I took a baby step forward today . . . new camera . . . HELP!

[Lyd]

So, I've been using a relatively nice point and shoot for the longest time, but I had grown pretty dissatisfied with it recently. I'm not sure that I will ever move up to a full dSLR. But, today I got a new Canon G15! Woot! So, now I have more control and options with things like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. I know I'm also still limited in comparison to a dSLR. But, this is a big step up for me, and I have lots to learn.

One of the first things I'm wondering about is shooting in RAW. I took just a few shots where it saved a RAW file and a jpeg. I am amazed at how much more crisp and vibrant the RAW files look, when even the jpegs look so much better than what I'm used to getting.

So, I need info about RAW . . . should I have my camera set to shooting RAW + jpg or just RAW? How do you manage disc space when the RAW files are so much bigger than jpegs? If any one uses Aperture and has a great method for importing/managing RAW vs. jpeg files, I'd love to hear it. It would be nice to start off with a good system.

Mostly, I don't even know what I don't know. So, tell me anything you think might be useful.

[glumirk]

RAW files are amazing, in that you completely control the edit vs your camera. If you mess up a shot you are much more likely to be able to save it if you shoot RAW. The files are huge, though, and now that I am better at getting my exposure right in camera I hardly have to edit to love the shots. Part of me wants to switch back to JPG because of the file size and the fact that I don't want only my phone photos popping up on our screen saver. But I love the control I have in Raw, especially over white balance.

[Nettio]

This article is older but it has a pretty good list of the differences between RAW and JPG: http://digital-photography-school.com/raw-vs-jpeg

The key difference is really that RAW files are uncompressed which means they contain additional photo data that makes it easier to adjust things like exposure, white balance, shadows & highlights afterward without compromising the quality of the photo like you would with a JPEG. The downside is the files are much bigger and every file also has to have some editing done to it since none is added in camera like it would be with a JPEG. So I think it really depends on how picky you are about your photos and how much control you'd like to have.

When I first bought my DSLR, I started in JPEG, then RAW+JPEG and shortly switched to RAW once I was sure I liked the RAW process. I wouldn't personally recommend shooting with RAW+JPEG longterm since it wastes a lot of space and you can easily export JPEG files from your RAW files within Aperture.

As far as Aperture, I don't do anything differently with my JPEG vs RAW photos - everything is imported into the same folders and everything. The only thing I did change was in the Browser Grid view, I changed the metadata overlays to show the full file name so when I browse my photos I can easily see which files are which, like this:

http://www.nettiodesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/nettio_aperture-RAW+JPEG.jpg

The JPEG photos are usually from my iPhone where as the CR2 files are my Canon RAW files. Otherwise all my photos pretty much live happily side-by-side, haha. If you have any other questions about Aperture, let me know. :)

[MissKim]

Be sure to read about your camera. Like you, I use a nice point and shoot that has RAW capabilities. If I do just RAW, I don't have as much control over settings as I do if I do RAW + JPG. I had switched to just RAW but realized that I couldn't adjust ISO and I think the file quality so I went back to saving both. I usually open in Photoshop and make any adjustments then save those JPGs. I suppose I should then go in and delete the RAW files but until I really need the disk space, I probably won't.

[taracotta7]

RAW files there are so much you have to do in editing. Not a bad thing. Just you get SO much play with it. Since it isn't compressed you will need to add sharpness, blacks and contrast for sure. I usually only use RAW when I am shooting something I want for more portrait type pictures. Every day events and where I am taken LOTS of pictures.......I just go to jpeg.

If there is a jpeg picture that I want to have more play with.......I just open it in PS as camera raw. Not exactly the same but at least you have some more play.