Raw or jpeg
- Thread starter Billys60
- Start date
disciplerocks
Senior Member
x2 on Raw.
RockyNH_RIP
Senior Member
Hi Billy, welcome to Nikonites...
I started with JPEG, then learned the advantage of RAW for post processing... so I tried saving both... way too much wasted space for me.. so then I shoot all in raw... works fine for me.
The exception, as mentioned, if you are not doing any real post processing, then JPEG saves a lot and likely when you share it will be JPEG anyway..
I took 120 pics at the company xmas party, mostly head & shoulders and they will likely only have minor exposure adjust and dump to the net for the workers to view and download... I shot JPEG for that... (note serious work)
There you have it from a newbie... I would start now in Raw to get used to it... and just use JPEG for what I call snaps..
Pat in NH
Kias
Senior Member
Hi Billy! Welcome.
I just got my camera yesterday, so I'm sorta in the same boat as you right now. Currently I have raw going to one sd card, and jpeg going to the other sd card. Quite frankly, I haven't even done anything with the jpg's.
I did purchase lightroom a month or two ago in preparation for the new camera. I was playing in lightroom with jpg's, until today. It's amazing what that program can do with raw pics!
So, I'll probably continue shooting both for a few days, but I actually don't see what I'd do with them. I'm sure I'll just flip over to all raw shortly.
I just got my camera yesterday, so I'm sorta in the same boat as you right now. Currently I have raw going to one sd card, and jpeg going to the other sd card. Quite frankly, I haven't even done anything with the jpg's.
I did purchase lightroom a month or two ago in preparation for the new camera. I was playing in lightroom with jpg's, until today. It's amazing what that program can do with raw pics!
So, I'll probably continue shooting both for a few days, but I actually don't see what I'd do with them. I'm sure I'll just flip over to all raw shortly.
Don Kuykendall_RIP
RIP :(
You will need PhotoShop, Lightroom or some other post processing program that will handle RAW files. You did not say what you were using for post processing. Raw without any work will not look good. JPEG can be sharpened in the camera as you shoot and will look pretty good right out of the camera. IT all depends on what you plan to do with the photos. I shoot with the D3100 also and for what I do JPEG works great for me.
Hey Billy... Welcome
My vote is for both. I like the RAW because it allows me to experiment with color and light and see what I can learn to do. My wife, on the other hand, wants access to them immediatly. For her, I save the JPGs onto our network drive and then the NEFs (lightroom converts them to DNG) on my own hard drive. Oh yea.. the DNG gets saved to the network drive too. Don't forget backups for everything too.
My vote is for both. I like the RAW because it allows me to experiment with color and light and see what I can learn to do. My wife, on the other hand, wants access to them immediatly. For her, I save the JPGs onto our network drive and then the NEFs (lightroom converts them to DNG) on my own hard drive. Oh yea.. the DNG gets saved to the network drive too. Don't forget backups for everything too.
patrick in memphis
Senior Member
raw can be processed with the free nikon view nx2 program that comes with the camera
disciplerocks
Senior Member
I'd like to add to my comment. I shoot in RAW+Basic. I use RAW for the editing and finished product, but having the basic jpeg image helps me pick through the images so I know which ones to edit, and which to delete right away.
the ratio of jpeg to raw is huge, so why not use the highest jpeg setting.
Sometimes the JPEG is just fine. The camera does a fine job of getting the image right
and just a few minor tweaks and the photo is done.
I use the raw for most portfolio shots, but a fair number of sourced JPEGs are in there too, but
if I only shot in basic, then would be forced to always use RAW,
so why limit your options as the saying goes.
Sometimes the JPEG is just fine. The camera does a fine job of getting the image right
and just a few minor tweaks and the photo is done.
I use the raw for most portfolio shots, but a fair number of sourced JPEGs are in there too, but
if I only shot in basic, then would be forced to always use RAW,
so why limit your options as the saying goes.
