JPG and Raw

shalik

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17 Apr 2010 - 9:07 PM

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I have set my 5D to shoot both JPG and Raw. I understand that the jpg version comes straight out of the camera better than the raw because it is already processed while the raw isn’t. But what I also notice now, is that the jpg images seem also sharper, in better focus, than their raw equivalents.
How is this possible, or is it my eyes? My camera?
Thanks

AnthonyM

7

17 Apr 2010 - 9:36 PM

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By definition JPGs from the camera WILL be sharper and likely brighter than RAW. RAW has had not processing done, and due to the physical design of the sensor all RAW images are slightly soft until you do some amount of processing.

Now what you need to look at is what a skilled person can do with those RAW files on a full blown computer compared to what your camera can do in a second or two with its low powered processor.

In many cases you will notice some improvement with manual RAW processing (if only slightly assuming best of all conditions).
In extreme cases manual RAW conversion will save an image that would have been worthless as a JPG created by the camera.

Overread

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20 Apr 2010 - 1:28 AM

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In photoshop elements there is auto settings for RAW however I find that often as not I can get a better effect (and an effect that I choose to have) than the auto commands can create. Its a double edged sword - if you want quick you lose control - whilst if you want control you have to got a little slower.

strawman

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30 Apr 2010 - 11:32 PM

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Advantages of RAW.
You can adjust the white balance much better post capture. In some cases that is essential. I find indoor lighting situations fool a lot of cameras. And for the rest its a handy creative control.
because RAW has more bits per pixel you can do more adjusting of shadow and highlight detail before noise creeps in
If you are printing large then it is best to have a low sharpened image. the processed JPEG can have sharpening artefact's that can look worse as you enlarge.

The reason to not save your processed files as JPEG, well you throw away much of the extra bits per pixel then make it worse by compressing the data, i.e Saving as a jpeg take out info and every time you open and save then open again edit and save a JPEG looses a bit more. another problem with JPEG is it looses layers. So I would save in your photo editor native mode (PSP) or as 16 bit TIFF

BTS

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1 May 2010 - 12:00 AM

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I see......JPG images are more suitable for e-mailing / posting on here etc... Must confess I don't do much printing & my photo's are not up to any publishable standard but its nice to know they can be preserved at their best. I have noticed various TIFF options under "save as" so it is not a problem to save any 'decent' images as TIFF's and copy some as JPG also for e-mail / forum & website posting too..

When you say- [open & save a file in the JPG format]- I'm assuming you mean opening in editing suite & working on the image...saving....then maybe opening said image again and doing more work / editing? You don't mean that everytime you open 'my pictures', view a JPG image, close it, then open it another time & everytime its opened & closed a little resolution is lost?

Bear with me..its all a learning curve for me.

Thanks for the explainations

loweskid

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1 May 2010 - 12:24 AM

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Quote: You don't mean that everytime you open 'my pictures', view a JPG image, close it, then open it another time & everytime its opened & closed a little resolution is lost?

If you just open a jpeg file and close it without saving then there is no problem. It's only when you 'save' a file that you will lose resolution as the file is compressed each time - you are re-compressing an already compressed file.

You can open a jpeg and close it, without saving, as many times as you like.

Edit - blast, too slow again, strawman beat me to it....

miptog

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2 May 2010 - 11:27 PM

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Quote: is there any point / advantage in downloading say Nikon Capture NX2 for editing RAW files?

Its the only software that will give you full access to the native RAW data in the NEF files. For example you can select the picture control options in RAW.