We have 4 digitals. The Nikon which we use for important pics shoots jpeg and raw at the same time if you want it to. We took it on vacation and did that. We will probably just shoot raw for the important stuff from here on out, but then you do need to post process. (The improvements for raw processing in CS 3 are wonderful. Big improvement over CS2)

The jpeg vs raw debate is on about every photo site around if you want to google, or just go to a place like Nikonians or Retouch Pro.

Have fun.

I understand the "fear" of shooting RAW.. but really, it is quite easy... with most RAW converters/editors, you can setup a default set of settings that get applied to the RAW files when you import or download the photos into the computer. If you set this up correctly... the photos will appear very near to what the camera would create in JPG. So... if you don't have time to tweak every photo, you can just export them as jpg and you are good to go.

Of course.. the overall benefit of RAW is then being able to tweak each setting of the photo without any loss in details.. if you have a photo that really care about (or just want to make all your photos look so much better), then RAW is the way to go.

Thanks evryone. I have started shooting RAW and am finding it a learning process. I do have the ability to shoot RAW and jpegs together and may do that as I have family that hates to wait for pictures and this will allow me to get them some while I "play" with the others. I've always loved photography and would love to develop my skills in this area.

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Serena Thomas

Serena, what program are you using for RAW conversion? You can look into setting up a import default and then just export the whole batch.. depending on the software, you will get the same results but in a much better resolution than the RAW+jpg equiv.. good luck!

Pesto, I have CS2 and CS3 and Lightroom. I'll see about an import default, never heard of or thought about that. Would that still keep my RAW files in place?

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Serena Thomas

Ok.. if you use Lightroom for example.. there will be a box in the import for Develop Settings. So, what you want to do is this. Take a RAW and JPG of the same thing. Import both and try to make the RAW look as close to the JPG as you can. Then, Save the Settings to a custom default.

Now, when you import, just choose that setting for the Develop Settings and your RAW files should import with those settings in place. This should give you a nice baseline for how your RAW files would appear as a JPG.

You RAW files will always remain in tact in Lightroom - you are only modifying the sidecar files that exist along side the RAW file. Whenever you use ACR or LR, the original RAW's do not get modified (unless you tell it too which is always a bad idea). That's true for JPG's too in LR - you do not modify the original files.. you will need to use the Export command to create another JPG or TIFF file from the originals. Good Luck!

Thanks for that info. I'll work ion that as soon as I have some quiet time (whicc with six kids five and under isn't that easy to come by).

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Serena Thomas

Serena, RAW seems harder than it is when you first start to use it. But one you get used to it, it is SO worth it -- it allows you much more latitude to change things (especially white balance) and to correct photos if it comes to that. And, all the controls are in one place (I use the ACR converter, not Lightroom, but same idea), so you don't have to do a bunch of different adjustment layers, you have all the sliders right in one place. And Pesto is right that you can save groups of setting that will be applied to all photos (I usually increase the contrast, darks, and saturation on all my photos, so I just set this as a default, then if needed, I will adjust each photo beyond that).

I tinker with all my photos and I would never, ever, ever go back to jpeg.

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