Photo Questions

[Spook]

Hi,

I'm new to digital photography and have just bought a Olympus c5060.

I have noticed that you can store the pictures that the camera takes in various file formats.
I normally take photos in Tiff format as the format is lossless.

The camera also takes pictures in RAW format.
I just wanted to know what this file format is?, and what are the advantages/disadvantages of using it?

Thanks.

[maddness]

tiff is a very beefed up way of storing digital media images. it also can take up a lot of room.

RAW is very argued format. For the most part, in digital cameras, the light is recieved, processed and then coded into varies media formats such as jpeg, bmp, tiff, etc. RAW is the unprocessed, uncompressed media that will or will not contain the original white balance and various other useful tidbits.

Now, if you take photo's for printing and sharing with family and friends, you might just want to stick with tiff or jpeg. However, if you take photos with the intention of image processing and editing with photoshop and whatnot, i would suggest using raw. *Be warned* RAW is an argued format that is not universally standard and supported like the other formats mentioned. So you might want to take some test shots and try loading them into a photoediting program first before you try recording babies first steps. :btu:

[Spook]

Thanks for your reply maddness,

I'll take some shots using the RAW format and try 'em out.

[andres_pad]

:hmm: yeah, i dont think i'd be using raw (basically ever) because it doesnt really offer any advantages. if you want REALLY good quality, then stick with tiff. its lossless as it is so you dont need anything else. if you're not doing a bus stop ad or something, then i'd prolly just stick with jpeg. You cant go wrong with jpegs

[Tightrope Pope]

If you have photoshop CS you can do a LOT with camera RAW files. You can change exposure, light balance, kelvin temperature, shadow value, hue...
It also shoots at the highest quality.Unless you're doing professional studio shots you probably won't need to use RAW.

[Johannes]

hi
As I understand it, theres no universal RAW format. All manufacturers have their own fileformat they stick with. So u need first check out if your image program can handle the sort of RAW you get from your olympus.
And also what special features you have in the fileformat.

the new ps cs have better support for images in 16bit mode per color, which should theoritically give better images. Keep in mind though that neither the filters or even your printer understand 16 bit. Actually printers understand a good deel LESS colorspace.

This all boils down too that it is many times better to get the photo right from the start, than to carry around alot of extra information which in many cases will not ever be used.

I usually recommend the best jpg quality (the lowest compression) and the largest possible image size.
I feel theres probably more quality to gain by learning the proper use of lighting and flash. Another good thing to check out are the different colortemperature settings. The goal qualitywise is to basically get a picture that needs no coloradjustment shadowenhancment at all in PS. :D

But I encourage you to experiment and try it out for yourself to your maximum satisfaction. :D

GL
/Johan

[lordarka]

If you're using Photoshop CS, you should be able to process RAW formats from just about any camera on the market today. Just look at the files in file browser, double click to open, and apply various settings as you see fit, and CS will import the files.

If you are serious about photography, RAW is definitely the way to go. RAWs are image data as captured by the camera in as unprocessed a form as you can possibly get. The camera does not apply any tone curves, sharpening, or compression, so you basically have output straight from the camera's sensor. Most cameras also capture RAW in 12-bit color, which gives you a LOT more color depth in the shadows, and thousands more color gradations in the highlights, than an 8bit JPEG. I don't own any cameras that can shoot TIFFs, but as far as I know, they are still processed, and do not have the kind of bit depth that RAW files do.

The key advantages to RAW lie in the post processing options it grants you. With so much infomation hiding in the shadows or highlights, having the lossless and unprocessed format can be a real advantage if you need to reclaim certain details through shadow recovery or curves/levels adjustment.

The disadvantages to RAW processing are largely due to compatibility (there is no universal RAW format) and the time it takes to process your images. If you need to crank out images very quickly, and don't want to pay mucho dollares for expensive workflow management software, JPEGs are probably better for you. But if you are really serious about digital photography, RAW is a digital negative that will give you the most data your camera can provide.

I have not shot a JPEG or Tiff file in over 2 years.

Arka C.