How many shoot RAW routinely?

[tbob]

I was wondering how many of you routinely shoot RAW files, and then process the file?

If you do, what software program do you use? I have Oly Master 2 and Photoshop elements. On my old Mac with OSX10.3.9, the Oly runs REALLY slow.

Although a veteran photographer in 35mm, I am new to digital.

[Greg McCary]

I shoot RAW 95% of the time. Unless I am shooting a ton of pictures and I know I will not want to spend the time processing the pictures. Sometimes I will mix it up when I do shoot a lot and will take a few RAW pictures. I use Lightroom which I love and is much better than Oly Master 2 and then I use PS7 to crop, clone, ect.

[T-M]

I prefer to shoot SHQ jpeg and meter with Center Weighted Averaging and set my White balance or use One-Touch White balance. I find RAW processing too time-consuming and would rather get my original exposures correct. I've been shooting film for years, so I know how to get it right in camera.

[Sushigaijin]

Shooting in RAW is much more than just exposure insurance. I'd rather work from RAW even in a perfectly exposed shot.

I always shoot RAW+SQ jpg. I use the (tiny) JPGs to browse the keepers from the trash. I edit in CS3. The olympus software is REALLY slow.

I start with the RAW because I don't want the camera to decide the things it decides when it applies the jpg engine - contrast, brightness, saturation, tone curve, sharpening - these are all things I'd rather control myself. RAW is not intended to be a final output to print so no adjustments are made in-camera. I admit it, I'm an image control freak.

The original RAW files are very flat looking so I know that the camera is making A LOT of these decisions on every frame. I know what I envision the shot to look like so much more than the camera does. Plus, the personal touch on the file gives them a signature look. My finished files all look different than the jpgs.

[Jaedon]

16 Gig card and raw exclusively. I used to shoot with a 4G card or 2 but the bigger card means 935 shots before needing to change.

Shooting raw does help me adjust for my mistakes in regards to exposure for those moments when you just didn't get it quite right.

My only problem so far is how to export them for print so that I do not lose quality when converting to JPEG.

[SmartWombat]

100% raw, and on my G9 too.
I use Lightroom for post processing.

[Grandpaw]

I usually shoot raw, Fine JPEG. This way I can look through the pictures and if I need to make adjustments use Raw, I use Photoshop 7 to make adjustments, Jeff

[dl4449]

First of all I am very much a noob but I shoot raw 100% I used to shoot raw +lg jpeg.but could not figure out why I needed the jpeg ?? I do most of my editing in Lightroom 2 and am trying to learn CS4
Troy

[Sushigaijin]

My only problem so far is how to export them for print so that I do not lose quality when converting to JPEG.

Don't print from jpg. .TIFF is a better file type for printing.

[tbob]

I, too, have shot film for years and have always striven to "get it right" in the camera in order to avoid hours in the darkroom. That is why I asked, because what I want to avoid is hours before the computer tinkering with an image. When I see the light and composition that strikes my eye, I want to capture it as is without post shoot enhancements. I guess I am not a very exciting photographer in that sense. In fact, that is why I switched to digital, so that I could have a plethora of settings and adjustments in camera. I tend to look at my new Olympus as a combination of camera and darkroom.

[Sushigaijin]

Tbob,

If you like the way the OOC jpgs look, then by all means use them as a ready-to-print file. That is a big reason that digital cameras have jpgs as an output value and don't only produce RAW files. These days you can adjust the output in-camera quite a bit so that the files come out the way you want them.

As with film, RAW digital files are not a finished file type and every single one of them needs post-processing. It all boils down to either letting the camera apply the jpg engine OR doing the post yourself in photoshop. I kind of like sitting in front of my computer and working on files so to me it isn't work - but if you loathe it, by all means shoot jpgs. In all honesty, for 90% of what I shoot the OOC jpgs look pretty good.

[fjhleger]

I usually shoot raw+hq, using the raw for processing the picture when needed. for manipulating the raw, i use olympus studio.

François

[Grandpaw]

I have rethought the question about shooting in raw routinely. I Have never shot in 100% Raw but I did take some pictures of my grand kids while at the beach in just my swim suit. That's as close as I have come to shooting totally raw LOL, Jeff