Processing my RAW files

So I just did my first vacation where I shot In RAW+jpg on my D40!

 

I quite like the flexibility of the raw file in a lot of cases. At the moment, what I'm doing is simply opening the raw file

in CS3 going through it's raw adjustment process, then opening the NEF into CS3 where I can work with it some

more. My question is concerning how to save the file. I have been saving the files as TIFF which seems to preserve

my adjustments. but I am also saving a jpg because where I print limits the file size to i believe 8mb. the TIFFs are

14.

 

But when I save the file as a jpg also, the jpg is quite noticeable less saturated than the TIFF image. There is no

editing difference I save a TIFF and jpg one right after the other. The JPG also appear to contain more shadow detail

than the TIFF if I look "into" the shadows (looking at the monitor from an angle)

 

I'm just wondering if this is normal or if I'm doing something wrong? If i'm going to have to send the images off to the

printer as a jpg then I'll have to go adjust the saturations of all the JPGs to my liking, independantly from the TIFF,

which is just a pain in the ass!

when you´re saving in jpg format check the quality bar. try saving at the maximum (12) and see if the files are under 8

mb and if the saturation is satisfactory. i think you can choose the compression level when you save tiffs as well.

maybe this will keep saturation but will make the files smaller. as a side note, did you know that in CS3 you can

select multiple raws and edit them one by one in the same raw adjustments window?

 

if you´re planing to continue shooting in raw look in to adobe Lightroom or apple Aperture.

 

KN

Peter,

 

I will suggest looking for a better place to print. Usually the places where prices are very good, they won't handle Tiff's so the quality in prints gets the impact. In those cases, one should decide which is better: budget or quality.

 

In CS3, look for the option Save for the Web, play with the different options that you will have about the final quality in JPGs. In this way you have more control about the final result when you convert your images into JPGs.

Save in Psd. or Dng--- if you want make further jpg copies from those files, and keep one Fine jpg copy to preview it (or / in photo gallery) only.--- Each time your re-save , re-size jpg files, they lose quality,raf

Well maybe I am behind the times but I use to use my D100 and shoot uncompressed RAW files, edit them with NX

software, check my DPI (300) for publication quality before saving as Jpeg and get prints that are s good as they get. I

now use the D300 cmos chip and shoot RAW 14 bitt compressed and edit the same way with extraorinary results.

I dont use tiffs anymore due to the file size and are read out a bit different than RAW lossless files.

I think I am doing it right,

NX shows and displays in 14 bitt I think and is the best thing since sliced bread but I do a second if needed in PS.