shooting RAW, I'm confuse

[schumionbike]

I'm not sure if I understand this right. You shoot raw because it allow you more freedom with it come to editing rather than jpeg. So if you shoot raw, you'll still retain the image quality when it come to editing and adjusting right? So shoot RAW, edited the photo in RAW, and then convert file into JPEG after you're done messing around? I use mainly Picassa and that thing doesn't allow to edit the raw image does it? I have Nikon capture NX. If someone can make this process clearer to me, that would be great, thanks!!!

 

[Big Mike]

That's the basic idea.

So shoot RAW, edited the photo in RAW, and then convert file into JPEG after you're done messing around?

You don't necessarily need to convert it to a JPEG at the end. JPEG is just one of the options for out putting your file...if you want to upload it for internet viewing or sending it out for printing etc.

Yes, you do need a software that is capable of opening your RAW files. In a basic sense, you use this software to open the RAW file and at that time, you can change several of the image characteristics. You then save/convert the file into a common file type like TIFF, JPEG, PSD etc. You can then edit the image the same way you would edit any other image file.

http://www.ronbigelow.com/articles/raw/raw.htm

 

[Captain IK]

Picassa 3 allows you to view and edit RAW photos, however when you save your edits it will convert the file to a jpeg.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Download a trial of lightroom, it will make things alot easier.

 

[Captain IK]

Download a trial of lightroom, it will make things alot easier.

But only for 30 days...unless you pony up!

 

[LarryD]

Think of RAW as your high tech version of the film negative..

You do some initial work to get the image as close to natural as you can, and then convert it to a more usable format depending on the end use..

As long as you have that original RAW image, you can reproduce a high quality copy in any format at any time............ this is not true of some other formats..

JPEG is what is considered a "lossy" format, so each time you do something with it, you lose some of the data.............for that reason, some believe that JPEG is the last thing you should do in your work-flow.. For example, convert to a higher quality TIFF from RAW to do your final editing.. then save as a JPEG; load on the web, and toss the JPEG, keeping only the high quality TIFF and RAW file.

These are all personal decisions..
But, yes, you do need a program to read and adjust RAW data..

(edit: I guess I said the same thing as Mike)

 

[Josh66]

But only for 30 days...unless you pony up!

30 days was more than enough time to hook me. Probably less that a week after downloading the free trial, I decided that it was something I had to have.

 

[schumionbike]

thanks guys!!! I'm not confuse anymore, i'll get lightroom next week and mess with it. If I end up getting it, it's all y'all fault. lol. I do have Picassa 3 though so that's goods news....