Raw + Jpeg any advantages ?

DennisP · #1 18-12-08

With most DSLRs now giving the user a variety of shooting modes ie Jpeg, Raw or Raw + Jpeg etc, can anyone suggest to me a valid reason for shooting in Raw + Jpeg if one intends to process mostly in Raw. Why not just shoot Raw in the first place. I would like to hear people's views.

Ian · #2 18-12-08

Quote:

Originally Posted by DennisP

With most DSLRs now giving the user a variety of shooting modes ie Jpeg, Raw or Raw + Jpeg etc, can anyone suggest to me a valid reason for shooting in Raw + Jpeg if one intends to process mostly in Raw. Why not just shoot Raw in the first place. I would like to hear people's views.

Hi Dennis, this is often debated and there is no de facto answer, it depends on your preference.

For me, I try top shoot RAW+JPEG all the time. The cameras I tend to use are not slowed down appreciably by this unless shooting very long high speed bursts. I think your G1 is in this category as well.

The advantage of having a JPEG is that it can be edited by anything and it will be visible in any thumbnail viewer, from Windows Explorer to whatever. Not all thumbnail viewers will show proprietary RAW image thumbnails.

So sometimes I can identify the RAW image I'm looking for by viewing its twin JPEG.

But for most serious use, I will use the RAW version. Most good RAW conversion packages will preview by default the RAW file to a similar quality that the camera would produce a JPEG in the first place.

Are you using the G1's SilkyPix software? It's quite hard to use, in my opinion.

Ian

Stephen · #3 18-12-08

I can fully appreciate Ians approach to using Raw + JPEG, for him it is probably his best workflow method.

However I decided a long time ago that for me there was no point in having the JPEG so I shoot Raw only. I work with one camera and use a compact for leisure use. Both use the same Raw format. I use the same workflow on desktop Mac and PC Laptop. This consists of Lightroom mainly, and I have developed a way of working now that frankly creates working files in not much more time than it would were I to use JPEGS. I only process the images I want to use, and after a selection is made, and individual files adjusted, the selection is batch processed. Many times there is no need to put any of them into Photoshop for further adjustment, and so the set of files delivered to a client can be deleted, they can be recreated if need be from the corrected Raw file. Of course if there is further adjustment to be made in Photoshop then its best to save these files.

I really don't have a use for the JPEG file created with a Raw so I see no point in creating one

DennisP · #4 19-12-08

Ian and Stephen, many thanks for your differing views. I am inclined to agree with Stephen and use Raw only as I have now invested in Lightroom 2. I could not get on with Silkypix and Lightroom is much easier to use and has many more features, lacking in Silkypix. In addition I can process both the G1 rw2 pics and the Pentax pefs in the same software. I asked the question because I was interested to see if anyone had found a unique use for the jpegs which I had not thought of.

jds9000 · #5 19-12-08

I shoot 99.9% in raw, but occasionally shoot in jpg if I'm in a hurry, and it's to be displayed on some device which may not read canon raw files ....

Jay

straupenieks · #6 28-05-11

I normally shoot only in RAW, but I do have an exception. Whenever I go to family gatherings and alike events, I always shoot RAW+JPEG, as it allows me to instantly give them the JPEG's and then be able to process the RAW's on my own pace, when I have time for it. To be honest - 90% of people in such events don't care for the quality of the pics, they only need a quick reminder of the events. But they always want them as quick as possible. Shooting RAW+JPEG allows me to satisfy their wish and stop the nagging, I can then send them the processed images later (I tend to get the -WOW, it looks even better now- compliment quite often).

ash · #7 29-05-11

I used to shoot raw and jpeg alot for the fact that any pics I wanted to upload or share was easier than processing raws as the in camera jpeg processing gives you the option to sharpen etc in camera and have the result straight away without anymore work, also you can experiment with b&w easier as you no you still have the raw to go back to if you don't like the in b&w version of your frame.
Having got the d7000 with twin card slots, I now at an event shoot raw to slot 1 and in camera processed jpeg to slot 2 which has the eyefi card sending the jpeg direct to either ipad for client to view instantly or direct to printer for printing.
Ive just done an event this friday using this method.

