• 01-18-2006, 09:24 PM
    OldSchool
    1 Attachment(s)
    One reason why I shoot RAW...
    The shoot RAW vs. JPG question often comes up. I thought that I'd highlight one of the benefits of shoot RAW... And this is the greater ability to tease information out of areas that are blown highlights or deep shadows.

    The attached image is a tricky exposure. It is a pool in a cave with a sun spot. This version is what the camera would provide if I shot JPG. Note that there is no information in the sun spot. It is a digital white (255,255,255). And, there is absolutely nothing you can do with that in a JPG.

    However since I shot this RAW, I was able to back down the exposure while simultaneously pulling info from the shadows resulting in better compositional balance. The result is presented here:

    http://forums.photographyreview.com/...ad.php?t=17233

    Just wanted to pass this case study along. I am purely a hobbyist here.
    Cheers,
    Tim

    p.s. For those interested, I shot with a Nikon D70, ISO 9000, 1/60, f4.2. I used Nikon Capture to process, and Paintshop Pro to downsize and sharpen.
  • 01-18-2006, 11:11 PM
    drg
    Re: One reason why I shoot RAW...
    This is exactly the reason to shoot RAW. Its not so much you are teasing more information as much as you are making the decision on what to do with what was captured. Less defaults with RAW.

    Great colors and the rays of light falling across the water!
  • 01-19-2006, 03:59 PM
    another view
    Re: One reason why I shoot RAW...
    I've been a big fan of RAW since I got Photoshop CS, and learned the hard way about bit depth (which is helping you here). One thing though - a burned out area is a burned out area, whether it's a RAW or jpeg capture. Personally, I think people worry too much about this, because with any medium (even color neg) this area would probably be burned out. Since you have more bit depth, you can pull more detail out of the shadows though.
  • 01-19-2006, 04:14 PM
    OldSchool
    Re: One reason why I shoot RAW...
    Hi av,

    I think we are saying the same thing, but I don't agree totally that a "burned out area is a burned out area" when it comes to JPGs. There is the added variable of how does the camera convert the raw data into a JPG. A (255,255,255) in a JPG doesn't necessary mean that it is also a (255,255,255) in the raw image that the JPG was created from. The converse is true for shadows. That's all I'm trying to say.

    Tim

    p.s. Now if it's (255,255,255) in the raw image, then there is nothing to recover.
  • 01-19-2006, 07:58 PM
    another view
    Re: One reason why I shoot RAW...
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by OldSchool
    Now if it's (255,255,255) in the raw image, then there is nothing to recover.

    Yup - that's what I was saying.
  • 01-28-2006, 09:41 PM
    freygr
    Re: One reason why I shoot RAW...
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by OldSchool
    Hi av,

    clip........

    p.s. Now if it's (255,255,255) in the raw image, then there is nothing to recover.

    You forgot ( 0,0,0) in the raw image, then there is nothing to recover.
  • 01-30-2006, 07:32 AM
    OldSchool
    True, but...
    I find (255,255,255) much easier to accomplish than (0,0,0)!... Some how this post got hijacked by 8 bit numbers ;^).

    My original point is that if I shot that shot JPG, it would have a lot more (255,255,255) AND (0,0,0) in it. Shooting RAW allowed me to recover highlights and shadows that would have otherwise been lost.

    This was just supposed to be a simple an anecdote for the JPG vs. RAW question that pops up from time to time here....

    Cheers,
    Tim
  • 02-01-2006, 08:33 AM
    pip22
    Re: True, but...
    You are quite right, Oldschool (like the nick by the way), shooting raw allows for a much higher degree of post-capture adjustments in those tricky shots -- very much akin to adjusting your camera's variables after taking the picture. And if the WB is wrong (often the case with some cameras under tungsten light), then only RAW processing will allow you to alter it to the value it should have been.
  • 02-01-2006, 09:59 AM
    dmm96452
    Re: One reason why I shoot RAW...
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by OldSchool
    p.s. For those interested, I shot with a Nikon D70, ISO 9000, 1/60, f4.2. I used Nikon Capture to process, and Paintshop Pro to downsize and sharpen.

    Uhmmm? ISO 9000 :confused:
  • 02-01-2006, 11:22 AM
    OldSchool
    ISO 9000 because I'm inside a cave!
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dmm96452
    Uhmmm? ISO 9000 :confused:

    Check out the originating post:

    http://forums.photographyreview.com...ead.php?t=17233

    Cheese,
    Tim
  • 02-11-2006, 10:21 PM
    Revolver
    Re: One reason why I shoot RAW...
    I was wondering about the ISO 9000 too, but the link seems to be a deadend for me. How do you achieve ISO 9000 with a D70? The "...I was inside a cave!" doesn't quite explain that.
  • 02-13-2006, 08:50 AM
    OldSchool
    Hey Revolver...
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Revolver
    I was wondering about the ISO 9000 too, but the link seems to be a deadend for me. How do you achieve ISO 9000 with a D70? The "...I was inside a cave!" doesn't quite explain that.

    Good catch. Now I see the question. I miss-typed and meant to say the shot was at ISO 900. Sorry.

    I guess I goofed on the link too. Try this one:

    http://forums.photographyreview.com/...ad.php?t=17233

    BR,
    Tim