TIFF & RAW Please Help

[Misiu Kolorowy]

I'm having hart time understand the files or maybe I do understand just I'm doing something wrong. I'm new with the camera and the photography so I'm looking for some help. OK thats the deal.

I'm using:
Sony DSLR 330
Photoshop Elements 8
Mac computer

I took some pictures today and I took them in a RAW format because i heard that they are nicer and thats true there is an difference. I got home transferred the pictures to the computer, each RAW picture is about 10MB. I open the pictures with Photoshop because nothing else will open them. I make couple adjustments like color, light etc. Save the file in TIFF and ... OMG the picture has 60MB. What am I doing wrong?

I also have couple questions.
1. If I go for example for vacation and I'm taking pictures of my family and/or other stuff there is no point for me to take them in RAW format right?
2. How many MB should a RAW picture have before I open it on the computer.
3. How many MB should a TIFF picture have after I make changes to the RAW
4. How many MB should a TIFF picture have after I make changes to the JPEG
(Question #3 and 4 I'm just asking for an estimate I know it depends on the picture itself, I just don't believe it should have 60MB)
5. Do have all the pictures saved as TIFF or JPEG or mix can you please tell me some examples how big are they.

I'm really confused with all of that thats why I'm asking for help. Thank You.

I also have couple questions.
1. If I go for example for vacation and I'm taking pictures of my family and/or other stuff there is no point for me to take them in RAW format right?

Nope, the entire WORLD depends on you using RAW only.

2. How many MB should a RAW picture have before I open it on the computer.

As many MB's as your little heart desires. Dream little dreamer! DREAM!

3. How many MB should a TIFF picture have after I make changes to the RAW

You're not dreaming effectively.

4. How many MB should a TIFF picture have after I make changes to the JPEG

I should really buy you a dream book.

(Question #3 and 4 I'm just asking for an estimate I know it depends on the picture itself, I just don't believe it should have 60MB)

Don't estimate your desires and wishes! Dream on little one! The entire world is yours to grasp!!

5. Do have all the pictures saved as TIFF or JPEG or mix can you please tell me some examples how big are they.

It's a conspiracy to keep you from dreaming big! Don't let big government get you down or crush your spirit! THINK BIG!!!!

I'm really confused with all of that thats why I'm asking for help. Thank You.

Send all dream interpretations triple stapled with a $50 bill attached to every third and fourth pages.

~Eric

[BCampbell]

Yes, your saved TIFF will usually be larger than your RAW file. I have a Canon 300D, a 6MP DSLR, and my RAW files tend to be around 6MB, while TIFFs end up being around 10MB. I save JPGs at 92% and they end up being 1 to 1.5MB.

Most of the time you don't need to save as a TIFF. If you're using the image for web, definitely save as JPG, the files are much smaller and easier to transmit, for one. TIFF is usually only used for printing, and then usually only if you save them as 16 bit files and your printing service can output 16 bits.

There's not much reason not to shoot in RAW. The only real reason I can see is if you're doing a lot of action photography in burst mode and shooting RAW is too slow on your camera (it sure is on mine). Otherwise, I find that processing RAW is actually easier than shooting in JPG, in terms of developing on my computer.

[Jim Bryant]

Save a jpg copy for the web, not your RAW image. I always save my RAW images in one folder, edited TIFFs in another and JPEG copies yet in another. So you have the untouched RAW, post processed TIFF and and PPed jpeg.

[gazsus]

Thanks Eric, I needed that

[Sime]

Oh dear...

If you have a reason to use TIFF then save as TIFF... if you don't... Why bother? You have the RAW, keep that... Edit in Photoshop or whatever and then export a jpg...

And yes, do dream - dreaming is good... (Still shaking head at your reply MH...lol)

[douglas]

Oh dear Max!!!!
The simple answer is use TIFF only if you really need it for special printing. Otherwise, you have the Raw images...convert to JPG, after processing for most things....Just my 2 penny worth.

[Misiu Kolorowy]

So from what I understand the TIFF are only good for printing. Well i'm not planing to print them at all just save them on my computer and share online so I guess the raw format is what I should use. Now the raw format has to be edited every single time am I right? So if i go and vacation and take 1000 pictures it would take a lot of work to convert them with photoshop. Is it the raw format for like more fancy pictures?

[BCampbell]

Originally Posted by Misiu Kolorowy

So from what I understand the TIFF are only good for printing.

Pretty much, yes.

Well i'm not planing to print them at all just save them on my computer and share online so I guess the raw format is what I should use.

You can't "use" the RAW file for anything. You have to develop it into another format before you can print it, or display it on the web.

Now the raw format has to be edited every single time am I right? So if i go and vacation and take 1000 pictures it would take a lot of work to convert them with photoshop. Is it the raw format for like more fancy pictures?

I used a JPG-only workflow for a while, about 8-10 months, then switched to RAW. I found that my workflow actually sped up because it's easier to make basic adjustments to the RAW image than to a JPG. I process every photo I plan on using, even if it looks great straight from the camera I at least double check for exposure, white balance, noise, etc. Working with a JPG, adjusting balance means I have to look at levels and either try to select points or manually adjust... adjusting white balance is a fairly "magic" edit in curves. These take some time. With RAW, I just have an exposure slider and a color temperature slider, these take care of 98% of my photos in a fraction of the time.

As for 1000 photos on vacation, are you posting all 1000 photos online? Why edit photos you won't use?

If you routinely don't do any editing of your photos, sure, shooting JPG might make sense. And as I said earlier, there may be other situations, like a lot of burst shooting -- RAW is usually slower and fills up the buffer in fewer frames. Otherwise, once you get used to a RAW workflow, you might even find it more convenient than working in JPG.