Adobe Photoshop CS3 Format

[macdsean]

I have recently started using the latest version of Adobe Photoshop (CS3). My previous version of Photoshop did not edit RAW files directly, so I had to use Aperature to export them as .jpg, and then edit the .jpg in Photoshop (not ideal, I know).

So now that I have CS3 and can edit RAW photos (in my case Nikon RAW photos, .NEF) what format should I save the photos in after editing? CS3 can't save the photos as .NEF. I have been using .tif but the file size is very large. What format do you recommend. Does saving as a .psd preserve all of the detail and is it lossless, or should I really be saving to .tif to avoid degradation of quality. Thanks for the help.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

If you've pretty much done your major adjustments, jpeg. But if you're going to do more major changes in CS3, then tiff.

 

[macdsean]

Shouldn't you have a tiff backup of all your edited images in case you ever want to edit them again? Or do you just keep the original RAW file, edit it, and then convert it to JPEG.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I can count the number of times i've gone back to re-work an image on one hand, and when I have, i've always opted for starting form the ground up again because it really needs it. The only times i've re-worked images are when i'm not really happy with them, or in the case of one, lost the edited version of it and needed to start over again.

 

[reg]

But if you're going to do more major changes in CS3, then tiff.

No way! If you're going to do more major changes, the ones you already made might not look as originally intended, or you might simply find a slight spot where this or this looks bad and you can just erase the layer with the effect and voila.

PSD is definitely the way to go if you're going to do more major changes in CS3. If not, or if you simply don't end up with really complex layer masks and gradient maps and blah blah blah blah then jpg/tiff is what you're looking for.

 

[johngpt]

I agree with Reg. I find that I do go back to rework images when I get another idea. Because I've saved as a .psd I can "save as" a new image, or just turn off visibility of some layers and create new layers. Or because my adjustments were on adjustment layers, I can just refine that layer. I prefer to maximise my options for later.

I often read in some photo magazines, such as Digital Photo or Practical Photography, that at the end of a tutorial, the author says flatten and save. My feeling is that this negates the advantage one has by having saved in psd format.

And I believe that the psd format is a "lossless" format.