Fred Miranda
Offline
Admin
Upload & Sell: On
|
 p.2 #9 · HEIC Files, Pro / Con ... | |
John Wheeler wrote:
Since your camera's HEIF format has a 10-bit depth, and this format is less sensitive to artifact creation in post-processing, my notion of when it could be helpful is if you can use HEIF as a substitute for raw files. That might be reasonable if the images you take do not need to pull details out of deep shadows or highlights, and you are not doing extreme post processing that would be more likely to reveal the HEIF artifacts.
You would still have the full resolution of your camera, for luminosity and color resolution are not noticeable by the eye.
As with raw, after post-processing, you convert to a ubiquitous format, such as JPEG. You can achieve the same result by post-processing HEIF files and converting them to JPEG for distribution.
My only caveat would be to verify that your camera is saving at 10, 10, 10-bit depth on all three color channels and that the compression is set to 4:2:2, where the color components are grouped at half resolution in both the X and Y dimensions.
You could give this approach a try, and if you are happy with the vast majority of your images, then you would be good to go. You could always keep the raws in the interim in case you come across an image that needs the extra bit depth of raw.
I have compared 10-bit HEIF/HEIC files with JPEG images to assess their sensitivity to artifacts introduced during post-processing, and the 10-bit HEIF/HEIC files are significantly less sensitive than JPEGs.
So not an experienced answer by trying this with a high volume of HEIF images, yet that is the approach I would take to self-determine if it would meet my needs. If it does, you would gain the benefits of a lower file size, faster transfers, etc.
Just my own thoughts, of course.
John Wheeler...Show more →
The 10-bit vs 8-bit difference is technically true, but in practice, my tests show there's no comparison between HEIC and RAW when it comes to highlight recovery. It's also worth noting that RAW files store 12- to 16-bit data, depending on the camera and processing, which gives them far greater tonal depth and flexibility.
RAW files are far more malleable because they store unprocessed sensor data, including the full dynamic range captured in the green channel, where most highlight detail resides. HEIC and JPEG, on the other hand, are processed formats with baked-in tone curves and color adjustments, which clip or compress that highlight information. So yes, HEIC is definitely better than JPEG. It uses more efficient compression, shows less banding, and preserves higher dynamic range, but it's still nowhere near the flexibility of a true RAW file.
|
