In context of RAW survey, a couple of RAW questions

[Mr Yuck]

I shoot RAW and I also shoot race events.

To process them, I use Digital Photo Professional, which came with my XTi, for most of the race shots, they get converted straight to JPEG. Digital Photo Professional is decent, it lets me change white balance and do a little bit of exposure correction.

I also use Photomatix to make pseudo-HDRs out of the RAW files, usually individually if I especially like the composition or action but want some more detail.

[mattbikeboy]

If you're shooting in good lighting conditions and are just turning around and posting them on a website hoping people will buy them -- then jpgs are more than enough. RAW is really good for tinkering with when lighting isn't optimal and you need the shots. RAW gives you the ability to adjust a bunch and save some images that might have been taken in marginal light.

If I'm shooting a race event that I'll sell images to a magazine -- I'll shoot raw so I can rescue missed exposures.

If I'm shooting around the house -- I'll still shoot RAW because I'm too lazy to change to jpg.

If I'm shooting a model -- I'll shoot raw so I can play with the images in Photoshop later. I guess all those years in graphics has taught me not to leave well-enough alone.

RAW gives you more data to adjust. I use Lightroom and Photoshop CS3 to edit and play with my images. Lightroom is great for a quick sorting and adjustments and Photoshop is great for finishing and monkeying with the images. Every now and them I use Corel Photopaint (like Photoshop) to play with the images -- it has different filters and effects.

mbb