I just bought a D300s and I'm on my way to Yellowstone monday. So far I have always shot jpeg files but I thought that I might shoot some raw files on my trip. My question is will I be able to shoot raw, download to my computer and work on my files like I always have or do I need some special software or other accomodations for shooting raw?
If you've got Photoshop CS4 or later, it came with ACR (Adobe Camera Raw), which will deal with them fine. Your 300 might have come with a trial version of Nikon Capture Editor, but I don't recall. I bought the full version and don't like it as well as ACR.
As a strategy, I usually shoot to capture both RAW and jpeg files of each image. We deal heavily in jpegs in our business, but it's great to have the RAW files available if needed for a cleanup. If you're shooting around midday in Yosemite, you'll be glad to have the RAW and ACR for help in filling shadows, etc.
If you're not familiar, you should make sure you're aware of exactly what RAW is Robert. It's not just a different file format like JPG. Instead it's the actual sensor data.. So the workflow to process it is very different than working with a JPG. Take a few test shots and open them in software to get familiar. I'd expect a little frustration at first and the in-camera JPGs actually looking better to you at first as well. Once you get the right software setup and some familiarity worked out, RAW is great - but it's not completely straight forward.
For a little more info on RAW, I highly recommend this Cambridge in Colour tutorial, which goes through explanation, advantages, and disadvantages.
Shoot RAW plus jpeg. That is an option in the D300s. You will have the best of both worlds, albeit at the cost of a little more card space. I did this on a recent trip and it worked well for me. I viewed the jpegs "afield" and used the RAW files to create masterpieces at home....
Exactly what Pete said!
In the (near) future when your postprocessing skills have advanced,, you may be very happy indeed to have those RAW files.
You should be able to work with the RAW files using the Nikon software that came bundled with your camera, although other programs (PS, Nikon Capture, etc.) do a much better job.
Robert, if you have the card space, I agree with everyone... shoot RAW and the best JPEG setting for your Yellowstone trip, so you have your JPEGs that you are comfortable with. Later, get up to speed on dealing with RAW, but don't make Yellowstone the time to do that, you're going to have 48 other things to be thinking about when all that scenery comes before you. LATER, you'll be glad you shot RAW, believe me (and everyone else!).
Eventually you'll probably only shoot RAW, but it'll take a while to get there, and for some it isn't necessary... imagine a wedding photographer doing all that post work?? Yikes! One thing that helps is seeing your RAW images in Windows Explorer just like JPEGs, which you can do if you download the codec for your Nikon RAW images
Lastly, this book was a superb help for me in understanding RAW images. If you want to dive 12 feet into the subject, this one is written by one of the fellas Adobe uses in designing ACR, but it's deep, I warn you!
I have to agree 1000% with Colin's 1000% statement
I never ever ever shoot JPG, and shooting raw has truly helped me create some shots, (especially around midday, like Hank mentioned) that I could have never imagined being able to create with a JPG.
Also you can always get a JPG from RAW, but you can never get a RAW from JPG
As an e.g of what RAW can do- http://www.flickr.com/photos/shivakumar_shankar/4670707303/
which I could have never obtained if I had shot JPG, I recovered soo much information in the shadows because of RAW.
I agree with RAW and JPG in a lot of images such as landscape, macro or even some wildlife in certain situations. Does anyone just use JPG only for moving wildlife, birds, BIF to keep the speed up on continuous shooting mode. i.e 5 fps on D200 ? What is your thoughts on this ?
Another option you have if you are unsure of your RAW abilities, is to let the camera do minimal D-Lighting on your most prized photos, before down loading. This will create a JPEG file of that image. Also, more aggressive D-Lighting does a great job on lightening up shadows. It is a handy tool Nikon offers.
Use the VeiwNX that came with the camera. right click on the photo and choose output then go to convert files and convert the image to TIF. Then you can work with most editing software.
I can imagine feeling a little intimidated from this thread about what shooting Raw will require, but I shoot only Raw and I am fairly new to digital photography (6 years) and dslr photography (2 years).
Raw shots will look less "finished" at first (subdued colors, less contrasty), but once you determine which compositions are most pleasing, you will be able to do some fairly basic adjustments and get far better results than the jpegs would have allowed.
