What is so bad about RAW?

[Steve5D]

I shoot raw files and export to jpeg and upload to website and my ipad. Why these people are so adamant about jpeg better than raw? This is false information. If you want to shoot jpeg, then go ahead. People have a choice, but don't insult photographers who are shooting raw.

They're adamant for the same reason people are adamant about raw being better. It's what they believe.

Personally, I don't shoot raw too often. There's just no need to.

With the gig I have now, I just hand my card in to the nice lady in the office and she deletes the photos she doesn't want, and uploads the rest. So, workwise, shooting raw just isn't a viable option.

Even so, during my 3-1/2 week cross country trip, I may have shot raw, maybe, once or twice. I just didn't see a need to do it...

I have never say raw is better than jpeg. The only time I shoot jpeg is my P&S camera and my ipad. For DSLR, all raw file format.

Well, you did say that the statement that jpeg is better is false. Unless you're saying they're equally good, then your statement concludes that you believe raw to be the better format...

 

[Steve5D]

RAW, TIFF, JPEG, ETC....

These are simply tools in your bag just like your lenses, flashes, filters, etc.


Use the tool that best fits given the situation at hand.

That.

A thousand times, that...

 

[tecboy]

They're adamant for the same reason people are adamant about raw being better. It's what they believe.

Personally, I don't shoot raw too often. There's just no need to.

With the gig I have now, I just hand my card in to the nice lady in the office and she deletes the photos she doesn't want, and uploads the rest. So, workwise, shooting raw just isn't a viable option.

Even so, during my 3-1/2 week cross country trip, I may have shot raw, maybe, once or twice. I just didn't see a need to do it...

I have never say raw is better than jpeg. The only time I shoot jpeg is my P&S camera and my ipad. For DSLR, all raw file format.

Well, you did say that the statement that jpeg is better is false. Unless you're saying they're equally good, then your statement concludes that you believe raw to be the better format...

Is it true that jpeg is better than raw in terms of picture quality? Is it true photographers don't know what they are doing because they shoot raw?

 

[Gavjenks]

Is it true that jpeg is better than raw in terms of picture quality?

"jpeg is better" does not imply "jpeg is better at image quality." That's a straw man. Nobody ever says jpeg is better because of picture quality, unless they have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. The people who like it like it because of size, convenience, creative restriction, being able to get a shot you might not get otherwise in some situations, blah blah.

Is it true photographers don't know what they are doing because they shoot raw?

No, and that part of it is always a ridiculous comment when somebody makes it. But not all do.

 

[Benco]

They're adamant for the same reason people are adamant about raw being better. It's what they believe.

Personally, I don't shoot raw too often. There's just no need to.

With the gig I have now, I just hand my card in to the nice lady in the office and she deletes the photos she doesn't want, and uploads the rest. So, workwise, shooting raw just isn't a viable option.

Even so, during my 3-1/2 week cross country trip, I may have shot raw, maybe, once or twice. I just didn't see a need to do it...

I have never say raw is better than jpeg. The only time I shoot jpeg is my P&S camera and my ipad. For DSLR, all raw file format.

Well, you did say that the statement that jpeg is better is false. Unless you're saying they're equally good, then your statement concludes that you believe raw to be the better format...

raw in itself isn't better than anything, it's just data. What it can do is give you complete control over how your image is created, if you want to you can create your image as a lossless format in 16 bit colour, as I understand it that is 'better' than what can be achieved with JPG.

 

[Steve5D]

I have never say raw is better than jpeg. The only time I shoot jpeg is my P&S camera and my ipad. For DSLR, all raw file format.

Well, you did say that the statement that jpeg is better is false. Unless you're saying they're equally good, then your statement concludes that you believe raw to be the better format...

Is it true that jpeg is better than raw in terms of picture quality? Is it true photographers don't know what they are doing because they shoot raw?

Huh?

Where did I say anything remotely similar to that?

I know plenty of photographer; the-gettin'-paid-makin'-a-livin'-at-it kind, that shoot jpeg.

Are they wrong?

I've never said that one was "wrong" or that one was "right". I never said that one was better than the other.

Really, if you're going to try to take issue with something I've said, let me float the idea that you should first make sure I actually said it...

 

[Steve5D]

I shoot raw files and export to jpeg and upload to website and my ipad. Why these people are so adamant about jpeg better than raw? This is false information. If you want to shoot jpeg, then go ahead. People have a choice, but don't insult photographers who are shooting raw.

They're adamant for the same reason people are adamant about raw being better. It's what they believe.

Personally, I don't shoot raw too often. There's just no need to.

With the gig I have now, I just hand my card in to the nice lady in the office and she deletes the photos she doesn't want, and uploads the rest. So, workwise, shooting raw just isn't a viable option.

Even so, during my 3-1/2 week cross country trip, I may have shot raw, maybe, once or twice. I just didn't see a need to do it...

I have never say raw is better than jpeg. The only time I shoot jpeg is my P&S camera and my ipad. For DSLR, all raw file format.

So, revisiting this, in light of your subsequent posts, which is better?

 

[unpopular]

Speaking as a person who was once all "raw! raw! raw!", I think any photographer who says that one is better than the other shows a lack of experience or appreciation. For some situations: needing a rapid frame advance, situations where lots of images will be expected with limited space to store them, and situations needing quick turnaround such as point of sale, JPEG is much more appropriate.

In situations where precision is required, where deep shadow detail must be retained, where heavy post processing is expected, or where processing is carried out by a third party, and for black and white (yes, I'm standing by that one) then raw is better.

I do think in *most cases* raw is a better choice. But you can't really say under every situation raw is appropriate.

 

[tecboy]

Others debating jpeg is better and raw is not. They don't say anything good thing about raw.

 

[Steve5D]

Others debating jpeg is better and raw is not. They don't say anything good thing about raw.

Seriously?

You're upset because someone likes something different?

Dude, I'm sorry, but that's just funny...

 

[ShooterJ]

I shoot RAW when I know I'm going to want to work with the image a lot. Otherwise jpeg works just fine for me. If you're paying attention in camera even for casual shots there's not a lot of need for heavy post processing.

RAW is really about having a lot of creative control in post.. and that's nice sometimes. But it's not necessary all the time.

 

[Josh66]

I shoot RAW when I know I'm going to want to work with the image a lot. Otherwise jpeg works just fine for me. If you're paying attention in camera even for casual shots there's not a lot of need for heavy post processing.

RAW is really about having a lot of creative control in post.. and that's nice sometimes. But it's not necessary all the time.

Exactly why I like RAW+JPG.

I used to "only shoot RAW", but lately I've been coming around to JPG. JPG is just so much less work if you're not going to PP the **** out of every picture... But - I do like the option to PP the **** out of it.

So I use both. If you're going to say that card capacity is an issue, I say buy more (or bigger) cards. Or stop taking 50 pictures a minute...

 

[ShooterJ]

Yeah, RAW+jpeg works well too.. and honestly cards aren't that expensive anymore. My smallest is an 8g and even on that you can shoot several hundred photos in RAW.

 

[tecboy]

What I'm saying here other people hate raw. They say jpeg is better than raw in both file size and picture quality.

 

[Josh66]

"Better" is subjective.

What I think is better might not be what you think is better.