What formet for a newbie?

[rstackjd]

My new to me D80 showed up today and I plan to start playing with it over the weekend. I've never really used photo editing software so I'm thinking I should just use JPEG format for the time being and switch to RAW later after I understand how to use the camera. Is there any compelling reason I should use RAW now?

Second question - for starting out which mode should I use - Programed Auto, Aperture Priority auto, Shutter Priority auto, or Manual?

Thanks

 

[Tuffythepug]

congrats on your "new" D80. I've had mine for a few years now. If this is all new to you my advice is to forget about RAW for now. There's lots of time to learn about that later. Shoot Jpeg until you get your feet under you a bit more. You will need to learn when to use aperture priority and when to use shutter priority. Of course you can use an auto mode but you will not learn as much or as fast in my opinion. Aperture priority will enable you to control depth of field in situations where shutter speed is not important; such as portraits or landscapes. Shutter priority is recommended when you are shooting moving subjects such as sporting events of kids playing, etc. The D80 manual is actually a very good source of information on when to use the various features and functions. Study it and keep it handy when you are shooting.
If you are shooting Jpeg you can get by with very simple photo software for cropping and enhancing your photos . you can add better software later when you understand why you need it and how to use it.

You will get a lot of advice here also if you want it. some of it may be conflicting but I think most people will be trying to steer you on the right path

 

[texkam]

Learning "why" makes "how" easier. Learn why cameras work the way they do, then learn to shoot in manual mode first. Auto settings should be used as a tool not a crutch. By understanding how to use your camera in manual mode you'll better understand how and when it makes sense to switch to an auto setting. Learn why shooting in raw is a good idea, then you will have the desire to learn how. It's not that hard. YouTube is your friend.

 

[Pixdoc]

I usually advocate shooting in RAW format (even if you're not quite sure how to use it yet). It allows to have access to as much digital information as possible, enables you to create endless iterations of your image without losing data. You may need to revisit these files in the future and it would be helpful if all the data is still intact. The analogy I usually use is that of a sculptor working on a block of stone. RAW is that block of stone. All the data is in there, but the sculpture is hidden within. The difference is that once the sculptor is done chipping away, all those chips are now useless. In RAW, all those chips are still available to create a new sculpture. In short, it will give you more flexibility and also help create higher quality images (technically speaking). You may discover a hidden gem in there someday. Of course, JPEG is usually a smaller file, can be downloaded, uploaded for specific uses as is, and is more convenient to work with.
As to the shooting mode - that depends on the situation and your level of comfort. I agree with the other posts - know what situations are best served each mode. Aperture Priority helps control depth of field better, Shutter Priority for precise control of shutter speed to freeze action or conversely, convey motion. Program and Auto mode are similar in that the camera determines the aperture and shutter speed for you, but in Program mode , you are still able to set other things such as white balance, flash, focus points, etc. Manual gives you total control, obviously. Pay closer attention to the Exposure Level Indicator for this mode to ensure an adequate exposure. Good Luck and Have Fun!

RodT
author of Clicks

 

[rstackjd]

Thanks guys! I appreciate your advice and insight

 

[KmH]

DSLR cameras make 12-bit depth or 14 bit-depth Raw files. The D80 makes compressed, 12-bit NEF Raw files.
When converted into an image, the Raw file is then a 16-bit file.

12-bits can represent 4096 colors (tones) in each of the 3 color channels RGB (red, green, blue).

A Raw file contains the maximum amount of image information the camera can write to the memory card, giving the Raw file maximum editing headroom.

JPEG is limited to an 8-bit depth, or only 256 colors in each of the 3 color channels RGB (red, green, blue).

So to make a JPEG, the camera essentially throws away 3840 colors from each color channel. That's 56,623,104,000 (billion) colors that JPEG can't use

A JPEG file contains the minimum amount of image information the camera can write to the memory card, giving the JPEG file the least editing headroom, if any.

Here is a group of tutorials that discuss many of the related aspects - Photo Editing Tutorials

 

[tirediron]

I can feel the lynch mob forming as I type, however... I wouldn't worry about RAW just yet. Yes, I always shoot RAW, yes, I'm a huge proponent of RAW, and yes, I think it's better than .jpg, BUT... I also think at this stage there are going to be very few images that you are going to want to keep, and even fewer that you're going to want to keep in six months. At this stage, shooting in .jpg will let you see the images on the computer immediately (to view and work with RAW files, you may need special software such as Adobe Lightroom or Bridge - search "RAW file converter" and you will get a huge list), and chances are you're not terribly interested in learning editing just yet. If you are however, ignore everything I've just said.

That said, if you do start shooting .jpg, I would strongly urge you to switch to RAW once you're reasonably comfortable with the camera and have gained a basic understanding.

 

[Tuffythepug]

Since it seems to be important to make comparisons between RAW and Jpeg and the relative merits of shooting RAW............
Yes, of course it's always better to have more data to create your final image, or your "vision" if you will. But for a beginner there's a lot of information to absorb in order to just get a well composed, properly exposed, interesting shots. I'd make this comparison.... If you are using a 35mm film camera you are confining yourself to a small format and limiting your possibilities. So would you recommend that a beginning photographer just go straight to a 8x10 view camera in order to get maximum detail and better enlargements ? There is a learning curve that needs to be negotiated for everyone when they start out. Making it too complicated usually ensures that people lose interest.

 

[KmH]

FWIW.

