What do you shoot in and why? I'm contemplating the switch to raw since you can do more corrections (that's my understanding please correct me if I'm wrong) but on the other hand I want to learn to shoot better so I would assume that means I would have less corrections to make.

Curious to see what you guys think.

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Serena Thomas

RAW - 100%.. RAW provides the ability to make correction on unaltered data - what comes from the camera is available without any compression or lost bits. With the tools available today, conversion and editing is a snap - it takes some work but there is a unique benefit - since you HAVE to convert.. you take the time to improve your photos rather than just taking jpgs, and not editing them before putting on a blog or printing.

Even if you learn to shoot better.. you will still make corrections. I modify every RAW file I want to keep in some manner.. It might just be a tweak to the curve or adding .05 to the exposure.. but I can always improve on my photos and I'm a pro photographer.

If you have the ability to shoot RAW.. go for it! I will admit that with cameras getting better these days.. there is nothing truly wrong with the JPGS you can get from most of them.. but I think it is more of a thinking that if it is jpg.. you won't make the edits necessary to improve the photo since it is already in a mode that is easily viewable.

Just my thoughts... good luck!

Thanks for the input. I am going to switch to RAW as of today. I'll have to take a look at my workflow to see if I need to make any changes (which I'm sure I will). Looking forward to the learning challenge.

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Serena Thomas

It will make a signifcant difference to your workflow as every RAW file requires post processing. Personally I only save RAW for situations when I am deliberately shooting (eg setups) - and even then mainly when the conditions are particularly challenging.
You dont have to shoot all RAW or all JPG - finding a balance might work better

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I started shooting more in RAW about 6 weeks ago after I picked up more memory cards for my camera. The camera stores both the RAW image and a JPG image of the same shot, so I don't have to do post-processing if I don't want to.

I do switch back to JPG-only when I want to shoot consecutive shots since there is zero lag time betweeen JPG image shooting with my camera. Just don't like the lag time between shots when shooting in RAW, and hate missing photos because of it.

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I almost always shoot in jpg + RAW. I like the ability to work with the RAW when I want to.

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the jpg + raw option would be excellent! mine only does one or the other, so unless i REALLY want the photo to turn out I shoot jpg. That's just more to do with the fact that my computer and photo editing stuff is all up in the air at the moment though - I'd like to get to a point where I can shoot everything in raw ...

I haven't noticed a lag difference between jpg and raw in my camera - will have to pay more attention next time...

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If you have significant lag between writing JPG and RAW then either your camera doens't have a very large (or good) memory buffer in it or (more likely) your memory cards are very slow. I only use 80x or higher memory cards for my camera - sure they cost a few $$$ more but there is a major difference in speed to those $14 1GB SD cards.

Case in point - I accidently used a slower kingston SD card during a recent shoot and couldn't understand why after a 10 shot sequence.. the camera wouldln't let me take any more.. then I checked the memory card.. switched it out for my normal high speed card.. and the problem went away. Those cards cost a bit more (like $10 more.. no biggie) but the difference is very viewable.