Within 2 weeks of getting my 40d back in 2008, I had experimented with my Raw+Jpeg captures and determined that I could process my Raw shots in LR and get far better results without a lot of practice and knowledge. Now, with a few years using LR, Nik an Photomatix, the difference is even more astounding. I only shoot jpeg when I'm in "dinner party mode" taking snapshots of friends.
Use the VeiwNX that came with the camera. right click on the photo and choose output then go to convert files and convert the image to TIF. Then you can work with most editing software.
The step to save as TIFF throws away a lot of the advantage of RAW shooting, because you're once again working on an already "developed" file. You're just getting whatever the ViewNX default RAW conversion is. (De-mosaicing and tone/gamma curves will have already been applied to the TIFF.) You''ll have a higher quality file than JPG, but not by a lot.
Thanks to everyone for your helpful input. It sounds like a good idea to shoot both raw and jpeg on this trip. It seems dealing with with raw files is more complicated than I had realized and I'll have lots to learn. Makes me glad I can access such good help from all the great photographers on NPN.
Just a bit of "on scene" advice for Yosemite: Midday light and especially the shadows can be pretty harsh. You'll also have to contend with crowds during the peak hours. At all costs I'd be out early, then tarry late till after almost everyone has gone looking for dinner. For such low light shooting, your tripod will be your best friend.
Discussion
14 repliesThanks,
Robert Bunch
As a strategy, I usually shoot to capture both RAW and jpeg files of each image. We deal heavily in jpegs in our business, but it's great to have the RAW files available if needed for a cleanup. If you're shooting around midday in Yosemite, you'll be glad to have the RAW and ACR for help in filling shadows, etc.
For a little more info on RAW, I highly recommend this Cambridge in Colour tutorial, which goes through explanation, advantages, and disadvantages.
Pete D.
In the (near) future when your postprocessing skills have advanced,, you may be very happy indeed to have those RAW files.
You should be able to work with the RAW files using the Nikon software that came bundled with your camera, although other programs (PS, Nikon Capture, etc.) do a much better job.
Eventually you'll probably only shoot RAW, but it'll take a while to get there, and for some it isn't necessary... imagine a wedding photographer doing all that post work?? Yikes! One thing that helps is seeing your RAW images in Windows Explorer just like JPEGs, which you can do if you download the codec for your Nikon RAW images
Lastly, this book was a superb help for me in understanding RAW images. If you want to dive 12 feet into the subject, this one is written by one of the fellas Adobe uses in designing ACR, but it's deep, I warn you!
Have fun on the trip!!
Shoot raw Robert, shoot raw even if you shoot raw/jpeg. Your pictures/photography are about to improve 1000%.
I never ever ever shoot JPG, and shooting raw has truly helped me create some shots, (especially around midday, like Hank mentioned) that I could have never imagined being able to create with a JPG.
Also you can always get a JPG from RAW, but you can never get a RAW from JPG
As an e.g of what RAW can do- http://www.flickr.com/photos/shivakumar_shankar/4670707303/
which I could have never obtained if I had shot JPG, I recovered soo much information in the shadows because of RAW.
Raw shots will look less "finished" at first (subdued colors, less contrasty), but once you determine which compositions are most pleasing, you will be able to do some fairly basic adjustments and get far better results than the jpegs would have allowed.
Within 2 weeks of getting my 40d back in 2008, I had experimented with my Raw+Jpeg captures and determined that I could process my Raw shots in LR and get far better results without a lot of practice and knowledge. Now, with a few years using LR, Nik an Photomatix, the difference is even more astounding. I only shoot jpeg when I'm in "dinner party mode" taking snapshots of friends.
The step to save as TIFF throws away a lot of the advantage of RAW shooting, because you're once again working on an already "developed" file. You're just getting whatever the ViewNX default RAW conversion is. (De-mosaicing and tone/gamma curves will have already been applied to the TIFF.) You''ll have a higher quality file than JPG, but not by a lot.
Thanks again to all.
Robert Bunch
Just a bit of "on scene" advice for Yosemite: Midday light and especially the shadows can be pretty harsh. You'll also have to contend with crowds during the peak hours. At all costs I'd be out early, then tarry late till after almost everyone has gone looking for dinner. For such low light shooting, your tripod will be your best friend.