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RAW vs TIFF
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Jul 30, 2021 13:48:26   #
PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA
 
If I convert a RAW file to TIFF rather than JPG, do I have the same options of salvaging detail in deep shadows as the original RAW file?

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Jul 30, 2021 13:50:25   #
R.G. Loc: Scotland
 
Conversion to TIFF (16 bit) is described as lossless by the software industry and the photography industry. I'm inclined to believe them.

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Jul 30, 2021 14:15:16   #
BebuLamar
 
PHRubin wrote:
If I convert a RAW file to TIFF rather than JPG, do I have the same options of salvaging detail in deep shadows as the original RAW file?


For deep shadows recovering I think it would be the same.

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Jul 30, 2021 14:41:28   #
Ysarex Loc: St. Louis
 
Depends: You need to convert to a TIFF with sufficient bit depth (at least 16 bit). When you do the conversion to the TIFF you're most likely going to process the raw data to a good looking image -- you're going to WB and sharpen and apply a tone curve etc. and that processing has the potential to deliver an RGB image with less additional processing potential than the original raw data. So it depends on how you convert the raw data.

Some processing software converts raw files to linear DNG files (RGB TIFF in a DNG wrapper) so that the DNG can be further processed in your favorite editor. For example DXO Pure Raw lets you take advantage of DXO's Prime noise reduction and lens profiles and then spits out a linear DNG you can further process say in LR. Another example would be X-Transformer from Iridient. The goal in these cases is to deliver the linear DNG with the one specific feature but otherwise not do any other processing that might interfere with further potential processing.

Which begs the question why? So with something like X-Transformer the answer is to take advantage of Iridient's superior demosiacing when using some other app for processing. What's the reason to convert to TIFF?

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Jul 30, 2021 15:31:01   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
I'm not a fan of tif files. I use them occasionally because I have software that will convert them to numeric arrays which I find useful for analysis sometimes.

What do you perceive as the advantage of a tif file over a raw file?

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Jul 30, 2021 15:35:12   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
DirtFarmer wrote:
...What do you perceive as the advantage of a tif file over a raw file?
My question also. I'm just kind of curious about what scenario would cause someone to edit the tif instead of the raw? Thanks!

Another thought: Paul, you use Photoshop Elements, is that correct? So, if you find you often want to tweak an edit, just save your work as a psd file, with all layers intact. Do "save as jpg" separately for sharing online, printing, email etc.

Another handy tip is if you want to start over with the raw but retain the original slider settings from ACR, in your file folder copy the raw (copy/paste) to make a new file (rename). Now you can open #2 and begin anew while still having the first one keep the ACR edits.

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Jul 30, 2021 15:50:09   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
PHRubin wrote:
If I convert a RAW file to TIFF rather than JPG, do I have the same options of salvaging detail in deep shadows as the original RAW file?


My Lightroom, Photoshop, Luminar and Nix software takes whatever I send it and saves as TIFF. I don't see any difference.

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Jul 30, 2021 15:54:25   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
rgrenaderphoto wrote:
My Lightroom, Photoshop, Luminar and Nix software takes whatever I send it and saves as TIFF. I don't see any difference.


Certainly all those programs are capable of saving an image in tif format. But why? Why not leave the image in the original format and make a jpg when you need the image to put into an email, or into a document, or onto the web? Admittedly jpg is not the format for all occasions, but it's a widely accepted format for purposes of image transfer. Tif is better than jpg to the extent that it is generated losslessly, but that doesn't make it the best storage format. What's wrong with saving the original file?

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Jul 30, 2021 16:43:47   #
neilds37 Loc: Port Angeles, WA
 
Linda From Maine wrote:
My question also. I'm just kind of curious about what scenario would cause someone to edit the tif instead of the raw? Thanks!
...
.


Since you asked...because Lightroom 6 in my new computer does not have the RAW update for my Sony camera.
Still working on that issue.

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Jul 30, 2021 17:13:22   #
mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey
 
PHRubin wrote:
If I convert a RAW file to TIFF rather than JPG, do I have the same options of salvaging detail in deep shadows as the original RAW file?

While the ability to extract deep shadow detail from a tiff file may be sufficient for your purposes, in my experience, it always best to process the raw file If one is available and the software being used supports raw edits. Obviously, if you're editing your files in a pixel editor like Photoshop or Affinity's photo persona which do not support editing of raw files, using a tiff file, or a proprietary format, like PSD, is the next best option.

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Jul 30, 2021 17:24:24   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
neilds37 wrote:
Since you asked...because Lightroom 6 in my new computer does not have the RAW update for my Sony camera. Still working on that issue.
When I had that problem with PSE 12, I was able to convert raw to dng with Adobe's free app (Windows only). Pretty handy.

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Jul 30, 2021 17:26:06   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
mwsilvers wrote:
... Obviously, if you're editing your files in a pixel editor like Photoshop or Affinity's photo persona which do not support editing of raw files, using a tiff file, or a proprietary format, like PSD, is the next best option.
I might be mis-understanding your comment. Affinity, like PS Elements, lets you move your raw file from the raw developing section to the photo editing section without conversion. Only when you're ready to save, do you have to select a new file type (psd, afphoto, jpg and the rest).

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Jul 30, 2021 17:32:17   #
Ysarex Loc: St. Louis
 
neilds37 wrote:
Since you asked...because Lightroom 6 in my new computer does not have the RAW update for my Sony camera.
Still working on that issue.


If you don't want to update to the newest version of LR then you can:

Download the free Adobe DNG converter and run your Sony raw files through that first to convert them to DNG -- LR will then open the DNGs.

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Jul 30, 2021 17:44:19   #
Ysarex Loc: St. Louis
 
Linda From Maine wrote:
I might be mis-understanding your comment. Affinity, like PS Elements, lets you move your raw file from the raw developing section to the photo editing section without conversion. Only when you're ready to save, do you have to select a new file type (psd, afphoto, jpg and the rest).


Affinity when you click Develop in the Develop Persona and ACR when you select Open both convert the raw file at that time and send an RGB (basically a TIFF file) to the photo editing section. Each program's photo editing section requires RGB image data for further processing.

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Jul 30, 2021 17:47:11   #
therwol Loc: USA
 
Ysarex wrote:
If you don't want to update to the newest version of LR then you can:

Download the free Adobe DNG converter and run your Sony raw files through that first to convert them to DNG -- LR will then open the DNGs.


I was going to say that, but you beat me to it. As far as TIFF files go, if you must go there, you should convert to 16 bit TIFF, and that will mean huge files, potentially several times as large as the RAW files you started with. My main reason for using 16 bit TIFF files is that I can't save as RAW or even DNG with my Epson scanner software. After editing, I save them as jpegs for sharing. I know that Vuescan can scan and save files in DNG format, but that software doesn't work for me for reasons I've gone into in other threads.

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