Understanding Camera Raw: Bw Explained

When it comes to shooting in black and white (B&W), photographers have the option to shoot in RAW or JPEG. RAW files are essentially digital negatives that are unprocessed but contain more data than traditional JPEGs, allowing for more flexibility during post-processing. While JPEGs are automatically sharpened in-camera and ready for sharing, RAW files require additional editing to bring out the best results.

When shooting in B&W, photographers can choose to shoot in RAW to retain the colour data and have more control over the final image. However, this requires extra processing time and storage space. Alternatively, shooting in JPEG B&W provides instant results that can be easily shared but offers limited flexibility in post-processing. Some cameras also offer the option to shoot in RAW+JPEG, providing the best of both worlds.

Ultimately, the decision between shooting in RAW or JPEG for B&W photography depends on the photographer's preferences, editing skills, and intended use of the images.

RAW files are uncompressed and unprocessed, meaning they have a wider range of possibilities inside editing software

RAW files are uncompressed and unprocessed image files. They contain a large amount of data, which allows photographers to capture practically every detail seen by the camera image sensor. This means that RAW files have a wider range of possibilities inside editing software.

RAW files are often described as "digital negatives". They are so named because they are not yet processed and contain large amounts of potentially redundant data. They are like undeveloped film, which can be converted or edited in a non-destructive manner multiple times in observable, reversible steps to reach a visually desired image.

The purpose of RAW image formats is to save, with minimal loss of information, data obtained from the sensor. They are intended to capture the radiometric characteristics of the scene, that is, physical information about the light intensity and colour of the scene, at the best of the camera sensor's performance.

RAW files contain the information required to produce a viewable image from the camera's sensor data. They often follow a common pattern, including a short file header, camera sensor metadata, and image metadata.

RAW files are much larger than JPEG files. They take up more space on memory cards and hard drives, and they also take longer to record. However, they offer more flexibility when creating the final image, as they can be edited and manipulated in a wide range of ways.

For example, with a RAW file, you can adjust the highlights, lights, shadows, and dark areas of an image separately. You can also correct the white balance without harming the integrity of the shot and fix exposure errors with more accuracy.

Overall, RAW files offer a wider range of possibilities inside editing software due to the large amount of data they contain. They give photographers more control and flexibility when creating their final images.

RAW files contain more data than JPEGs, including colour data, so they offer more flexibility during post-processing

RAW files contain a lot more colour data than JPEGs. This is because they are uncompressed and unprocessed, and so they contain all the data from the camera's sensor. This means that when you are editing a RAW file, you have a lot more flexibility. You can adjust the white balance, the exposure, the shadows, the highlights, and the colours, all without losing any quality. This is because a 12-bit RAW file can contain up to 68.7 billion colours, and a 14-bit RAW file can contain up to 4.4 trillion colours. In comparison, a JPEG is an 8-bit file and can only contain up to 16.8 million colours.

JPEGs, on the other hand, are compressed and processed by the camera. This means that they are smaller in size, but they also contain less data. When you are editing a JPEG, you will find that you have a lot less flexibility. If you try to push the colours too much, you will start to see artefacts and posterization.

RAW files are larger than JPEGs, so they take up more space on your memory card and hard drive

JPEGs are compressed, and this compression throws away some of the data from the image. This is known as a "lossy" compression, because you lose some of the detail from the image. This is why JPEGs are smaller than RAW files.

RAW files, on the other hand, are uncompressed, or use a "lossless" compression. This means that they keep all the data from the image. This is why they are larger.

JPEGs are also 8-bit files, which means they can only store 16.8 million colours. RAW files are 12-bit or 14-bit, which means they can store 68 billion or 4.4 trillion colours respectively. This is a lot more, and means that you can get a lot more detail from a RAW file.

The downside of this is that RAW files take up a lot more space. A 20-megapixel camera will save a 20-megabyte RAW file. The same camera will save a 4-megabyte JPEG file. So the RAW file is five times larger.

This means that your memory cards can store fewer images, and your camera buffer can fill up more quickly, which can cause the camera frame rate to drop.

However, storage is cheap these days, so this is less of an issue than it used to be.

RAW files take more time to record, so photographers may revert to JPEG to get the most speed from their gear

RAW files are uncompressed and unprocessed, which means they contain a lot more data than JPEG files. This makes them much larger in size, and they take longer to record. This is why photographers may choose to shoot in JPEG instead of RAW – it allows them to shoot more images in a shorter amount of time.

JPEG files are processed in-camera, which means they are ready to use straight away. They are also much smaller in size, which means you can store more of them on a single memory card. This is particularly useful for photographers who need to capture continuous shots without worrying about running out of space, such as wildlife or sports photographers.

JPEGs are also ideal for photographers who need to publish their work quickly, such as photojournalists or travel bloggers. The compressed file format makes JPEGs easier to upload and share directly from your camera or mobile device.

However, RAW files offer more flexibility when it comes to editing. They allow for more precise adjustments in colour grading, contrast, and other creative edits, making them ideal for professional work. They also have a higher dynamic range, which means they can capture a lot of lights and shadows. This makes it easier to adjust over or underexposed images during editing.

RAW files are always in colour in Lightroom

When you open a RAW file in Lightroom, you will have access to a wide range of editing options that allow you to enhance the image and make it your own. You can adjust the white balance, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, vibrance, saturation, and more. These adjustments are only possible because the RAW file contains more data and a wider range of colour possibilities than a traditional JPEG.

For example, a 12-bit RAW file can store 68 billion different colours, while a 16-bit RAW file can hold up to four trillion shades. This gives you much more flexibility when editing compared to an 8-bit JPEG file, which can only store up to 16 million shades of colour.

By shooting in RAW, you are able to capture the full dynamic range of your camera's sensor, resulting in images with higher image quality and more accurate pixel values. While it is true that RAW files take up more space and require additional processing time, the benefits of shooting in RAW far outweigh these minor drawbacks.

With Lightroom, you can unlock the full potential of your RAW files and create stunning images that truly reflect your creative vision.

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