RAW huh? --- the basics

[ckozo]

i have come across a lot of file formats during 4 years as a designer but have only recently heard of the RAW format since dwelving into photography.

can someone give a brief overview of what the RAW format is, why i should use it, and what programs i need to manipulate them?

(i have thus far in my brief 4 months of taking photos, used the JPG format and manipulated them in Photoshop.)

thanks.

[Michael Fanelli]

i have come across a lot of file formats during 4 years as a designer but have only recently heard of the RAW format since dwelving into photography.

can someone give a brief overview of what the RAW format is, why i should use it, and what programs i need to manipulate them?

(i have thus far in my brief 4 months of taking photos, used the JPG format and manipulated them in Photoshop.)

thanks.

RAW format is pretty much what it sounds like: it is almost unprocessed data off the sensor. RAW ignores your settings for sharpness, contrast, color, WB, etc. Think of it as a digital negative.

The major advantage of RAW is that you get to process it any way you want. Sharpening, for example, is a one-way process. Once the camera does it for a jpg, you are stuck with it. RAW lets you manipulate and experiment and undo. You also get a bit more dynamic range with RAW.

Note that RAW formats are not standardized. Each manufacturer's RAW format, and even with cameras from the same manufacturer, will be different.

[another view]

I can give you a basic overview but the guys in the digital imaging forum can probably handle specifics.

When you shoot a jpeg file, a couple things happen. The camera assigns a white balance (whether the camera is on auto white balance or a pre-set, like "cloudy"), and also compresses the file. RAW takes the data right from the sensor and throws it onto the card - no white balance, sharpness, etc - or compression.

The advantage of RAW is that you have control over the image after you shoot it. The disadvantage is that you have to do it - takes more time. Good prints are possible from jpegs, but they have to be captured very carefully.

Best software IMO is Photoshop CS which reads the proprietary file types of many popular cameras.