The advantage of shooting RAW files.

 

The three photos above all came from a single image file.  I was shooting with my D7200 and Nikon 200 mm f/4 macro lens and SB900 flash and took the shot with the flash accidentally turned off.  This caused the image to be massively underexposed, somewhere in the 5 stop range.  This is why photo # 1. above is so dark.

I use flash in macro photography to allow fast shutter speeds and small apertures at low ISO values.  In this particular photo, the shutter speed was 1/250th of a second, the ISO 400, and the aperture was at f/32.  I shoot on manual exposure mode so I can control these values.  Since the flash was turned off the manual settings produced a massively underexposed image.  

I shoot all my images in RAW file format.  It has a number of advantages; I have written blogs on the subject before (click here) and won't be going into the many reasons.  I did want to use this image to illustrate one of the greatest assets of RAW files though.  It has to do with dynamic range.

Dynamic range can be thought of as a sensor's capacity to accurately capture various intensities of light.  It is represented by a number with no units, the value being the number of stops between where total black begins to where highlights start to be blown out.  It can be used to determine the recording capability of any media that can produce an image.  This goes for film as well as digital sensors, regardless of the type (cameras, scanners, etc.).

JPEGs have a dynamic range of about 8.  This essentially means there are 8 stops between black and white.  If you look carefully at the center photo (image #2.) you will notice that both very dark and light areas have little detail.  The blacks are completely black and the whites are completely blown out.  Now, compare that shot to the final one of the trio (image #3.) which was adjusted as a RAW image in the Raw Converter program.  The dark areas have much more detail in them as do the light areas.  Different cameras have different dynamic ranges, but suffice it to say a decent sensor will have a DR of around 12.  Modern sensors may go as high as 16.  Colour film approaches 13 or 14.

This does not mean that a RAW image will always produce a better image than a JPEG, but it does mean that a RAW file can pull more information out of the shadows and highlights in harsh lighting conditions.  Add to that fact the benefits regarding white balance, bit depth, absence of artifacts, and so on and you have a very good reason to shoot only in RAW mode.  JPEGs certainly have their place and are not about to go anywhere anytime soon, but they do not match a RAW file's ability to capture an image.

Thanks for reading.   www.ericspix.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hang in there, things will get better.

Image
The Svendsen Family - Eric, Samuel, Leanne, Joshua (top row), Nora, Kathryn, Chanelle, Emma If I could go back, in my mind, to a day in my life when I was really down, it would be nice to be able to see into the future.  If could see things as they are today, with the many blessings that have been given to me, it would give me hope knowing that things wouldn't always be so discouraging.   The message here is we do not know what the future holds.  When things are bad, it is hard to raise your head out of the mire to see beyond the darkness.  There are no guarantees, of course, that things will be better, but I think it is true that fortunes ebb and flow as tides do.  The trick is to see beyond the low points and not be too haughty during the high ones.  I know that, at this moment, things are very good.  What the future holds is unknown, but low and high points are likely in the forecast.   This is why taking satisfaction from the moment is so important.  Instead of looking forward
Read more

Working out life's problems.

Image
Kathryn and Eric - together for 35 years. Whoever said life is easy hasn't been alive for very long.  Yes, although there may be times when everything sails along very nicely, the truth is that hardship is just around the corner, in both directions. The essence of the problem is that we are imperfect beings and we live in an imperfect world.  Bad things happen, both to us and those we care about.  We make decisions and take actions that others may oppose or be hurt by.  Even when, after much thought and research, we do what we think is best or right, our opinions or behaviours are not approved by those we love.  People get hurt, and sometimes the hurt leads to serious repercussions.   I can say that Kathryn and I are happily married.  But I can also say that our relationship has gone through difficult moments.  A great deal of the challenges we have faced have come about because of differences in opinion, differences in problem management, and difficulties in effective communicatio
Read more

Dastardly Dachshund Destroys Fabrics.

Image
Murphy's blanket (left) and Sterling's pant leg hem (right) - It took only a moment. We have had 5 dachshunds now, Murphy being the latest itineration, and they have quite a few characteristics in common.  This blog is about one of them - they love to chew things, and can completely destuff and destroy a dog toy in moments.  Of course, that behaviour isn't just restricted to toys.  Blankets, quilts, articles of clothing, really any kind of fabric - these dogs love to have their way with them.  And that usually means making holes. We restrict the types of fabric that Murphy tears apart into his dog blanket and his toys.  However, he can turn his destructive influence to other chewy temptations on occasion.  We usually catch him before any damage is done, but if he is left unattended and has an opportunity, he can render a garment unusable quickly.  This fact was thoroughly established this New Year's Eve. We had friends over to celebrate the turning over of the calendar.
Read more