Take in RAW and convert to JPEG for snaps?

[Philip Freedman]

I have an Epson RD-1 on which I can take either RAW or JPEGs but not

both. To save carrying two cameras I want to use the camera for a

mixture of serious shots interspersed with family photos. The

family snaps need to be printed commercially and inexpensively as

6x4s but I want to be able to enhance the serious shots myself using

Photoshop 7 including cropping, levels, curves, colour balance,

conversion to monochrome etc. I have no experience of converting RAW

to JPEG on my PC. Any pointers woud be appreciated.

[steve coburn]

If possible, I'd shoot every thing in RAW.

 

For the family snaps just set up an action in Photoshop to import the images, resize them to 6x4, and then save as a high quality JPEG for sending to the lab for printing (assuming that PS can read your RAW format).

[frank_skomial]

Since you "have no experience", and "family snaps needed", so, perhaps you want to stay with best JPEG camera setting mode.

 

RAW will not alter your photo in any way, and you would need to process all yourself for printing. Best if each picture is done individually in Photoshop. Automatic processing in Photoshop would apply the same processing for all pictures.

 

In-camera built-in knowledge/database that is applied to JPEG pictures will process each picture individually, using camera knowledge that perhaps you do not have yet. The camera can optimize sharpness, contrast, color, noise, and can correct many problems, providing JPEG pictures for direct printing. You need to know your camera processing options.

 

JPEG does not limit much your "able to enhance the serious shots myself". You may need occasionally fix picture in Photoshop anyhow, but do not want to make the rule that all pictures must be processed in Photoshop. There is no perfect camera, and even JPEG pictures may need imrovements.

 

By shooting RAW you would give up all the knowledge/database that is built in the camera, as accumulated by the camera maker over years. You would need to substitute that by your own knowledge and experience later in Photoshop, that is if you like to spend hours in Photoshop.

[Jochen_S]

Sorry I don't know how the Epson RAW converter works (I'm unluckily damned far from able to afford this fascinating camera). With Pentax it usually works like importing (into PS) or converting with a readjustment of whitebalance, ISO, contrast, sharpness, color enhancement setting. You can also adjust curves during this process. As long as you're shooting different scenes the adjustments should be done individualy for each picture. The whole might take 2 minutes per frame, wehen you got used to do it, on a moderate fast computer.

There should be some RAW conversion software delivered with your camera. Install it and try it out. If you have Photoshop use at least Adobe Gamma or something better to calibrate your monitor. Try to do what looks best and try other settings too, compare them with a good picture viewing program like Irfan view and find out what you like most.

 

I shoot RAW when I can afford the processing time. It's much more convenient to change the white balance there than trying color balance settings in Photoshop. You also seem to gain more halftones with contrast and ISO adjustments during RAW conversion than working on a JPG.

 

I don't know what labs get out of camera processed JPEGs with their full automatic picture processing; I never tried them. I like to view my pictures onscreen and am trying to optimize them for conventional printing if necessary. So I usually do the needed adjustments if I like a picture. Having it printed hoping for successful autoadjustment isn't my style, I also don't like to go through shoeboxes full of 6x4"s.

 

I doubt a few lessons at shool made me a digital labrat, I believe learning by doing is possible here and the best is: it's nearly for free.