JPEG is a acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group, and is rightly typed in all caps. - JPEG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Raw isn't an acronym for anything, but in the context of a photography file format is often considered a proper noun so just the first letter is capitalized. - Raw image format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Redeyejedi]

forget about raw for time being.
go shoot many pictures.
some may not turn out how you expected and you will have some questions.
go here: Cambridge in Colour - Photography Tutorials & Learning Community
go through the tutorials and you will answer many of your questions. but you won't forget them because you learned them, not just told XYZ.
just my opinion.
happy holidays!!

 

[John27]

I can feel the lynch mob forming as I type, however... I wouldn't worry about RAW just yet. Yes, I always shoot RAW, yes, I'm a huge proponent of RAW, and yes, I think it's better than .jpg, BUT... I also think at this stage there are going to be very few images that you are going to want to keep, and even fewer that you're going to want to keep in six months. At this stage, shooting in .jpg will let you see the images on the computer immediately (to view and work with RAW files, you may need special software such as Adobe Lightroom or Bridge - search "RAW file converter" and you will get a huge list), and chances are you're not terribly interested in learning editing just yet. If you are however, ignore everything I've just said.

That said, if you do start shooting .jpg, I would strongly urge you to switch to RAW once you're reasonably comfortable with the camera and have gained a basic understanding.

Just to play the devils advocate, I know Canon includes Raw capable software with the cameras, I would assume Nikon would also? There's also lots of free software. You can also download a Codec for Canon or Nikon Raw files in Windows 7 so that you can view them using the OS's built in image viewer. I can confirm that Mac OS works out of the box with Canon Raw files (opens them up like any other image) so I would assume it would work with Nikon as well. So, with just a couple minutes of work to download and install the Codec (on Windows, nothing needs to be done in Mac OS), you could easily view Raw images just as easily as Jpeg.

When I first started out, of course, my pictures sucked. They still do, but they sucked more then. I got the advice from a relative to ALWAYS shoot Raw (My camera has never been set to JPEG! I'm so used to working with Raw files now...) But every once in a blue moon, by sheer luck, I'd get a sharp, neatly framed image that I really liked. OR, I'd capture a candid snapshot moment of a family member that, though it has no technical photographic value, is an important memory for me or someone else and I want to keep. Shooting in Raw allowed me, in those cases, to correct the exposure (That was probably a stop or two off), correct the white balance (that was probably left on the wrong setting) and even reduce some noise or use fill light and other features in my Raw processing software to kind of even out the harshness of the on camera flash. Raw does a pretty good job of allowing you to polish a turd! It won't make a masterpiece out of a snapshot, but it can turn an important snapshot from a useless image you are stuck with, that is blown out or dark, into an image that is at the very least, recognizable and something you can share with family and friends.

At least that's me! I'm kind of a 'paparazzi' around my family and I love to have pictures of everything. Without the skills others have to nail the shots every time, I rely on Raw to save important pictures that I failed to produce correctly. You can call it a crutch that way, but in many senses I really consider it insurance. You can always batch-convert to JPEG and delete the Raw files if space is really a concern.

Also, I've almost always shot in manual. I seriously recommend that advice there. I might set it on Auto or Program mode for family events and snapshots, because I didn't want to miss something, but forcing myself to learn how the camera works by setting the camera to Auto is such a huge help. To the OP, go to a cool spot, like a park or a hiking trail, or maybe a busy city street... something with lots of pictures to take. Set your camera to Manual and never take it off. Do some research, learn what the relationship between shutter, aperture and ISO is, and learn what advantages different apertures and shutter speeds have.

For example, when I shoot people, I like to use f/8-f/11 with most lenses. When I was a newbie, (rather, newbie-er) I shot it wide open (lowest number). Why? I thought, more light, more better! But what I found was, using a little more off camera flash, and a little bit slower shutter speed, allowed me to take advantage of the lenses 'sweet spot', that aperture value (f/8-f/11 in my case for my favorite lenses) where the lens is the absolute sharpest. This is just one anecdotal example, but my point is, continue to learn more and more about HOW each of these settings work, and what consequences or benefits each setting can offer. A proficient manual shooter can take some great images!

 

[Solarflare]

Use JPEG+RAW.

You cannot ever bring back the circumstances under which you took the picture, so there is no good reason not to use RAW, unless you really need the speedup or the lowered memory requirements.

 

[tirediron]

Use JPEG+RAW.

You cannot ever bring back the circumstances under which you took the picture, so there is no good reason not to use RAW, unless you really need the speedup or the lowered memory requirements.

Okay... take the easy way and be sensible!

 

[MK3Brent]

Don't even worry about editing photos.
If you're interested in being a good photographer use your camera to get solid images w/o editing.

Shoot JPEG and get 10 times the amount of shots per card.
This is the time you will shoot and shoot and shoot.... get the practice in.

When you've graduated, then you should think about enhancing photos in post.

 

[thuchton]

Everyone has made GREAT points and most have even supported their opinions as well.
All I would add is to take as many pictures as you can. Spend the time learning the ins and outs of the camera. How to change the settings and make adjustments on the fly. Watch tutorials, read books, and ask questions. Once you think you know your camera well do a dark room test. Turn out the lights in the room and work the settings of the camera without looking at every button. Once you can work this and understand what each setting does and means you can always tackle the image format.
As your confidence grows from constant clicking away and seeing results you will want more control over your images. That is where RAW can really help you out. But for now focus on getting the picture right in the camera.