RAW? JPEG?

[Murph]

Please forgive me if this has been beaten to death. RAW gives better quality photographs after processing. JPGs offer immediate gratification. RAW+JPG? What does this offer except larger files, and more space taken up? The D70 offers RAW+ (Basic) JPG. Is there any reason to shoot in JPG? Or RAW+JPG?

To email a photo, I just discovered in PHotoshop how to convert to a JPG for email purposes, is there some reason I need RAW+JPG? On my 1 gb card, I get 87 RAW+JPG, or 94 RAW.

[Jim]

I believe the RAW+JPG option just gives you the option of having the same picture in both formats. I don't think it's required though, if you just want RAW pictures.

[wrogers]

Murph... Nikon is very conservative on their counter. I believe ,and somebody correct me if I am wrong, you can double those numbers for a one gig card. I have been shooting both raw+jpeg to help me sort out the pictures in the window folder and not having to go into elements 3 from the start. It is working for me. I'm sure there is a better way.

[Abel]

i used to shoot in jpg only until i tried RAW, then i found that i love the added little controls when processing my RAW files so then switched to shooting RAW+JPG.

after a month or so i realized that i was not using my jpgs at all since i was saving my processed RAW files as jpgs after i edited them, cropped them etc. so then i switched the camera to RAW only so that i dont waste all of that extra space and i never looked back!

[Sheldon]

Originally Posted by Abel

i switched the camera to RAW only

Same here !!

[Bill Huber]

To start, raw is the best format for the best image, that is you can control your output the best, the data has not been processed at all so you can do the final image and get a better output.

JPG, if set to the highest output is good but you can not control the output as well.

If I am just out shooting flowers or animals at the zoo I use JPG most of the time. Olympus E1 has very good out of the camera JPGs.

Now if I am shooting for someone else I will shot Raw + JPG, this way I can have the JPG file to do a quick check with and delete the files that just don't make it. Then do the Raw conversion and have the best images in the shortest time.

If card space is a problem then I will just shoot Raw for other people and use the browser in Photoshop or ACDSee to delete the bad ones.
I guess the way I look at it the Raw+JPG is just like having a proof of the image.

[srwatters]

Man this one has been and will continue to be debated to death. Without making any opinion calls, here is what I believe to be true with regard to the RAW vs. JPEG debate:

- RAW images are 12 bits/pixel; JPEG is 8 bits/pixel.
- RAW images can be white balance adjusted

I shoot in RAW on my D70 and have taken as many as 174 RAW images on my 1GB Lexar CF. Nikon doesn't estimate the compression of NEF images very well. Depending on the content of the shot they average between 5 and 6 MB per image.

I shoot JPEG for action shots when I use continous shutter and AF-C mode since I can hold down the button and shoot until I fill the flash. For everything else, I shoot RAW. YMMV.

[ndsimm]

When I first got my D70 I shot jpeg fine because when I chose RAW and saw I was only getting 45 shots out of a 512MB card I figured I couldn't afford to shhot RAW, but after doing a RAW test, I found that I can also get almost 200 shots from a 1GB card and almost 100 from my 512. I also like the ability to control white balance as well as exposure and some detail. I use Nikon View to upload so I still get my preview of the RAW image and delete the bad ones before editing in Pixmantix RAW essentials and PSCS.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by Abel

i used to shoot in jpg only until i tried RAW, then i found that i love the added little controls when processing my RAW files so then switched to shooting RAW+JPG.

after a month or so i realized that i was not using my jpgs at all since i was saving my processed RAW files as jpgs after i edited them, cropped them etc. so then i switched the camera to RAW only so that i dont waste all of that extra space and i never looked back!

i did the same thing -- almost exact timing as well, but it was like 2 weeks for me (mainly becuase my card was small so i wanted more space earlier on :) )

I do everything in RAW, no need for jpg IMO. i've heard some non-sense about ease of viewing, but i don't agree with it.

-Ross

[Murph]

I notice that windows cannot open NEFs, so should I shoot JPG for those that I intend to send to granny, or just process the NEFs in photoshop to email? I like the idea of RAW though.

[ndsimm]

Originally Posted by Murph

I notice that windows cannot open NEFs, so should I shoot JPG for those that I intend to send to granny, or just process the NEFs in photoshop to email? I like the idea of RAW though.

the Nikon View program will give you a preview of the NEF file before editing but if you want something to email before editing, then you probably need to shoot RAW+jpeg to skip the editing step for granny's photos

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Hi Murph,

For many the reason to shoot RAW + JPG is to create a more efficient workflow.

Having the JPG images already existing allows you to quickly review your images and delete the ones that do not meet your quality standards. This way you can concentrate on processing only the relevant RAW files and thus saving yourself a lot of time.

For me, I shoot RAW + JPG and set the JPG to the highest quality and lowest resolution so they do not take up any more space on the CF card than they have to.

There are quite a few additional advantages but most are fairly specific to their users workflow requirements (in the field, image banks, etc...).

Hope this helps.

_/oe

[Ross]

Originally Posted by Joe_Lorenzini

Hi Murph,

For many the reason to shoot RAW + JPG is to create a more efficient workflow.

Having the JPG images already existing allows you to quickly review your images and delete the ones that do not meet your quality standards. This way you can concentrate on processing only the relevant RAW files and thus saving yourself a lot of time.

For me, I shoot RAW + JPG and set the JPG to the highest quality and lowest resolution so they do not take up any more space on the CF card than they have to.

There are quite a few additional advantages but most are fairly specific to their users workflow requirements (in the field, image banks, etc...).

Hope this helps.

_/oe

Joe is correct. However, if you're not going to be doing those specific work flow things like image banks and everything else, then I would use RAW only. You get more space out of the CF card that way. And you CAN view the images easily and delete, using any number of programs that you will have to open to process the RAW file anyways. i use adobe camera raw 2.4 and it views all the thumbnails quickly and accuratly and you can delete them from there if you want.

So, i think that Joe is coming at it from a more professional aspect that what you're looking for. I think if you're going to be printing stuff and just in general, RAW gives you more room to edit the pictures and quality in the final product. JPG is really extraneous, unless you want to do VERY specific things, which I, as an amateur have never had to do....

The NEF files you cannot open with the windows pic viewer, are opened in the Nikon Software or a 3rd party tpe things like Photoshop Camera RAW. From there you will "tweek" your image and convert into jpg, save and send to granny. :)

Anyways, I hope this helps. And, Joe, please don't take this the wrong way -- I know what you're talking about - but it just seems like that is too professional for what is needed here. At least too professional for what I do.

Best,
Ross

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Hey Ross,

No worries, I understand what you're saying. I agree with everyone 100% that RAW gives the greatest advantage in producing the highest quality photographs and unless I was instructed otherwise by a client, would not shoot anything other than RAW as my primary format.

Also as you state, in larger jobs where you're shooting anything from 200-1000+ images, RAW + JPG is an enormous time saver and more than worth the space it burns up on the cards.

_/oe

[wrogers]

I'm agreeing with Joe on this issue. It is so much easier to view your "proof" jpgs using this system than opening up than God awful organizer on Elements 3. The Nikon view might be better but I never downloaded that..I used the one with my old 5700 and it was not bad, but this system with raw and jpg. is working for me. Space for each jpg is about 750kg.