edstubbs Loc: East Coast; 1st state, Delaware

Awesome article on shooting in the RAW mode . Told ways of shooting RAW in different resolutions and more importantly, why and when 👌. Great help.

MaryAnneW Loc: Central Va

Thank you, I will definitely check it out!

Jackdoor Loc: Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

Thanks gessman & sloscheider. Very helpful.
:thumbup:

Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.

I use Canon's DPP almost exclusively. I have found that it will do all I need most of the time. I like it better than
Elements raw program. It seems to work well as it is written for Canon's raw.

Bob Boner

You could shoot raw + jpeg while you are deciding about using raw. The raw files can be processed in the software provvided with the camera body. You may want additional software for some of them.

blackest Loc: Ireland

i am not convinced of the advantages of reduced resolution raw files. Saving space is kind of pointless these days (i use an inexpensive 32GB card according to Canon it'll hold around 1,000 full size raw images).

At 8 frames per second you can keep firing for longer I guess that might be useful for crashes, and or paparazzi.

The full size raw files will give a higher resolution to crop from and still give you large prints.

I'd stick with the full size raw files, scale images when its appropriate and only make 16 bit tiff files with your best images.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Hi, MaryAnneW,

Ready to start capturing RAW image data?

A few more things to realize;
1. RAW image data provides 1000 or 4000 times as great tonal spectrum (depending on whether your camera delivers 12-bit or 14-bit RAW DATA) as does the measly 8-bit JPEG image file your camera extracts from its captured RAW data...before it discards the remainder...non JPEG...data.
JPEG delivers a tonal spectrum of 256 tones of gray from black to white,
12-bit RAW data delivers 4096 tones of gray, and
14-bit RAW data delivers 16.384 tones of gray.

Also:
JPEG files delivers millions of colors,
12-bit RAW data delivers billions of colors, and
14-bit RAW data delivers trillions of colors.

2. If your practice is to expose your RAW data using the same exposure principles used for photosensitive emulsions and for JPEG image files you will capture the same amount of electronic noise with RAW data exposure as you will with an identically exposed JPEG image file. Same if you expose JPEG or RAW by ETTR (Expose To The Right...which, by the way, works far better for RAW data than for JPEG image files.

3. If, on the other hand, you expose RAW image data using the ERADR (Extra RAW Accessible Dynamic Range) offered by the sensor of your particular camera, you can capture far less NOISE than with JPEG exposure, or practically NO NOISE At all, depending on the amount of ERADR offered by your camera,*

*Sadly, your camera's manufacturer does not reveal the amount of ERADR available from your camera's photosensor. You have to determine that on your own!

Sooooo.....

To Determine Your Camera's ERADR:

Find scene or subject within JPEG Histogram DR
Put camera on tripod.
Set: RAW format,
ISO 100,
White Balance - pick any one and don't change it ( just NOT Auto), and
Shutter priority - 1/100sec. or 1/ 200 sec.
Then Set MANUAL EXPOSURE.
Find exposure for ETTR (move the "light pile" as far to the right as possible without tripping the "clipping warning" and expose accurately for ETTR. This assure that you are capturing ALL data points, even the darkest ones, as far as possible from the " NOISE MOTHER LODE" at the left end of the JPEG-adjusted histogram!
Subsequent exposures
Add 1/3 stop slower shutter speed with each exposure.
(up to three addl. full stops. Who knows, maybe your camera
will set a record?)
Download the ETTR exposure and the subsequent series to your computer.
Open in RAW converter (ACR) starting with the ETTR exposure.
Normalize tones by moving exposure slider to the left.
Find longest exposure with no clipped highlights ( just before first one
with clipped highlights...)
Those addl. stops beyond ETTR with NO clipped
highlights are your camera's ERADR.

By using all available ERADR you assure that all your image data-even of the shadows- are captured as far as possible from the Far-left source of the worst NOISE as possible!

Hereafter, for any exposure when ETTR is practical, use EBTR by adding
the stops of ERADR to the ETTR exposure.

When to use EBTR?

-when you can use a fast shutter speed and still move the light pile as far to the right as needed,or
-when you use a tripod or other rest to permit use of a long -slow shutter to move the light pile as far right as needed.

(EBTR is NOT the choice for fast-moving, active subjects under shifting light!)

By use of EBTR you will gain to the max the benefits of appropriately exposed RAW image data.

Best regards, and enjoy embarking on photography using appropriately exposed RAW data!

Dave in SD

MaryAnneW Loc: Central Va

What are TIF files?

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

TIFF (tif.) is a large ( often larger than RAW) compressive, non-lossy format in which a image version from RAW data can be saved in 16bit-depth from processing in ACR.

Also, a JPEG image file processed in ACR can likewise be saved as a "TIFF MASTER" which can subsequently be copied for further processing if desired.

Nikonian72 wrote this in another thread:
TIFF = Tagged Image File Format. A bit-mapped graphics file format from Adobe. Developed further by Aldus and Microsoft, TIFF handles monochrome, gray scale, 8-and 24-bit color. Widely used in book publishing and other print-related industries, TIFF allows for customization. Several versions have been created, which does not guarantee compatibility between all programs. Files use the .TIF and .TIFF extensions. TIFF file sizes are reduced using one of several compression methods. LZW provides ratios of about 1.5:1 to 2:1. Ratios of 10:1 to 20:1 are possible for documents with large amounts of white space using ITU Group III and IV compression methods (fax).

Dave in SD

MaryAnneW Loc: Central Va

Sigh... I am a DUH for sure.