Vaughany
Senior Member
Hi there,
I'm new to this photography malarkey and have recently learnt the joy of shooting RAW over JPEG. After an incident of taking what I thought would have been a great image ruined by slight overexposure I switched to RAW and have been really happy ever since.
I did an article on my blog on why I prefer it (I Shoot RAW « Life In Zoom ). For the best example drop straight to the bottom. I took this shot in the city and it was badly underexposed. Chucked it in ViewNX2 (which you should have courtesy of Nikon) and fixed it, much better.
For this reason I think I will always shoot in RAW from now on, if like someone above said they are taking a lot of photos then put it in JPEG + RAW, leave the ones that are fine and you can fix the other ones - delete the rest of the RAW files.
Vaughany
I'm new to this photography malarkey and have recently learnt the joy of shooting RAW over JPEG. After an incident of taking what I thought would have been a great image ruined by slight overexposure I switched to RAW and have been really happy ever since.
I did an article on my blog on why I prefer it (I Shoot RAW « Life In Zoom ). For the best example drop straight to the bottom. I took this shot in the city and it was badly underexposed. Chucked it in ViewNX2 (which you should have courtesy of Nikon) and fixed it, much better.
For this reason I think I will always shoot in RAW from now on, if like someone above said they are taking a lot of photos then put it in JPEG + RAW, leave the ones that are fine and you can fix the other ones - delete the rest of the RAW files.
Vaughany
Copied from another post: Every RAW file has an embedded jpg file. It is used in camera for preview and by many applications, system codecs, etc. for previews and thumbnails. There is little need to shoot RAW+JPEG when you can use utilities like IJFR to extract them when needed.
JPG is ok, BUT if you intend to edit anything then after time you save a JPG its compressed again and as its a lossy format you WILL lose detail EVERYTIME you save it
With RAW its literally what the sensor has recorded which is why the filesizes are so huge, so if you overexpose or get it slightly 'wrong' then its easier to correct without losing any quality when you save it, where JPG you WILL lose detail when its saved after editing as the camera has already processed it before saving it
Personally I use RAW, but have to use JPG (set about 85%, where a lot assume 75% as a default compression) when sending images to friends via email or uploading to FaceBook or flicker as they don't like big filesizes, but keep the original RAW files for backup
I also use IrfanView to batch convert the Nikon NEF RAW format to JPG as its 100% free and for simple but good batch conversion with some basic filtering its quicker than loading up PhotoShop or LightRoom
A decent class 10 16GB memory card is very cheap compared to what they were 12-18 months ago, so even shooting with RAW I can get a good few shots when on continuous shooting mode before the camera saves it all
I carry 3-4 memory cards so running out of space isn't really an issue, and all are class 10 that has a MINIMUM transfer speed of 10MB/sec
In UK you can pick up 16GB class 10 SD cards for less than £10, so cost or storage isn't as expensive as it used to be
With RAW its literally what the sensor has recorded which is why the filesizes are so huge, so if you overexpose or get it slightly 'wrong' then its easier to correct without losing any quality when you save it, where JPG you WILL lose detail when its saved after editing as the camera has already processed it before saving it
Personally I use RAW, but have to use JPG (set about 85%, where a lot assume 75% as a default compression) when sending images to friends via email or uploading to FaceBook or flicker as they don't like big filesizes, but keep the original RAW files for backup
I also use IrfanView to batch convert the Nikon NEF RAW format to JPG as its 100% free and for simple but good batch conversion with some basic filtering its quicker than loading up PhotoShop or LightRoom
A decent class 10 16GB memory card is very cheap compared to what they were 12-18 months ago, so even shooting with RAW I can get a good few shots when on continuous shooting mode before the camera saves it all
I carry 3-4 memory cards so running out of space isn't really an issue, and all are class 10 that has a MINIMUM transfer speed of 10MB/sec
In UK you can pick up 16GB class 10 SD cards for less than £10, so cost or storage isn't as expensive as it used to be