christophertravels wrote:I have taken the plunge and bought myself my first DSLR, a Canon XTi.
Did your camera come with a software cd? Did you install same? Did part of the suite come with Digital Photo Professional 2.2? This is a file manager and RAW processing program.
I've been using a P&S for three years, and I know it's limitations. Although I can take fairly good photos, I think I reached my limit with the P&S.
I wonder which version of Photoshop? Photoshop CS2 has a RAW image processing program in it. PSCS2 also has a sophisticated file manager. PSCS3 is in final beta testing. I simply don't understand how, "I think I reached my limit with the P&S." Are you an Adobe Certified Engineer?
So now I can take RAW images. I know RAW is 16 bits, and JPEG 8 bits. But what happens when we convert to JPEG to post our photos here online? Is all that data lost / compressed to make 8 bit data? Can you tell the difference between a photo taken originally in JPEG or RAW here online?
RAW is the current "film quality" file format. RAW is unprocessed data. When you open these images in the processing suites, the prompts will allow you to convert to any of the popular file formats. You will still have the RAW files unless you do something deliberate to delete them.
And what about printing? If I send my images off to be printed by my local photography merchant, who wants JPEG images, then is all that data lost / compressed?
Digital Photo Professional 2.2 and Photoshop CS2 have printing software in them. Additionally, when you process you images and save them, you have the choice to save them in 8 bit or 16 bit, and target them to any of the color spaces any other printing service could require.
(I searched and couldn't find the answers to my specific questions about RAW, I hope someone can help)
I hope this make things easier for you.
ghsmith178613
assoc. prof. photo technology
Canon XT
PSCS2
(candidate) Adobe Certified Instructor
Epson 2200
Epson 2800
Epson 7200