So…I don’t use RAW. In previous advice, I was told not to use RAW and I have stuck with this. However, recently I have been asked to familiarise myself with using RAW. Essentially my biggest blocker against using RAW is the lack of post processing tools. By that, I have none apart from what is installed generically on the computer. I think RAW comes into its own during post processing.
To quote a little snippet from “The Photographer’s Pocket Book” by Michael Freeman, he writes: “for the best image quality, and the ability to re-adjust all the camera settings after the event, there is Raw format“.
In my camera (Canon EOS 750D), it was pretty easy to find the Image Quality settings in the menu. My camera offers 10 image quality settings from low (just 0.3 megapixels) to the full 24 megapixels in high quality. It also offers the ability to take Raw and high quality JPEG images at the same time.
If I select High Quality images using the JPEG format, my camera (with a cleared memory card) can take over 1500 images.
By selecting RAW, the number of images I can take on my memory card drops dramatically to just 445.
Obviously, be selecting RAW and High Quality JPEG, I’m able to take just 344 images.
This is with a 16GB card, but using RAW and JPEG combined, you could quickly find yourself in the position of filling up a card. The options here could be to buy more memory cards with larger storage capacity!…Or, simply, select the appropriate image quality depending on your plans for the photos.
As the Christmas tree is out, I decided to have a few practice shots using the new camera settings. When I eventually own Lightroom, or something of that ilk, I’ll be able to test out what impact using RAW has post processing. Right now though, I can confirm…
- The images look exactly the same!
- The Raw files are labelled as CR2
- The Raw files are huge. For example, 32MB vs the JPEG image of 7MB
On the downside though, I have discovered I can’t crop and save a Raw file using the generic photo viewer I have on my desktop. When I attempt to save, it wants to convert the image back to JPEG.
I also can’t upload the RAW file into WordPress…When I attempt to Upload Files, only the smaller JPEG images are shown.
I think I’m discovering it is tricky to find out what RAW can do without having any post processing tools! Maybe that will be my Christmas present. I hope Father Christmas is reading…