

 

[polock]

i heard that paint shop pro is decent? is it easier than photoshop?

i am running vista

 

[tirediron]

PaintShopPro is excellent; granted it doesn't have all of the power of Photoshop, but, nor does it have the $700+ price tag. It has all of the important features, levels, curves, HDR merge and many others. It can also use most Photoshop plug-ins. If you're really budget concious and don't mind a little bit of a learning curve, The GIMP is an outstanding FREEware image editor ('though I'm unsure of it's abiltiy to deal with RAW files) www.gimp.org

 

[Alfred D.]

i heard that paint shop pro is decent?

Sure it's 'decent'. But it's not (at all) free...

is it easier than photoshop?

A bit, but not very much.

i am running vista

OK, have a look at the free editors on this list. I don't run Vista, but I hear Helicon Filter is a good (free) editor. Its specs say it's for Windows XP. No mention of Vista. But maybe it runs under Vista too. Try it.

A free RAW converter:
Raw Therapee

A shareware RAW converter & image editor:
PhotoLine32
(You get a 'trial version', but I've had it installed for years and it still works).

Have fun!

 

[MACollum]

"Zoom" seems to only be a browser. Not an editing app.

To use RAW you need a RAW converter and an image editing app. Adobe CS3 Photoshop – the pro standard, and therefore not suitable for newbs! – combines them in one suite, but is extremely expensive and has a very steep learning curve.
Better start with a freeware RAW converter and a freeware editor. There are loads of those around. Which one(s) might be suitable for you depends firstly on what operating system you run on your computer (XP? Vista? OSX? Linux?).

Zoom Browser has limited RAW processing capabilities, but you can do the basics with it. You should also have Digital Photo Professional bundled with your camera software. It will allow you to edit your RAW images. It is a little clumsy but it will get the job done and the pictures will look good. Then you would save them as TIFF or JPG (like Big Mike said). Batch processing can be done as well.

 

[asfixiate]

Does anyone else sense Mav joining in on this soon?

 

[dEARlEADER]

Does anyone else sense Mav joining in on this soon?

lol.... he's tired.... we already had a RAW/JPEG thread today....

 

[JerryPH]

Why does this question come up like 3-4 times a month? It always ends the same, the same answers are shown, eventually, the same pics will be shown... why not do a search instead of asking, the answer is out there.

 

[asfixiate]

It comes up because I think people buy their cameras and keep them in the box...besides taking camera out of box messing around and learning how to use it and learn how to look at results its easier to ask someone how to do it.

People ask what settings to use before they even go to the place. People ask what type of image to create before trying it.

I admit Ive asked a good amount of questions before looking but that was also before i found the search button here. I did however draw my own conclusion on what camera to get as well as have only been asking recommendation questions after providing the research I've done.

 

[Alfred D.]

Why does this question come up like 3-4 times a month? It always ends the same, the same answers are shown, eventually, the same pics will be shown... why not do a search instead of asking, the answer is out there.

Why?
Three reasons: ignorance, stupidity, and laziness.