Thoughts on RAW Vs JPEG for sports?
Discussion
Morning all,
I usually tend to shoot everything in RAW, but this morning plan to take shots of my youngest and his rugby team in their first competitive cup match.
Even though it's only a 40 minute match, I'll probably end up with hundreds of photos, so quite apart from anything else, RAW will take up a lot of space!
They're also all likely to have pretty much the same exposure conditions, so I doubt the camera is going to be able to get much wrong if it's got the first few ok, so is there any benefit shooting RAW for something like this that I'm missing?
I usually tend to shoot everything in RAW, but this morning plan to take shots of my youngest and his rugby team in their first competitive cup match.
Even though it's only a 40 minute match, I'll probably end up with hundreds of photos, so quite apart from anything else, RAW will take up a lot of space!
They're also all likely to have pretty much the same exposure conditions, so I doubt the camera is going to be able to get much wrong if it's got the first few ok, so is there any benefit shooting RAW for something like this that I'm missing?
I suppose it depends whether you're planning on editing your photos in post. Capturing images in RAW format allows more flexibility with adjusting exposure, contrast, highlights etc.
In JPEG the camera is essentially processing the photo for you, the benefit being that the image files are smaller then RAW files.
In JPEG the camera is essentially processing the photo for you, the benefit being that the image files are smaller then RAW files.
You know the trade off already with space and post processing time - the only other consideration is the write speed which may limit the number of continuous frames in a given time.
JPEG is most likely fine and a lot easier, but ultimately had limitations. Your photos are still likely to be better than they are used to for the level of the game though.......
JPEG is most likely fine and a lot easier, but ultimately had limitations. Your photos are still likely to be better than they are used to for the level of the game though.......
Too many unknowns!
What's the camera body fps and the buffer like?
What's the write speed of your cards?
How much storage do you have on your cards and are you bringing spare cards?
Forget disk space, disk space is cheap and you can always use the file manager preview to cull quickly.
There's nothing to stop you shooting RAW to start with and switching to JPEG later in the match and comparing the shooting experience.
Don't know what the weather is like near you but we have a mixture of cloud and blue sky so the low winter sun will give you challenges on some part overexposed faces looking orange and some harsh shadows. You'll benefit from RAW when trying to rescue those.
Probably a bit late by now though...
What's the camera body fps and the buffer like?
What's the write speed of your cards?
How much storage do you have on your cards and are you bringing spare cards?
Forget disk space, disk space is cheap and you can always use the file manager preview to cull quickly.
There's nothing to stop you shooting RAW to start with and switching to JPEG later in the match and comparing the shooting experience.
Don't know what the weather is like near you but we have a mixture of cloud and blue sky so the low winter sun will give you challenges on some part overexposed faces looking orange and some harsh shadows. You'll benefit from RAW when trying to rescue those.
Probably a bit late by now though...
Edited by eltawater on Sunday 12th January 12:01
I'd definitely shoot RAW due to the flexibility afforded in post processing. I know others have different opinions (which is fair enough), but I've never really understood why anyone would shoot jpeg as it immediately takes away a lot of control over the image and and pretty much any post processing results in a degradation of image quality.
The ONLY factor that would make me even consider JPEG would be buffer limitations in RAW. In fact, looking at the specs for my camera, it actually has the same max shooting speed (6 fps) for both JPEG and RAW, the only difference being that it will fill the buffer after 18 photos in RAW, but is able to write to a fast card quickly enough in JPEG to not fill the buffer at all.
Other factors such as space taken by RAW should not be an issue with decent sized cards. Again using my camera as a reference, a jpeg file is around 7mb, so a 64gb card will handle just over 9000 images. Shooting RAW, the same card will handle just over 2500 images at around 24mb each. When it comes to dealing with the files on your PC, again as has been mentioned, disk space is very cheap these days.
ETA - as has been said, probably a bit late now. What did you shoot in the end, and did you get any particularly good ones?
The ONLY factor that would make me even consider JPEG would be buffer limitations in RAW. In fact, looking at the specs for my camera, it actually has the same max shooting speed (6 fps) for both JPEG and RAW, the only difference being that it will fill the buffer after 18 photos in RAW, but is able to write to a fast card quickly enough in JPEG to not fill the buffer at all.
Other factors such as space taken by RAW should not be an issue with decent sized cards. Again using my camera as a reference, a jpeg file is around 7mb, so a 64gb card will handle just over 9000 images. Shooting RAW, the same card will handle just over 2500 images at around 24mb each. When it comes to dealing with the files on your PC, again as has been mentioned, disk space is very cheap these days.
ETA - as has been said, probably a bit late now. What did you shoot in the end, and did you get any particularly good ones?
Edited by C&C on Sunday 12th January 13:08
theboss said:
If your camera can do it, why not shoot in both?
Then if you have a few particular pics you want to get more out of, post-processing, you have the option.
If you’re happy with the JPEGs you can just bin the RAW.
Better to have them, than not.
Mainly because if waiting for the buffer to empty is going to limit the capture rate and fill the card storage, then filling the write queue with both RAW and Jpeg is going to make it much worse? Then if you have a few particular pics you want to get more out of, post-processing, you have the option.
If you’re happy with the JPEGs you can just bin the RAW.
Better to have them, than not.
Edited by eltawater on Sunday 12th January 13:55
As a counterpoint, and not to suggest others views are incorrect, I have given up shooting RAW for anything but landscapes / nature.
My camera is perfectly capable of buffering 10fps for both RAW and jpeg for longer than any action reasonably takes, but the volume, storage and workflow requirements just got tedious.
I've never got back, reviewed a jpeg, and thought "gosh that would be a much better photo, if I'd shot in RAW". I try and do absolutely minimal post-processing anyway, and have ditched complex and/or paid-for processing software.
I suspect unless you're a pro or are exceptionally fussy about every last pixel (& there's nothing wrong if you are, I used to be - fussy that is, NOT a pro for sure), jpeg on your camera's best setting will be fine.
For me, these days, photography is about capturing the memory and feel of the moment, not producing technically perfect images. The only PP I do is to try and match the image to my recollection.
My camera is perfectly capable of buffering 10fps for both RAW and jpeg for longer than any action reasonably takes, but the volume, storage and workflow requirements just got tedious.
I've never got back, reviewed a jpeg, and thought "gosh that would be a much better photo, if I'd shot in RAW". I try and do absolutely minimal post-processing anyway, and have ditched complex and/or paid-for processing software.
I suspect unless you're a pro or are exceptionally fussy about every last pixel (& there's nothing wrong if you are, I used to be - fussy that is, NOT a pro for sure), jpeg on your camera's best setting will be fine.
For me, these days, photography is about capturing the memory and feel of the moment, not producing technically perfect images. The only PP I do is to try and match the image to my recollection.
As everyone has said above, plus: what are the photos for? Just for family memories? For printing and framing? Just for sharing on mobile devices?
You could always shoot loads of jpeg to start, then when you’ve a few dozen ‘keepers’ maybe shoot some raw?
ETA.... if you’ve a time machine lol.
You could always shoot loads of jpeg to start, then when you’ve a few dozen ‘keepers’ maybe shoot some raw?
ETA.... if you’ve a time machine lol.
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