RAW file size

[shingfan]

i have a D80....most of my RAW files are 7-9MB...mostly around 7-8MB.........but i heard ppl saying that RAW from D200 is 16MB.......i thought D80 and D200 use the same system.....shouldnt their RAW files be about the same size?....why the huge difference...anyone knows?

or my camera is defeative?:er:

 

[EOS_JD]

Perhaps they mean an 8bit tif file which when converted from RAW sounds about right. Your RAW size sounds correct.

8bit Tifs from my 20D are close to 11 or 12Mb..

 

[shingfan]

o...maybe that is why.....becuase i usually convert to 16bit TIFF...about 50MB each.....so i never know what a 8bit TIFF is like.....is 16bit a little overkill?

 

[AluminumStudios]

Nikon raw .nef files from different cameras ARE different sizes. My D50 produces .nef files on the order of 6 mb, my Coolpix 5400 on the other hand produces raws around 8 mb despite being fewer megapixels.

There is no standardization among raw, not even within most manufacturer's lines. How much lossless compression the camera applies, the mosaic pattern of the particular camera's CCD, etc., all come into play.

 

[shingfan]

Nikon raw .nef files from different cameras ARE different sizes. My D50 produces .nef files on the order of 6 mb, my Coolpix 5400 on the other hand produces raws around 8 mb despite being fewer megapixels.

There is no standardization among raw, not even within most manufacturer's lines. How much lossless compression the camera applies, the mosaic pattern of the particular camera's CCD, etc., all come into play.

now i think you are thinking in the wrong direction.....for sure RAW files from all nikon do not share the same RAW file size.....i'm talking about D80 and D200 specifically because they share the same chipset, resolution and sensor which would lead me to think that they should share similar RAW file size

i think D80 and D200 use the same technology in terms of image processing & sensor as far as i see from their spec (ppl call D80 the economic version of D200)

 

[shingfan]

any D200 or D80 users like to comment on this?

 

[fmw]

Not really but the D80 appears to have slightly tighter NEF file sizes, probably due to newer firmware. The chips are the same, the NEF files are same enough but not exactly the same. The D200 would certainly not be 16mb in a NEF file but it could easily be that in a TIFF. The D80 doesn't save to TIFF format so you can't compare that.

 

[hovis]

Have to disagree there old bean I'm afraid. My D200 RAW (.NEF) files are all around the 15- 16 M size, as they come off the camera.

 

[fmw]

Have to disagree there old bean I'm afraid. My D200 RAW (.NEF) files are all around the 15- 16 M size, as they come off the camera.

No kidding? Where would the data come from, I wonder? There is only 10mb worth of data in the first place given a byte per pixel. Strange.

 

[EOS_JD]

See the tables here
true enough 16.7Mb for a D200 NEF

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D200/D200A6.HTM

And the D80 - 12.7Mb
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D80/D80A6.HTM

 

[shingfan]

See the tables here
true enough 16.7Mb for a D200 NEF

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D200/D200A6.HTM

And the D80 - 12.7Mb
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D80/D80A6.HTM

hmm....i guess it depends on the frame....a few of my RAWs do go up to 12MB...but average 9MB....but D80's RAW is compressed.....whereas D200 is uncompressed....that's why the difference....but the difference is unnoticable if using nikon capture to process.....i guesss i got the answer

fmw....i read somewhere that RAW uses 12bit....

 

[Alex_B]

fmw....i read somewhere that RAW uses 12bit....

True, at least for the cameras I know.... but then again I do not know all cameras

 

[hovis]

12 bit for the D200...

 

[fmw]

12 bit for the D200...

Ah! It just goes to show you how we can get into trouble making assumptions. Then they aren't the same sensor at all, let alone the same firmware. Thanks for the correction.

 

[shingfan]

Ah! It just goes to show you how we can get into trouble making assumptions. Then they aren't the same sensor at all, let alone the same firmware. Thanks for the correction.

i think they are the same sensor....but D200 has the option of storing uncompressed RAW whereas D80 compress the RAW data....but i can be wrong.....D80's RAW does go up to more than 10MP....so for sure it is not using 8bit (8 bit will limit the file size to be 10MP max)....but 12bit instead