I personally shoot JPEG+RAW. I use the JPEGs 90% of the time, but there are some pictures where being able to go back to the RAW saved them. Admittedly, I don't know if this is a technical limit or a limit to my knowledge. For example, in the statue photo I posted a few weeks ago, I used the RAW to bring back the sky. May be a way to do that with JPEG, but I couldn't get it to work.

I'll probably switch to pure JPEG soon, but that's because I'll be gone for a month with no knowledge of how often I'll be able to download the photos. I don't see a reason to do anything but JPEG+RAW for everyday shooting though, unless you go through an absolute ton of images...





I don't know about pure HDR, but HDR+ToneMapping can be done just fine with a set of JPEGs (and pseudo HDR can be done with one JPEG these days).

 

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.jpg is 8 bits of colour info and is lossy compression. RAW is zero loss and 16 (or 32 possibly) bits of colour data. The camera sees a lot more than is stored in a .jpg. On high quality jpg the loss really isn't noticeable to the human eye unless you're zooooooooooming in.

As kashani has basically pointed out we don't see much more than what's in the .jpg so for most things it doesn't matter.

But ... with the raw file you can do things like recover your lost sky, or deep shadows. That's great for people like me who take crappy pictures (I mean haven't mastered lighting issues and camera settings. Yeah, crappy pictures.) . kash doesn't need raw because he just starts with good pictures.

 

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Yea but it takes me a few to get that "Good" photo

 

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Pure HDRI needs the raw but then the pure HDRI I am talking about is what is used in 3d rendering for games and Hollywood.

edit: Notice the I in hdrI.

 

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That's another pet peeve of mine. People go away on trips and go "I have to shoot jpg to conserve space"


What you should be thinking is this: "I'm going away on a trip, and I'll most likely won't be able to go back and reshoot, I'd better shoot raw"


JPGs shine in controlled enviroments, raw shines where you're not all in control

 

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Or you can get there, shoot in raw and use all your space up in the first day, and then miss shots the rest of the time.

I'd rather have 10 decent shots then 500 worthless ones


Besides, memory is so cheap now, just buy a new memory card (you don't even need to buy high end for something like a vecation, just go for cheap with lots of room.)

 

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QFT!

 

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"JPGs shine in controlled enviroments, raw shines where you're not all in control"


One basic rule I live by.."ou are in control of the camera, the camera should never be in control of you".
And if you are, then JPEG is just fine no matter where you shoot
I can honestly say, that I have never took my camera out, that I didn't come back with shots I could use.
I still say JPEG Vs RAW is a matter of personal taste, and nothing else.
And yes I know we will agree to disagree

 

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