True resolution of Lumix DMC-ZS60? My Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 gives me JPEGs that are 4896 x 3672 pixels, but RW2 (raw) files that are only 1920 x 1440 pixels. My understanding has...

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True resolution of Lumix DMC-ZS60?

Aug 7, 2019 20:17:50 #

grathbun Loc: Placerville, California

My Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 gives me JPEGs that are 4896 x 3672 pixels, but RW2 (raw) files that are only 1920 x 1440 pixels. My understanding has been that the sensor's true resolution is the higher number (about 18 megapixels). I've searched the advanced manual for the camera and can't find anything referring to this, and have gone through all the menu options with no better luck. Searches on the web indicate that the sensor has about 18 megapixels.

Am I wrong, and the resolution of the raw file is the actual true resolution of the sensor, with the higher JPEG resolution resulting from in-camera interpolation? Or is the actual sensor resolution the higher number, and the raw file's resolution is "downgraded" for some reason? If that's the case, why?

Any help/thoughts/speculation is welcome.

Aug 7, 2019 20:35:50 #

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

I have the same camera. You need to remember that the raw image is only a part of the data included in it. It is not the image possible once it is developed in Camera Raw. The JPEG is the true resolution.

Aug 7, 2019 20:42:31 #

Bill_de Loc: US

Just a guess

I have a different Panasonic, but that is the size image I get when shooting 4K stills, recommended for burst mode. On mine a button on the back brings up the 4k choices on the LCD. Choose off.

--

Aug 7, 2019 22:00:59 #

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

grathbun wrote:

My Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 gives me JPEGs that ar... (show quote)

Menu->Rec->Picture Size - set it to L for the max resolution of 4896x3672 (Page 139) for the aspect of 4:3 - you have probably set this correctly.

Menu->Rec->Quality - lets you select jpeg compression and/or raw. The aspect is always 4:3 which is the maximum resolution possible - the same as jpeg L. (page 140).

I have no clue how you are getting to 1920 x 1440, other than if you have the Burst Rate set to [SH], which will lower the picture size to [S]. If you are using 16:9 aspect, it will give you a 1920x1080 image, but I don't see any combination of file size and aspect that results in 1920x1440.

Weird. . .

https://static.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/248659.pdf

Aug 7, 2019 22:03:25 #

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

Just looked-up your camera -- the highly complementary review said it's sensor was 18.1 MP -- which matches your research.

Aug 8, 2019 03:02:46 #

grathbun Loc: Placerville, California

Thanks to those who have responded so far.

hassighedgehog, in my other cameras, the raw image is the same or larger pixel dimensions as any of the JPEGs, which makes sense. My understanding is that the raw image should be 1-pixel-per-photoreceptor data, whereas the JPEGs are processed, and could include data from more than 1 photoreceptor in a given pixel.

Bill_de, I tried various drive modes, including Off, no change.

Gene51, yes, I've verified the settings you mentioned, all were set as you suggested. Tried 3 different Burst Rate settings plus single (no burst), no change in Raw picture size. Have tried Quality setting of RAW as well as RAW+JPEG FINE, no change. Aspect ratio 4:3. I tried a very fast memory card (SanDisk Ultra, 80 MB/s) and an EXTREMELY fast card (SanDisk Extreme Pro, 300 MB/s), just in case write speed might be a limiting factor, no change. Like you say, weird!

Aug 8, 2019 08:31:31 #

ELNikkor

I just take a photo in RAW and the same in jpeg, put it in the computer and click on its properties. It gives the file size, and RAW is always larger

Aug 8, 2019 13:27:14 #

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

It seems something is wrong somewhere. I would contact the manufacturer and ask about it.

Aug 8, 2019 20:48:39 #

Bret Perry

Hmmm, How are you determining the pixel count of the raw image?
Do you use camera raw?
I imagine other software has a similar feature:

Photoshop's Camera raw will use the last size that was set in Camera Raw by clicking the "link" at the bottom of the camera raw window that mentions the profile and bit rate and pixel dimensions.

If you have changed that size etc. from the default, it will use whatever size you set it to when opening a new photo.

Aug 8, 2019 23:50:11 #

grathbun Loc: Placerville, California

Question answered! Thank you, Bret Perry, for asking how I was determining the size -- I was using the dimensions given by my viewer (GwenView on a Linux system). It evidently reduces the size of RW2 files in order to display them. When I open the RW2's in a program made for processing Raw files, the dimensions are actually slightly larger than the dimensions of the biggest JPEG.

Oddly enough, two different Raw-processing programs show different sizes for the same RW2 image, although both are larger than the JPEG.

Thanks again to all who responded.

Aug 8, 2019 23:57:43 #

grathbun Loc: Placerville, California

Sorry for taking up everyone's time for something that was just an oversight on my part!

Aug 9, 2019 07:10:00 #

Bill_de Loc: US

grathbun wrote:

Sorry for taking up everyone's time for something that was just an oversight on my part!

No need to be sorry. All of us that couldn't correctly answer the question learned something.

Aug 9, 2019 14:30:29 #

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

grathbun wrote:

Question answered! Thank you, Bret Perry, for ask... (show quote)

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