Raw vs Jpeg?

[TheEVP]

I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I currently shoot my images in jpeg format. I've heard many photographers say shooting RAW is better but nobody can explain to me why? My understanding is that 1) the file is larger and 2) when it comes to viewing, most computers will not read .raw files and need to convert to jpeg anyways. Can someone please take a moment to explain to me the advantages and disadvantages of RAW? Thanks in advance!

 

[amolitor]

RAW is best if you're planning on doing any substantial editing. It has a great deal more information in it than the JPEG format does.

JPEG is fine for a "final output" format, and if you only plan to do minor tweaking (cropping, a little light brightening up/darkening down, some cleanup, whatever).

RAW is absolutely necessary if you're not sure about your exposure and might need to make substantial changes to it after you've shot it. Things like white balance are also better adjusted starting from RAW, especially if you're making large alterations.

 

[DarkShadow]

Here is a video that may help. RAW vs JPEG Side by Side Comparison | Fro Knows Photo

 

[Big Mike]

Why Raw -- Part I

 

[KmH]

The important difference is that Raw files have 12-bit or 14-bit color depth.
JPEG is limited to a 8-bit color depth, and is designed to be a finished ready-to-print file type. However, in-the-camera JPEG edits to contrast, saturation, sharpening, etc are all done to the entire image.
A Raw file is not ready to print, and has to be finished outside the camera using Raw conversion software.

A JPEG is made from a Raw file. When your camera is set to JPEG it starts with a Raw file and then it throws away enough image data to get from 12-bits or 14-bits to the 8-bits JPEG is limited to.
Photo Editing Tutorials

 

[TheEVP]

So I should be shooting in RAW? When I upload them to the computer and import them into LR, edit them and then export them, will LR convert the raw file to jpeg so it's more easily uploaded to my online storage? I'm sorry for all the questions but I'm still green.

 

[imagemaker46]

Personal preference.

 

[tigidig4x]

can i sink in to the questions? I am also shooting RAW all the time. Do i really need to face the consequences of having heavy file sizes? Or is there a trick or some solution to this one that i could do to not easily eat my space up? Thanks so much...

 

[vintagesnaps]

Depends on your purpose too I think, sometimes you might want to keep shooting a series of images one after the other and JPEG might work better. My camera is DNG so it automatically produces both a Raw and a JPEG image from that; usually if I save the Raw as a JPEG it's better quality but sometimes there isn't that much difference.

I started out shooting digitally in JPEG thinking that shooting Raw/DNG would be more difficult but for me it wasn't. I'm a film photographer so to me it's more like shooting film in that if I get the image framed and composed well, and get a proper exposure, I usually don't do any post processing beyond opening in Photoshop to view, save, organize, print. Other times I might do some minor adjusting with contrast etc. or at times a photo may need more adjustments.

The Windows viewer on my computer won't open DNG files so maybe that's why you've read that some people say computers won't open Raw files; I need Photoshop to view my DNG photos.

 

[Big Mike]

So I should be shooting in RAW? When I upload them to the computer and import them into LR, edit them and then export them, will LR convert the raw file to jpeg so it's more easily uploaded to my online storage? I'm sorry for all the questions but I'm still green.

From Lightroom, you can export them them as JPEG, TIFF, PSD etc.

 

[Soulz3urn3lack]

That's why the D7000 shines for the semi-experienced photog. 2 card slots that can be set to shoot raw on one and Jpeg on the other. Otherwise you don't have many options. I have a 32gig card and can shoot 800+ shots in raw before I have to switch out. They are cheap (If you don't need one with high speed).

 

[TheEVP]

Not too worried about storage. I have a 1gb HD, a 1gb backup drive and I delete the pictures from my card after I import and back them up. Plus they are also stored online in 2 different places. Not too worried about losing them. Also, I used to work as a rep for Sony in their mobile division and have m2 and micro-sd cards & adapters all over the damn place.

 

[CCTjohn]

I am by no means any kind of expert, at least not enough to offer true advice but I can tell you what I do and why. I shoot in RAW + Jpeg.

From what I understand on the two is that RAW is a capture of every bit of information captured by the camera's sensor allowing you access to all of that info so that you can process the way you want the image to look.

Jpeg is the Camera's "Opinion" if you will, of what the image should look like.

The reason I shoot both is that more times than not my family is with me and some of the images of them are just candid snap shots and I don't want to bother with processing them before giving them to the wife for her "Family Photos" But the images I shoot for my "Photography" folder I will process myself, as well as I can that is.

This way I can just shoot and worry about the rest later. I have found myself lately doing a lot of on site deleting. Since I am just learning if something is obviously a really bad exposure or has lot of motion blur or I just simply don't like I drop it off the camera and this has saved me a lot of space on the SD card.

Again, not advice, just what I do...

 

[Soulz3urn3lack]

Not too worried about storage. I have a 1gb HD, a 1gb backup drive and I delete the pictures from my card after I import and back them up. Plus they are also stored online in 2 different places. Not too worried about losing them. Also, I used to work as a rep for Sony in their mobile division and have m2 and micro-sd cards & adapters all over the damn place.

lol I definitely posted this in the wrong thread. Dunno how it got here instead of the other "RAW" topic on here.

 

[TheEVP]

No worries.