OlyPaul · #8 29-05-11

I have the same workflow as Stephen but if like Ash I had to immediately send images by wfi or to a printer then Ii would certainly be shooting both.

As to Ian's comment about thumbnail viewers, I really do not know any that cannot view them with the right free codec installed.

As a aside for any that do not know and use DNG as I do, you can now get a DNG codec from Adobe so thumbs and full size images can be viewed in Windows 7 64 bit.

Fast Eddie · #9 29-05-11

Raw only here which was a little of a pain previously but I found a plug-in/codec from canon that allows me to view raw files as thumbnails in explorer which makes it much easier to see what's what.

kennykodak · #10 02-06-11

i use a Canon Mark IV for events. the CF card is set for raw whereas the SDHC card is set for jpeg. i do this for insurance. the studio computer processes the raw files and the jpeg cards are just backup saved to my laptop that doesn't spend the night at the studio.
simple argument for shooting raw over jpeg:
simple histogram 0 (black) - 255 (white)
jpeg, 256 steps
raw, 4096 steps

Ian · #11 02-06-11

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennykodak

i use a Canon Mark IV for events. the CF card is set for raw whereas the SDHC card is set for jpeg. i do this for insurance. the studio computer processes the raw files and the jpeg cards are just backup saved to my laptop that doesn't spend the night at the studio.
simple argument for shooting raw over jpeg:
simple histogram 0 (black) - 255 (white)
jpeg, 256 steps
raw, 4096 steps

That's a great tip from pro - thanks!

Ian

Oli2k · #12 18-06-12

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennykodak

i use a Canon Mark IV for events. the CF card is set for raw whereas the SDHC card is set for jpeg. i do this for insurance. the studio computer processes the raw files and the jpeg cards are just backup saved to my laptop that doesn't spend the night at the studio.
simple argument for shooting raw over jpeg:
simple histogram 0 (black) - 255 (white)
jpeg, 256 steps
raw, 4096 steps

Never knew that, thanks for the info.

Steve40 · #13 21-08-12

Certainly, you will learn a lot more about using PhotoShop that way.

Horacio · #14 21-08-12

Is it Raw the real master file??
I agree mostly with all that has been said. I also shoot raw and medium size jpegs. Nonetheless I have some doubts about that policy. Is it really the raw the gold standard for archiving files? One disadvantage of shooting raws is that when you buy a new camera, those files won´t be readable by software one or two versions old and you will be obliged or better said, compelled, to buy the last upgrade or version. You may use the DNG equivalent to avoid this problem. On the other hand, we must recognize that new cameras have different compression algorrithms for jpegs so the quality is actually less compromised and probabley similar or equivalent to the raws. To edit those jpegs files you might create a virtual copy or a new copy and save the original as master. Another matter is the continuous changing of raw files from each new manufacturer´s camera that requires new plugins that only work in last versions software. Also this continuous variation in raws along time and cameras, could get us to the point that in many years in advance (let us say 20 years more), such old and constantly variable raws won´t be readable any more by the existing new programs on those times. That will probably not happen with jpegs because they are the gold standard in imaging everywhere in the world and in the PCs operating systems. Lastly, we must recognize that the quality of the final picture or print is also related to the technical and personal skills on editing the files, probably more thatn in the type of the file. Regards, Horacio.

throt · #15 21-08-12

I use RAW 99% of the time. Have used JPG only when card is getting full and there is no extra card or if want to upload a picture fast somewhere. As looking through all the images anyways then putting the comp converting them later just takes couple of mouse clicks and unlike small kids comp can handle the processing without supervision. But the main issue is that Olympus E-1 takes a lot of time to process JPGs. For quick viewing I use Picasa Photo Viewer and it has also option to open the image in alternate editing program.