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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Workflow, RAW and JPEG
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 03/03/2007 04:37:56 AM · #1
Hello

I just formatted my computer, before I did that I'd moved all my pictures (RAW & JPEG) to an external hardrive. Now I can't open some of the RAW files, I kept getting the message (this image is corrupted). Has this happened to anyone? The JPEGs are fine.

I'm thinking about getting rid of all my RAW files after I'm done with editing and conveting them to JPEGs, is this a good idea? How many times can you duplicate (back up in different places, external hadrives, CDs or DVDS) a JPEG file before it starts to lose quality?

If anyone has a digital workflow, please share me some of your wisdom, thanks...I have a very bad digital workflow.

Nathan
 03/03/2007 04:49:12 AM · #2
I am waiting in anticipation to see what replies come through as I don't have a very bad digital workflow....it just doesn't exist at all!
 03/03/2007 05:00:55 AM · #3
Originally posted by nhuto:

I just formatted my computer, before I did that I'd moved all my pictures (RAW & JPEG) to an external hardrive. Now I can't open some of the RAW files, I kept getting the message (this image is corrupted). Has this happened to anyone? The JPEGs are fine.

I'm thinking about getting rid of all my RAW files after I'm done with editing and conveting them to JPEGs, is this a good idea? How many times can you duplicate (back up in different places, external hadrives, CDs or DVDS) a JPEG file before it starts to lose quality?


1: What software did you use to open your RAW files before, and did you reinstall it?

2.1: I wouldn't, unless you know that you're never going to want to edit these files again. (e.g. they're snapshots, etc.) I always keep the RAW files for anything I'm likely to want to print or re-edit in the future. I delete them for snapshots and other non-essentials.

2.2: Copying a file isn't like copying an audio or video tape - there's no degradation unless you actually open it and modify it. If files degraded when they were copied, nothing on the internet would work.
 03/03/2007 05:19:27 AM · #4
I use Canon Digital Photo Professional, I did reinstall it after formatting my computer.

Yeah, when I mentioned I wanted to delete my raw files that means I will never go back and edit those files again, this is actually happening right now, once I'm done with editing and converting I never go back to that same raw file again, even though it's still in my computer.

phew, now I'm relieved to know that copying a JPEG doesn't degrade its quality, that means I can back up them in external hardrive and DVDR.

***Update*** I just found out that I had a couple of corrupted JPEGs, now I'm thinking it's my external hardrive that caused all those corrupted files (RAW & JPEG) I got it from my cousin and he salvaged it from an old computer, this is my first time using this hardrive.

Thanks for your relpy, looking forward to hearing more from you guys.

Nathan
 03/03/2007 05:48:54 AM · #5
jpegs only degrade when you open them and save them, not when you copy the file.

I would not trust just one old hard drive - especially if you are getting error messages.

I keep my RAW files. I have just finished re-editing a few old RAW files, including a couple that I had graded as poor, using new techniques and tools - I am so thankful that I kept all the RAW files.

03/03/2007 08:43:47 AM · #6
I've often gone back to old images with some new PS techniques and been pleased to do neat things with them that I didn't know how to do when I first shot the image.

For that reason, I'd recommend keeping the RAW files, or perhaps an unedited jpg. You never know what new thing you might learn that would be perfect for a shot that you always liked "but..."

My digital workflow is to copy all original files to a "New Folder" and then copy them again to a working folder. When the "New Folder" gets to be about 650mb I'll burn it to a CD and that's my straight-from-camera digital negative. I'll save the PSD files and edits from the Working folder and burn that to a CD on a quarterly schedule, too. The final edits are also uploaded immediately on-line to my Smugmug in a private back-up folder so that I've got two back-ups of the edited files in two locations. This way, if my hard drive ever fails I can always restore the pix from my Smugmug account. (It's actually happened to me, and I was glad for the offsite backup solution.)
 03/03/2007 09:28:48 AM · #7
I'll second that (or third?)

Definitely keep the RAW files of any keepers other than 'snapshots'.

I've re-processed some shots after learning a new technique many times. Recently, I've started messing around with HDR and tone mapping which are methods of post processing that I didn't even know existed a year ago. I'm going to apply this processing to some photos that I took about four years ago and I'm glad that I still have the RAW files to work with.

I'd feel like shooting myself if something new and wonderful came out five years from now and I no longer had the RAW files to work with.

If storage is an issue, consider gettng a Western Digital MyBook external hard drive and simply drag and drop your files there. I've seen numerous sale ads on the various sizes available. I got the 500gb size for about $215.00 about six months ago and I have seen it on sale for around $175.00 recently.
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