RAW questions

[phogan22]

I have started trying to work with RAW, and I was wondering if it's best to store it as a RAW or process it right away? So far, I have been processing some and moving the original RAW files to a subfolder..

Thanks!

 

[ann]

IMHO, i always made a copy of all my images and i only shoot in raw. (in fact i over kill and have 4 copies of everything).

then when i want to work on a raw file, i make a dupicated and convert that to a tiff file, making backup copies of that as well.

it all depends on your workflow. I usually just load the files from the card into the proper folders the evening or no later than the week they were taken.

it might take me a very long time to go back and decide on what if any i will work with. This habit is a carry over of working with negatives ; i rarelly print a negative taken and developed in the same year as i like time and space to occur before printing.

there is no right or wrong way, just what makes you happy.

 

[TCimages]

I archive several copies of the RAW only. Convert them when I want the image.

 

[Overread]

I would say process when you can - right after it can be easier to remember the colours you were looking at - whilst a month down the line you won't remember as well.

As for keeping - alwasy keep you RAWs - they are your digital negative of the shot and as they don't degrade over time are alwasy there to be editing again if you ever want to - plus they are also useful if you ever have to make a claim that a shot of yours has been stolen - if you have the RAW its easier than if you just have a jpeg - even if it is full sized

keep and back-up your RAWs and I would also say backup your fullsized edit (either a Tiff or JPEG) as well

 

[phogan22]

ok thanks for the tips, what is the main difference between TIFF and JPEG? I think JPEG is used for a lot more (internet uploads, etc.) but I don't really know much about how they're actually different..

 

[ann]

tiff is not a lossy file and yes jpeg files are used for the internet and for sending along in emails as they take less time to open.

 

[Overread]

To expand on the above a Tiff file will not lose data (non-lossy) when it is opened and edited and saved ; whislt a JPGE will lose data over successive saves - thus if you know you are going to be editing a photo several times its best to save as Tiff or as photoshops own save format (if you use photoshop).
For general viewing JPEG is better as it is considerably small in file size - hence also why it is used on the net

 

[Mitch1640]

what is the difference between a TIFF file and a RAW file

 

[Overread]

A RAW file is unprocessed data from the camera sensor - it needs to be converted into a readable file by a RAW converter (included with your camear box on a CD - and many editing programs also interface with this software as well so you can open and edit the shots in them). You cannot save a photo as a RAW as RAW is unprocessed and once you open and edit it its processed and has to be saved as a file.
This is where JPEG and TIFF come in:
TIFF won't lose the data on subsequant edits and saves on that file, but its very large in file size
JPEG will lose data on subsequant edits and saves to that file; but it is considerably smaller in file size.

However neither JPEG nor TIFF will lose data when you view the photo - just when you save and edit it again for JPEG (the amount of editing does not matter, its the act of saving the file that loses the data).
Essentially if you have a photo you are working on and have to turn off the computer or close the editing program its best to save in TIFF to come back to; or if you are editing a shot a few times as you can't quite get the result you want first time around. However always keep you RAW files on your computer (or on a backup drive or DVD) as they are your digital negative for each shot - as they are never edited or changed if you ever want to go back and edit a shot again the RAWs are there to work from - much better than working from an edited shot. Also if you only shoot JPEG always use the "Save As" command when saving for the first time so that you don't overwrite the original JPEG from the camera - keep that as a digital negative for a shot so you can go back to the start again with editing.

 

[PNA]

After copying RAW files to my hard drive, I've recently been reworking the RAW and saving in Photoshop PSD. I like the fact that layers are saved and can be reopened when editing. I know TIFF does the sane thing, but mentally I feel safer with PS files while working in PS.



Comments??????

 

[Overread]

*forgot about them*
PSD files are just as good as Tiff - the only down side to them as a file is that they won't work on anything but a computer with photoshops installed and don't show when using image viewers like windows picture viewer - so you can't scroll through a series of PSD files to look at them - but for a shot you are editing or want to keep the layers of then a PSD is a good formate to save in. Like TIFF its also Lossless so you don't lose anything with more saves

 

[PNA]

Very true.....,but at least they can be converted to TIFF files at will. And Bridge can be the viewer in place of MPV, on the PS working computer. I'm agreeing with you, but I'm making excuses.....

 

[patrickt]

I archive in raw and have a file of JPEGs on my hard drive for casual use. I archive the raw files because the editing programs keep getting better and better and I get better at editing.