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For the Amateur: JPEG or RAW? (1 Viewer)

Ronald Epstein

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I know this may be an impossible question.

For someone like myself who has not yet skimmed the surface of proper
photography, which is the better format to shoot in?

I realize RAW contains far more information than JPEG.

However, the appealing aspect of shooting JPEG is that the camera's
software automatically compensates for any picture shortcomings rather
than me having to do it through an external software program when shooting
RAW.

Any advice?
 

Ronald Epstein

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Cameron,

I don't think I would be able to tell the difference mixing them up.

I know the professionals here use RAW, and for good reason. Those who
use post production services (like Photoshop, Lightroom) will get the best results.

Can I actually use these softwares (which I own) with JPG files?

I suppose the bottom line question is:

Is it the worst thing in the world to let the camera do its own thing with JPG
files?
 

Patrick Sun

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Sure, you can, but you bake in the white balance with JPG (along with other processing choices), so if you don't get that right, it's a tougher correction to make later on. But not impossible to fix, just more time-consuming if it's a photo you care about, but everybody looks too orange or too blue in it.
 

Scott Merryfield

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I would highly recommend that you shoot RAW, Ron. When I started with my first dSLR I shot jpeg for a year or so, and now wish I had started in RAW from the beginning. If you have Lightroom, you can define a default collection of settings that get applied when you import your photos that will emulate, or even improve on, the default settings in your camera for jpeg processing. From there, you can tweak your settings as much or little as you want/need. Applying your default settings when importing the files makes things just as simple as shooting jpeg.

I have custom Lightroom import settings for both my dSLR's, plus another for my wife's point & shoot. Each gets me a good starting point (or sometimes gets me a finished photo), and then I can tweak things non-destructively from there -- except for my wife's point & shoot, which produces jpegs when she uses it in the "green box" auto mode (I have it setup for RAW files in other modes, but I am the only one of us who uses those).

Lightroom will work with jpeg files, but you will have a lot less leeway in what you can adjust than if you start with the original RAW file.
 

JohnRice

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Ronald Epstein said:
However, the appealing aspect of shooting JPEG is that the camera's
software automatically compensates for any picture shortcomings rather
than me having to do it through an external software program when shooting
RAW.
It will compensate for some, but certainly not all, and it can't make actual creative decisions. I can't imagine buying an awesome new Sony mirrorless camera and then limiting the shots to jpg. Yes, you can do a very limited amount of fixing of them, with significant image degradation, but it is a completely different thing from what you can do with the highest bit depth RAW files the camera can produce.

Ron, you seem to be contradicting yourself regarding your goals with photography. You want pro results, but you want point-and-shoot effort. Once again, it's the photographer, not the camera.
 

Citizen87645

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Ron,

To expand on my suggestion to shoot both formats, I was thinking that if you didn't feel prepared to learn the details of processing RAW now or in the near future, you could future proof your images should the day ever come when you are. Shooting both formats would have prevented the remorse Scott mentioned (and that I experienced as well) when JPGs were the only option for pictures we'd first shot digitally. It's not unlike telling someone to import their CDs into a lossless format first and then to spit out whatever compressed MP3 off of that should they need more portability or convenience. The difference is you'd have that "convenience file" right away by shooting in RAW+JPG.

As far as telling the difference between the two, the files have totally different file extensions, so if you're comfortable reading file names, it should be practically a non-issue. What photo software do you use now?

I do agree with John in terms of the mixed messaging with your goals, but it's not unusual – most of us want "the best," but the reality is, based on actual usage, most of us would be just fine with "good enough." Read the Paradox of Choice if you haven't. It may change your whole approach to purchasing consumer goods. :)
 

JohnRice

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I neglected to mention that I agree with saving both file types if you are on the fence, for the reasons already given. HD space is cheap.
 

schan1269

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Ron,RAW all the way. I didn't know you could shoot RAW/jpeg at the same time.I still don't own a D-SLR. 60%of my photog is still medium format film. Until I can duplicate my results with a $3000 camera(even though, yes it is the photog, not the camera...to an extent).Put it this way. Nokia saw fit to allow the Lumia 1020/1520 to shoot RAW.
 

JohnRice

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Sam, every camera I know of which can save RAW can be set up to also save jpg. That does seem like Ron's best choice.
 

schan1269

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Learn something new everyday.Apparently modern cameras are adept at B&W.The only way to have color and B&W together is to shoot both.
 

JohnRice

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The cameras can do B&W, but the best way is again to save RAW, which basically means each color channel (RGB) is kept separate. So, you shoot in color and then can apply filtration (like shooting B&W film with a red, yellow or whatever filter) afterwards, on the computer during conversion to B&W. The flexibility is astounding, which means it is a fabulous tool when used creatively, and an equally gimmicky crutch when it is just sliders being moved to their extremes because it looks cool.
 

JohnRice

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schan1269 said:
Until I can duplicate my results with a $3000 camera.
"Until" is already here. Nikon D810 and probably some of the mirrorless models, as long as you have a suitable lens attached. Even my D7100 can best my Bronica SQ-A system under certain circumstances, and there is absolutely no comparison to 35mm film. I'm not talking specs, but real world results.
 

JohnRice

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Ron, getting back on topic...

Photography is a wonderful hobby, now more than ever. I encourage you to embrace it. You already have LightRoom, so shoot some RAW and experiment with it a little to see what you can do.
 

Scott Merryfield

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schan1269 said:
I'm not talking "D-SLR".Talking about medium format.When there us a $3000 medium format digital...
It's getting close -- I saw a new Pentax medium format body that uses the new Sony CMOS sensor reviewed in Popular Photography that had a street price of around $4,500.

I am not a big fan of shooting RAW+jpeg, but in your case Ron it may be a good idea at the start until you feel comfortable processing RAW files. And I do agree with John in that you keep saying you want professional results, but you want a point and shoot effort. That is a contradiction you need to overcome, or else you will not get any better results with your new camera, and you could have saved a bunch of money and just used a point & shoot camera or your smartphone.
 

Ronald Epstein

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Thanks for the help, guys.

Been taking pictures with the A6000. Beautiful images. As good as my DSLR.

Comparing RAW to JPG, I really don't see any significant differences. Based
on your advice, I am going exclusively RAW.

Found a fantastic video on YouTube that really put manual dialing into perspective.
However, I really need to find some time in the future to play around with the settings
to see how it all works.

Until then, I am sticking with "P" mode temporarily.

 

Sam Posten

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Normally I recommend RAW and don't look back. For someone like Ron tho, who takes his lack of photographic understanding as a badge of pride and refuses to learn even the basics of photography and who will NEVER take the time to edit more than a simple crop I say go JPG and don't sweat it. If in the future you decide to learn photography and moderate editing skills it will be one more set of nails digging into you reminding you how right we were all along =pSeriously tho, if you never intend to edit at all then there is no harm in JPG cause you are wasting your time and computer resources on quality pixels that you will never take advantage of.
 

CobraVerde

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As a working professional photographer for 12 years, never shoot JPG. The in-camera compression causes some loss of color and resolution. Raw is uncompressed, and technically, not really even a photo, but a data file. You have supreme latitude with RAW, amateur or not.
 

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