I'm curious about the ratio of RAW shooters among D300 users. If you shoot RAW which software do you use to convert?

I shoot RAW only.

With RAW I get more resolution, more DR, more exposure and WB latitude, I can apply and tweak Picture Control settings on my computer, I can change my Picture Control settings and re-interpret the image as many times as I want, and I can do all my post processing in 16 bits.

I never shoot JPEG.

One reason I don't shoot RAW+JPEG is that I would make different exposure decisions for a JPEG capture than for a RAW capture -- that's because you can't practice ETTR technique on JPEGs.

i shoot RAW+JPEG and if I make a mistake or the conditions are difficult I will use the RAW.

Have always converted in NX, but am using LR more and more

RAW, unless I'm shooting sports and don't want to process 1k+ exposures from an event.

RAW + JPEG.

I use the JPEG file as a quick and dirty shot that I can have without having to convert to anything. That is the file I generally give to others. (I have also had a few times that the RAW file failed and the only reason I got the shot was because I had the JPEG file as well.) I always want the RAW file as you get just a little more in it that the JPEG may or may not have captured.

For software, I have several programs to choose from, but I usually find myself gravitating to CS3 (PC) or CS4 (Mac) for conversion duties. Familiarity moves me to Photoshop, as I just never warmed up to Lightroom, Capture, or Aperture. Those I would just need to spend time with, something I don't have a lot of right now (especially when that time could be used going out shooting more photographs!) Maybe someday I'll look closer at those.

David

I shoot RAW, I view in bridge and edit in ACR, then resize in photoshop. Pretty simple workflow, gets good results.

Don't think it makes any difference whether you use a D40, D300 or D3.

I use a D80, and only shoot raw.

The D300 will take JPGs !!!

That's sarcasm speak for I only shoot raw.

Gregory.Rotter wrote:
Don't think it makes any difference whether you use a D40, D300 or D3.

I use a D80, and only shoot raw.
It's not about excluding anyone, but about trying to decide which way to go for myself after listening to other people's opinion.

RAW + JPG basic.

If I need to get a shot off via email quickly, the jpg works greats, but it's nice to have the RAW file if I need or want to spend some time in PP. I have plenty of CF cards, so memory generally isn't an issue.

I shoot a lot of stuff for the school I teach at, and the computer media teacher/yearbook editor usually wants small jpeg files as quickly as I can provide them.

I voted for RAW only, but on very rare occasions I'll shoot RAW+Jpg. Certain event shots are not "ART" (as if anything I shoot is), and speed of processing is the key. Aside from those half dozen times a year, it's RAW like Sushi for me.

Peace,

Todd

RAW. I think a just as relevant question is whether you use 12 or 14 bit RAW and whether it's compressed or uncompressed. In my case, it's 14 bit uncompressed.

luminosity wrote:
RAW . . . In my case, it's 14 bit uncompressed.

+1

I shoot raw with all of my cams. I shot raw+JPG for a short while, but decided that I was just wasting space and almost always deleting the JPGs without using them. For quick and dirty JPGs, an email size JPG can be extracted from the raw file or I can run it through NX quickly. For that matter, I can run the raw file quickly through most any raw converter, including ViewNX, for a fast JPG.

For serious stuff, I generally use Capture One for conversion then export to CS4. I rarely use NX2, but do at times for the picture controls. I also use CS4/ACR, at times. My choice is usually determined by the number of files and speed at which I need them.

I shoot RAW 95% of the time for serious images and use Lightroom to convert.

raw 14 bit lossless compression and conversions in lightroom

Because I want the best file I can get.....I also shoot 14bit.

My customers like big prints....(up to 40" x 60") and RAW is truly one of the ingredients to creating a file that will look its best at that size.

Editing overhead is a good thing when pushing files hard.

I use photoshop for my editing and ACR for my RAW conversions.

Roman

14 bit uncompressed RAW and use Adobe Lightroom for conversions.

Mostly RAW - unless it's a birthday party of family get together where I just need snapshots. No sense in needing to process all that.

I like RAW for when I'm doing stuff I'm serious about - it gives you more room to push the file and I know that I'm getting everything out of it I can. Also, I convert in NX2, can't beat the colors (then off to PS CS4 for fine tuning)

Since I shoot one of type shots, I use 12 bit lossless compressed RAW and processing in NX2. Sometimes I do my raw conversions in ACRS and compare using the better interpretation. PP is finished in CS3.

14 bit slows the camera down too much and I don't feel the return is worth it. I may revisit my analysis.

I shoot with Large Normal Jpeg files as I typically shoot sports

RAW 12bit, Lossless Compressed - Processed with CaptureNX2.

I haven't been able to see anything I shoot where there's a difference between 12 and 14 bit. The Full 6fps and the faster processing in NX made 12bit the choice for me.

If someone care to point to an example between 12 and 14 bit that shows a difference, I'd like to take a look at it.

My main reason for RAW is to be able to take advantage of better RAW converters as time goes by, and as I get better at processing.

codeninja wrote:
I'm curious about the ratio of RAW shooters among D300 users. If you shoot RAW which software do you use to convert?

RAW 100% and use Light Rom for all my conversions. My preset is no different than shooting jpeg and just as easy.

Michael

I shoot RAW and use the convert file option in View NX to pull a JPEG, which is embedded in the RAW file already and save it in another folder. I will then go through the images and any of the shots that need some extra tweaking will get processed using Capture NX2 using the RAW file. There really isn't a reason to shoot both RAW & JPEG if you have View NX. I do this with both my D300 and D200. I do shoot JPEG with my D70s which has been converted to shoot IR only.

I have no patience for RAW, and shoot JPEG on all my digicams (Canon, Nikon, Panasonic). On the D300, I always shoot Large/Fine.