tkeller2242

A basic question has come up. For more than 40 years I have been shooting with first a film and now a DSLR Pentax. My K3ii of course allows me to choose between JPEG and RAW and since I shoot RAW I have to choose between PEF (Pentax RAW) or DNG. For various reasons I have always had the camera shoot DNG files. But a couple of weeks ago, there came a big change in my photography life. I got tired of not being able to get the lenses I want. Sigma and Tamron dropped Pentax from their offerings and Pentax glass doesn't match my retirement income. So now I am the happy owner of a Canon 90D with a Canon 18-135mm stm and an EF 100-400mm and I am so far happy with the results. But my question is, The 90D offers two choices for RAW format. The choices now are RAW, which produces CR3 files that are very large files, or CRAW which also produces CR3 files but smaller since they have been subjected to some compression (lossy files). Some of the literature maintains that there is no (or minimal and undetectable) loss in image quality with CRAW even though some information has been discarded. I really don't know what the best option is. So I turn to you for your expertise. What would you recommend? Should I shoot the new and larger CR3 files (takes longer to download and process) or settle for the smaller CRAW option? OR should I what I did in my Pentax days and shoot the larger CR3 files and then convert them to DNG, a smaller file size but with no loss of information? And many thanks in advance for your thoughts on this. Tom

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

If I were me I'd use the CR3.
I'd rather work with the most available data.

The best option is what works for you.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

Use the uncompressed CR3 files and keep them (no DNG). That is not the stage in the process to start saving less.

Joe

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

How about shooting several similar shots in your various options, then compare, then make your choice based on what you see.

Photocraig

Typically even with the best technique and, yes, luck, there are fewer "keepers" that the exposures captured. I would keep the CR3 files until you review and choose the "keepers" to edit. Clearly they'll stay as CR3's. Next look for that second tier which may, with a little extra processing OR in the case of some, stitching or HDR or Focus "Blending" become keepers. Keep those as CR3. Now, the rest you choose to delete them or keep a smaller file size "just in case" aunt Beatrice wants a picture of a gnat on a cornstalk, as an example.

The idea is to capture all the information you can in an image file. But, like in film, the real essence is in the selection of your best work. Since I shot mostly slides, I used to parody the catch all, "It's ALL in the wrist." as I pitched out slide after slide (like burning $1 Bills).

Summary, the time to manage your files is AFTER you have culled them down to keepers and Bit Bucket liners. But NEVER sacrifice the best file capture for the sake of size unless there is real reason--like fast frame rate capture vs. buffer size, etc.

I've only converted DNG by accident, so I can't comment. I CAN say, any compression comes at a loss in quality.
And, today, storage is cheap.

twosummers Loc: Melbourne Australia or Lincolnshire England

I'd recommend CR3. However you may need to convert to DNG (easy and fast) for some post-processing applications that don't (yet) work with CR3 format.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

You don't mention the software you are using. The CRAW format may have some compatibility issues depending on the software.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Didn't see the point of 'small' RAW on my 6D mkII. Stick with the RAW and if you want something smaller try the JPEG options.

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

This may provide some insight:

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/0483301097/quick-look-canons-new-compressed-raw-format

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

I take an average of 500 pictures a day, and the first thing I do when I get home from my 6-hour adventure is convert all my CR3 files to DNG. From what I understand, the information discarded is information I don't need, such as focus points, ISO, shutter speed, etc. I also have not found any software that has any problems working with DNG files, including all Adobe products, Corel, Topaz, and many more.

Vaun's photography Loc: Bonney Lake, WA

What works best for you. I have shot in raw CR3 files or maybe it was CR2, but for me that wasn't best. Since I do very little post processing I'm happier with the space savings allowed with the compression offered by my Canon EOS Rebel t3i. It's larger than a jpeg file, but smaller than raw. Have fun with your new camera.

miked46 Loc: Winter Springs, Florida

I also have a 90D, and EOS R, I use Luminar 4 and I load the cr3 files right in without any problem

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

Since I do very little PP these days, I shoot RAW or H.Res Jpeg's and reduce them later if I need to do so. It 's sorta hard to add-back to something after you've chopped it off. Start-off large & go smaller later.

cbtsam Loc: Monkton, MD

These days, there aren't many things cheaper in this field than storage. So I'd go with the bigger files every time.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

My camera is set to uncompressed RAW. Yup, they are larger files, but hard drives are reasonably inexpensive. DNG loses some data, but not image data. I still don't like losing some information within a file. Stick with uncompressed and purchase a few more hard drives when the time comes.
--Bob