RAW...converting to Jpeg

[Big Mike]

Sounds like they are in 16 bit mode. Convert them to 8 bit and should should be able to save them as JPEG.

 

[Resin42]

Do I do that in Lightroom or Photoshop?

 

[Big Mike]

You could probably set that as an export option in Lightroom...but you can also do it in photoshop. Image/mode/8 bit.

The 'best' workflow is probably to keep in in 16 bit as long as you can, and then only 'dumb it down' to 8 bit when you are saving/exporting a JPEG for print or web viewing. Although, that makes for large files and most people couldn't tell the difference anyway.

 

[Resin42]

Thanks, that could save me a fare bit of time.

 

[royalWITHcheese2]

Thanks, that could save me a fare bit of time.

That's exactly it, I would do it in PS too right before you are about to save.

 

[TamiyaGuy]

I'd agree with Mike: Try and keep the file as a 16-bit TIFF for as long as you can while editing, then convert it to a JPG for when you want to view it on the web. Also, some photo printing services don't accept TIFF files, you you may need to convert to a JPG for that.

To be honest, this is only worthwhile if you have many stages to your image editing. I use JPG most of the time, and it doesn't completely murder the image quality. But if I was ever to shoot pro, I'd definitely work with TIFF files.

One last thing: Be sure to delete all the "version 0.xx" versions of your image. TIFFs are big and can take up hard drive space very quickly.

 

[grimm5577]

wait.. you are converting the raw to a tiff to edit? why not edit the raw file? you'll have much better control and won't loose much quality. Then re-size depending on what the ultimate goal will be. Personally I don't save any files as tiff. I keep the raw file, and in my case also the DNG, then save them down to 800px x ###px so i can upload them to my site, and have a fast preview for them if i want to print or yadda yadda.

 

[Fangman]

I would recomend a download of Lightroom beta (FREE) from the Adobe site if it is still available - this will give you an excellent workflow for large numbers of images and will download directly from your card and save them under a date named file in any folder you nominate. It also is good for space by saving just a text file of any editing you do in its RAW converter and gives you a preview of what you have done. I prefer the layout of the RAW engine in LRoom to that in CS3.

 

[three_eyed_otter]

Just DL'ed Lightroom...Worked a charm. Can't wait to try it on my faster laptop. Thanks for the direction--Lightroom was exactly was I was looking.

have a good one
3Eo`