FocusCanada Forums

Hey Guys.
i literally opened the boxes and got it set up tonight.
Here are a couple new shot i took. Nothing special, but you gotta start somewhere.

very nice, B)

Looks like you're off to a flying start!

thanks guys.

What is the difference between RAW and shooting normally?
How does it help when it comes to processing?
I'm a whiz in Photoshop, and already use Bridge on regular basis.

I need to read up on all of this, I just need to find the time.

:lol:

RAW is just what it says - its raw data. It records everything you shoot, and I believe including the camera settings. Then if something is out of wack, it can be post-processed to fix the image. This happened to me in NO, where I took a picture outdoors after forgetting to change from the settings I was using indoors at a plantation. Image ended up being pretty washed out by the available light, and I was able to manipulate it to make it look almost normal (I'm new at image fixing).

"normal" takes a shot, and saves it as a jpeg, which can't really be manipulated to fix errors.

Plus, you sort of have a negative in raw format which can be manipulated later on for different results, and you'll always have the original.

I think thats the cliff's notes version of it.

Take a photo in RAW and open it up on your computer and play around. Make sure it opens it with photoshop.

Heres a good read:
Why Shoot In Raw

torradan is on the right track...

RAW (or NEF for NIKONS) is basically the raw image sensor data. It's the picture before any processing can hit it.

normally, when you shoot in JPEG, the camera applies white balance, ISO, and the other settings to the image and interpolates what the picture should be from this information. Doing this downconverts the pixel depth of the image to 8bit (from 16, 24, or whatever your camera natively supports) and applies a lossy compression algorithm.

When shooting in RAW, you get just the raw information from the image sensor. You or your software will apply the whitebalance and other post-exposure processing to the image. You then have the option of saving the file to the lossier jpeg compression, or less lossy like .tif or .png (I prefer png, but black's for one doesn't like those files much).

In reality, if you have your settings the way you want them on the camera, shooting in jpeg is fine. It saves a lot of memory and processing time, and the quality (in fine mode) is more than adequate for prints.

If you want to keep your post-exposure options open, then RAW gives you that flexibility, but takes more time to get a finished product from your pictures.

Personally, I like to shoot in RAW. It atones for a lot of little sins without degrading the final shot.

Yeah, get familiar with Photoshop if you like shooting in RAW. Also, get familiar with massive photo backups cause they take up a lot of room over time! And preserving negatives is always a photographer's worst task / nightmare.

What make and model did you get?

EDIT

Nevermind, just saw the other post! lol

Good start.

But this thread lacks the # of photos.

I need help with RAW. i shot bunch of pics but my lighting was totaly crap and all the shots came out yellow. Can someone fix a raw image for me if i email it to them?

mo_focus,Dec 15 2009, 09:53 PM Wrote:I need help with RAW. i shot bunch of pics but my lighting was totaly crap and all the shots came out yellow. Can someone fix a raw image for me if i email it to them?
[right][snapback]298498[/snapback][/right]

I could help ya out...

darkpuppet,Dec 16 2009, 04:08 AM Wrote:

mo_focus,Dec 15 2009, 09:53 PM Wrote:I need help with RAW. i shot bunch of pics but my lighting was totaly crap and all the shots came out yellow. Can someone fix a raw image for me if i email it to them?
[right][snapback]298498[/snapback][/right]

I could help ya out...
[right][snapback]298503[/snapback][/right]

thanks puppet but wife already printed the pics for cards. Ohh well. everyone is getting a yellow chirstmas card this year! :)

no worries...

most people won't care about the white balance when they get the cards anyways...

nice photos

good job on the 16:9 aspect ratio also.