Feeling DUMB here =)

[jodyangel]

Ok I have been using Lightroom and Paintshop Pro for awhile now to post process..but read something today that made me think I'm doing it wrong?

I have been shooting all RAW and then putting thru Lightroom converting to a Jpeg in high quality. Am I suppose to be converting to a TIFF file instead of Jpeg?


Thanks for your comments =)

[Nicole]

Never a reason to feel dumb. Tiff is better than jpg, yes. But the files sizes can get huge. I personally don't think there's a "wrong" way to do things (well, maybe if you're saving the jpg at the lowest quality and resaving over and over again ). But part of that can depend on how you work with the jpg. Do you save it over and over again or do you kind of work on it and then save it once or twice. See, there's a video about jpg compression, but it also says to me that you have to save it and recompress it a lot of times before it looks as bad as the end product of the video

[OsmosisStudios]

I generally process my RAW files to JPG for storage: if I need a TIFF, I'll re-save from the RAW file.

[jodyangel]

Well I guess why Would you need a TIFF? I tried uploading a TIFF to flickr and it said Nooo lol.
I try to do all my work on the file once and save because I know every time you resave it with changes it loses quality.

So maybe I don't understand about Tiff. Does anyone have a situation where TIFF would be best? And how do you manage it's size?

[ocnsprt]

I am gonna throw this silly question out there, then go read up on it, but what is the difference between raw and jpeg? I am recieveing my first slr tomorrow from B and H, (Yeah) and have heard alot about shooting in raw then converting, but hav no idea whats the difference and when to use different formats, like tiff, why use tiff or raw or anyother format????? Sorry if this is the wrong time and place to ask, but I feel lost

[jodyangel]

=) Let me try.

A raw file has all the qualitys and "bits" preserved. It's not a loosy file. So you can play with it in PS or Lightroom and fix lots of things that you can't as a JPEG. It's great.

If you are planning on printing it is the way to go. And why take photo's if you don't print them right?

RAW files basically have all the information in them intact. I love RAW. Never going back!
Read up on it tho..you'll be convinced =)

[ocnsprt]

Thanks I have been but im still confusioush (: uuuggggh so much to learn. SO how can you fix things on raw you cant on jpeg? what is it you loose saving to jpeg?

[kencaleno]

I always shoot jpeg,but yesterday I thought I would try RAW just to see why most people seem to revel in it. I set camera (Nikon) to take NEF+Jpeg basic,and loaded the NEF (RAW) file to Rawshooter-It looked no different that my jpeg image-I didn't need to adjust exposure,white balance, or anything else-because I make sure I get everything right in the camera. So all I got was a basic jpeg file of 760KB and an identical RAW file of 5.6MB,and they both looked alike,so I cannot see why I would want to ever use RAW.

First image Jpeg Second image NEF (Raw) Both straight from camera

Regards, Ken

[Sime]

Ken, stop me if I'm wrong, but, when your camera captures a jpg image, it applies processing (sharpening / contrast / balance) based on the camera settings, the raw (nef / cr2 etc) doesn't have these things applied. So how can you say they're the same?

RAW allows you more flexibility in your post processing environment, RAW captures and retains all the information your camera gathered when you pressed the shutter release, and, delivered it direct to you.

JPG is a lossy format, in camera jpg also has your camera's "best attempt" processing applied (different in almost every camera - depending upon your manufacturer)

With RAW you can't just load your photos onto your computer and view them (as standard) you would need a plugin to view the images, or, photoshop / gimp etc

With jpg, you can view straight out of the camera on most computers, you can print from jpg (in a lot of cases it makes more sense to shoot jpg - press for example)

I shoot RAW 99.9% of the time - This gives me more "room to move" as, unlike Ken, I don't get it right in camera every time (and that's OK... I'm working on it)

Experiment! You're shooting digital - trying stuff is (essentially) free!

Sime

[jodyangel]

,,so again I ask. Why would you use a TIFF file if its too big to post online? =)