Camera RAW-Who uses it?

[RUNYYfan]

I use RAW exclusively for the simple reason that, in post-processing, it is similar to the film negative. This is because the RAW file is literally the binary code captured by the camera sensor as opposed to the "processed" image actually written to the card after the internal application of algorithms for things like white balance and color and the compression of the image.

I've found this article to be helpful in understanding RAW initially. Another one is this article from David Eppstein at UC Irvine.

Using Lightroom, RAW files are far superior to JPG or TIFF because I can actually manipulate such things as exposure and fill light with much greater nuance before I ever touch things like color saturation, hues, tints, and white balance.

[Nomadicus]

Depending on subject matter and importance of image I shoot RAW + Large JPG and sort into two folder on the computer. I can browse through the JPG's faster to find the images that are to my liking. Sometimes the JPG is as good as it gets to the naked eye. Most often I've tinkered with the RAW for the best possible image. Imperfect shooting conditions are the rule and not the norm.

[Bydand]

Old Man Winter, On the same disk that has your Lightbox program is also the Image Data Converter. That is the program that you use to convert the Sony RAW into JPEG. I just checked my old CD from my a-200 and the new one that my son got with his new a-230. Both have it on the CD. It works like a charm and is very fast with the conversions. I haven't used the Lightbox version that came with either camera because I have PhotoShop so I don't know if it is accessible through Lightbox for conversions. I did fiddle with an image in Lightbox after reading your post and didn't try to convert it there. Instead I saved it as a RAW then converted it using the Image Data Converter.

[swbtoo]

This has been a great thread for a novice to read. Thanks to everyone for such good input!

[Old Man Winter]

In the time that has passed since posting in this thread, I have been shooting RAW exclusively and I am loving it. Thanks to all of the experienced photogs here that helped in the process with your knowledge . Anyone new to your DSLR and not shooting RAW, do yourselves a favor and figure it out! The control you have with a RAW file is amazing, the JPEG output after processing the RAW file compared to a JPEG in camera format, are night and day. All of the options for RAW adjustments will really take your photography to another level and have allowed me to save junk pictures due to over/under exposure and also correct many other issues with shots that were not keepers. I just wanted to try to get some of you to come out of the box and try it, you will not be disappointed with your results. Thanks again to some of you for making me see the light in my adventures in photography so far! I feel like I have come so far in 6 months and I am so excited about the continued learning curve and opportunities this hobby has to offer as I keep growing and shooting , now if I could only figure out how to get published and go work for National Geographic...... may as well set the bar high lol

[mathjak107]

For serious photographers raw is the way to go...i just cant wait for the day i can nail everything even 90% correctly when i shoot so im happy with jpeg and can be done right out of camera.

unfourtunely i like a certain look to my photos and cant get that look out of camera as its unique to each photo what i do....

[Bydand]

Since this thread came up a few months ago I have been shooting/using the RAW images much more. I use the Adobe Camera RAW plug-in for PhotoShop and really like how it works. Much easier than with other programs I have used in the past and also quite fast in conversion for saving to JPEG if I want.