What software do you use when you photograph in RAW?

LaFoto · May 23, 2006

This morning I decided to put my camera into RAW mode for the very first time. So far I have exclusively photographed in jpeg and worked on the pics in Photoshop.

Now I had to use the software that came with the camera (Canon EOS 350D) and somehow fail to see the advantage of RAW over jpeg.

And in order to show you the pics, I have to change even the RAW pics to jpeg, else I cannot load them into any picture server, can I?

So in the end I fail to see the big difference, like between these two:

This one here on the left being the converted RAW-file, and the one on the right being taken as jpeg from the start, with only using "Auto Contrast" on it in Photoshop.

Is the Canon software only minimal?
Is there more that can be done to RAW-files?
Where are the advantages?

Johnboy2978 · May 23, 2006

Corinna, I too recently started playing with RAW instead of jpeg mode. For me, the main advantage is that you can correct the WB if it wasn't quite right to start with. One thing that I have noticed is that I spend more time in trying to get things the way I want it in the camera rather than later, b/c you do have to do some work to even view it or email or post them.
I use CS2 to edit them. CS2 seems to have more options for editing the files than the software that came with my camera, or it's at least organized in a friendlier fashion. The primary advantage I think is that RAW is a lossless format. As I said, I just delved into this end of the pool myself, but I'm sure others will give a much better answer. For webposting, I don't think you are going to see much of a quality difference b/w RAW and jpg.

KenCo · May 23, 2006

I'm sure someone here will be along shortly to tell you the advantages of shooting in raw...I don't have much time and just about to go out.......BUT with raw you have the advantage of adjusting exposure as well as many other benefits. What you have to get used to is, RAW is not a picture as such it's a file, data which can be altered whithout too many adverse reactions to the file, then further process in CS2....Were as the jpg would surely loose quality.
I use Raw shooter premium (not free) but they have also Raw shooter essentials (free) for me it is much more efficient and easier to use and also a lot quicker..but others may not agree. Google it and try it

Arch · May 23, 2006

There are many advantages of editing your pics in raw......... firstly there is the option to alter the exposure and white balence........ secondly it has far Superior resolution..........an easy way to see this on your comp is open both images, raw and jpeg and zoom into each image...... you will see that the resolution is better in the raw file..... when your editing your pictures you are effectively altering the pixels, so in raw this can be done more accurately and with better results. This means that if you were to print your pictures you can output them as high rez tiffs as well as jpeg...... this is even more important if you wanted a large print of a picture.... tiff files produce better results than jpegs. You will not see much difference on the forum because your images are converted to a lower rez anyway.

I can't comment on the canon software, because i use nikon..... but all the advantages of editing raw should be available to you.

LaFoto · May 23, 2006

Is CS2 a version of Photoshop?
One that has the feature to also process RAW-files?
For my ancient old Photoshop 6.0 (which licence ended in 1998!) does not have that ... I wonder whether there already were RAW-files in 1998?

What is this I heard about RAW-files that you can afterwards change exposure, like when you had measured from a nice sky and therefore got a pretty underexposed countryside and want to bring that out, too - in the software I now have (and it is only what came on CDs with the camera) I cannot find any such option, and the Readme is not very helpful...

Arch · May 23, 2006

yea cs2 is basically photoshop 9............ when it comes to photoshops ability to process raw files its a tricky one....... it all depends if adobe has released the correct raw plugin for your camera....... i.e. i can download the plugin for my D50 which will enable ps to read my raw files in CS2....... but the plugin will not work with my other comp which has CS1..... this is because the D50 was released after CS1, so the plugin is not backward compatable. So its doubtful that you'd be able to get a plugin to work with ps6.

Again i cannot comment on your particular canon software but you should be able to alter the EV to + or -..... adjusting the exposure.

As for bringing out the forground of a landscape shot but still leaving the clouds as they are..... this requires those things you've heard about all too often...... layer masks!!....... i know its daunting corinna, but once you've got the hang of them they are very useful for all kinds of photography.

bigfatbadger · May 23, 2006

I use Raw Shooter Essentials

Although I have to admit, I only use raw on tricky exposures (like where I need a big dynamic range)

zedin · May 23, 2006

Raws are also nice when you have really bright and dark areas. You can adjust the exposure for the raw before PS to expose properly for the dark and then repeat for the white. Merge them and you can help bring in the range so that everything is exposed right in a situation that would otherwise be outside your cameras dynamic range. It is the same as doing 2 exposures but with 1 shot. (although doing 2 exposures on digital isn't too bad as long as there is no wind =p)