RAW Users Please Look!

almo

TPF Noob!
Joined
Aug 20, 2005
Messages
40
Reaction score
0
Location
The drippy bit at the bottom of the East Coast.
Website
jc-photoguy.tripod.com
Ok I am gearing up for the switch to I would saw at the least 95% RAW shooting, but I have some questions first, and I wanna get the answers from the people that use RAW themselves. Even better from those that made the begruging switch themselves.

Ok here are my concerns.

I have a file system set up that I really like, but I really don't think I wanna go mixing up RAW TIF & JPG's all over the place. Currently I have no separation because I have so few TIF or RAW files. The way i am set up at the file level looks like this:

untitled.jpg


As you can see I have my pictures floder sub cated by camera and then by subject types. Here is the thing that I am thinking. Am I going to need 3 D30 folders one for each file type? I don't mind that really. I just can't think of anything else.

Then there is the conversion factor. I have PS& and no money, so PS RAW conversion software is out of the question. I am using the zoom browser and it seems to be doing ok I guess, but there isn't a way to fine tune before you convert so i have just been leaving everything in default and converting to 16bit TIFF's. This is a problem because 16 bit 3MP images are 18MB's and that is a lot to deal with. I only have 80 gigs to use up right now. What would be the difference in switching to using 8bit? I read that you should do all of your editing in 16 bit then convert to 8bit and leave it alone. Is this right?

I am looking at switching up to a 6 or 8 DSLR pretty soon and those files are just going to be HUGE!

Please give me some advice on this. I am getting more into macro and I am really starting to see the short comings of the JPEGs more then ever.

Thanks!
 
almo said:
What would be the difference in switching to using 8bit? I read that you should do all of your editing in 16 bit then convert to 8bit and leave it alone. Is this right?

a 16 bit file has 65,536 tones per channel while 8-bit only has 256.;)
 
If you're going to be shooting RAW why can't you just put them in the same categories as you already have? Why do you 'need' to seperate your file types? That might give us more ideas to give you as how to organise them.
 
I file all the file types in different folders in the same subject folder.

clients
weddings
john doe
RAW
edited
web

Check out Pixmantic's Rawshooters Essentials at

http://www.pixmantec.com/index2.html

With a DSLR you are going to fill up 80gb pretty fast. Start saving for another internal or external hard drive.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top