I don't understanding why people are having so much problems working with RAW files? Is it that hard to master? I have not been guided nor trained by anyone on how to process a RAW file, everything is just very intuitive if you use the original software provided by the camera manufacturer. Do you know that there are more benefits shooting with RAW files?
I am using Nikon D100 and I shoot with RAW file since day one. When you explore around, you will realise that all jpeg and tiff files are only available in 8 bit colour format whereas with RAW files there is the option of saving a file in 16 bit colour format. What's the difference?
1) In an 8 bit file, your colour is sort of fixed at 256 different tones per Red, Green, and Blue channel (it is the standard setting that Photoshop fully supports). In a 16 bit file, the colour tonality doubles. Everytime you darken the image, the lighter part looses details. When you brighten it, the darker part looses details too. When you keep doing that, you realise that posterization and bending lines tend to develop. With a 16 bit file, you have that "extra" information to play with in colour and density correction before actually converting it to an 8 bit file for either printing or doing layout. As I say, a jpeg and tiff file will only provide you with an 8 bit file, why risk destroying a well taken image?
2) Contrary to many believes, a RAW file occupies much lesser space as compared to Tiff files. My D100's RAW NEF files allows me 107 shots on a 1GB card while on Tiff I can only achieve 50 plus shots. On Jpeg Fine mode I get an equivalent of 31_? plus frames. Reason why I say 50 plus and 31_? plus is because I can't recall exactly how many frames since I seldom shoot in these formats and my memory card still contains pictures not transferred to computer. So, I can't check it to verify the allowed frame number.
3) Though many say that you can hardly tell the difference on prints between jpeg fine mode and RAW, I beg to differ. On small prints, you may not see the difference but on big prints, the jpeg fine prints will exhibit a little bit more noise on the colour channel as compared to RAW. Get this into our heads, jpeg whether basic, or fine mode is and will be a file with LOSSY compression capabilities. The name already implies that you will loose a little in terms of quality due to compression factor when saving the file.
4) On digital cameras, there is no such thing as 100% colour and exposure accuracy on every shot you take. My D100 tend to underexpose to retain hi-light details (a good thing) but on RAW I have a lot of control over processing of the image without lost in quality. With a jpeg file, the shadow details will clot up when you try to brighten an overly underexposed image.
5) I too realised the camera's ability to represent graduation tone much better on RAW files than jpeg.
For those of you who does not have an option for RAW and is still shooting on Jpeg, here is my advice for you. After transferring the image to computer, re-save as a Tiff file to prevent further degradation before you burn it onto CD-Rom for archive because everytime you re-save a jpeg file the compression factor will "destroy" and render some information unretrievable.
Regards,
Andy Ho