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01/12/2006 07:22:34 AM · #1 |
I'm just starting to see the benefits of shooting in RAW mode and am trying to make it a habit to shoot more that way. When I was shooting in JPEG format, I used to bracket my exposure.
My question is: While using RawShooter Essentials, I can alter the exposure setting. Is this the same as bracketing, or is there still a benefit to bracketing in RAW mode. At 8.2M per pic, bracketing can fill up a 1Gig card pretty quick, so if I can cut down on bracketing, I can squeeze in a lot more pictures before I have to download.
Thanks,
RCB |
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01/12/2006 07:31:53 AM · #2 |
RAW preserves information that JPEG discards as irrelevant. However, it only preserves information that has been recorded. When playing with RawShooter etc you can exaggerate some aspects of the photograph with the effect that information that is thrown away for jpeg purposes becomes visible and useful (sometimes quite remarkably!).
However, a longer or shorter exposure will record different (hopefully more) information, and that information will not need to be exaggerated by a software tool to achieve the same result. You may be able to obtain a similar result by judicious use of exposure tools in software, but you would have more information to start with if you have a properly exposed image.
In practice, I find that there are relatively few occasions when I need more data than captured in a single RAW file, from which multiple exposures can be drawn. But there is the odd occasion.
Message edited by author 2006-01-12 07:33:08.
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01/12/2006 07:37:26 AM · #3 |
PS - the converse is that JPEG involves quite a bit of processing by the camera - I have some images where the JPEG looks tremendous, but the RAW file pretty horrendous. It can be easier in those situations to use the JPEG rather than recreate it from RAW.
However, I try nowadays to shoot mostly RAW + JPEG. Having fewer shots per card can focus the mind very well!
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01/12/2006 07:45:52 AM · #4 |
Using an "expose to the right" philosophy, the only thing you really worry about is pushing it too far and clipping the RAW data. Depending on the camera, you have perhaps 1/2 to 1 stop of info beyond the right edge of the (JPG based) histogram. Once you develop skill with this and a sense of how much is recoverable, you'll really need to bracket only in situations where there are very strong highlights.
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01/13/2006 06:27:45 PM · #5 |
A properly exposed RAW Image looks better than an under/overexposed shot that has been corrected in RAW, as you adjust for poor exposure, noise is introduced.
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01/13/2006 06:36:43 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by yido:
A properly exposed RAW Image looks better than an under/overexposed shot that has been corrected in RAW, as you adjust for poor exposure, noise is introduced. |
To be sure, the appearance of noise will be increased if you underexpose and "push" in RAW development. The opposite is true if you "expose to the right" and pull back as required in RAW development. For digital imaging, exposing to best approximate the intended final result is not always the best path. The more of the total dynamic range of the sensor you use, the better the quality of the resulting image.
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01/13/2006 06:37:31 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
Using an "expose to the right" philosophy, the only thing you really worry about is pushing it too far and clipping the RAW data. Depending on the camera, you have perhaps 1/2 to 1 stop of info beyond the right edge of the (JPG based) histogram. Once you develop skill with this and a sense of how much is recoverable, you'll really need to bracket only in situations where there are very strong highlights. |
Yes, what he said. Those histograms are your friend, use them. Once you get aquainted with histograms, your ideas of proper exposure will change dramatically.
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01/13/2006 08:32:00 PM · #8 |
| Thanks guys for the helpful insights. I get the feeling I'm going to be in the market for a portable photo storage device. I'm starting to like RAW mode (even if it is a storage hog). |
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