Raw Processing Tutorial

[exwintech]

Rick - Thanks for the prompt reply.

I'm aware of the size problem re P&S / Bridge-Zoom camera sensors, but I'm wondering if there's "anything extra" one can do in processing to at least partly compensate?

There must be differences in data-content and resulting images between FF sensor cameras and the 1.5/1.6-crop cameras. So when PP-ing a say 1.6 crop sensor RAW, what is done to make it look as much like a FF sensor image as possible?

I can't find anything on that by Googling... Maybe nobody but eccentrics like me thinks of such things...

You can see where I'm coming from... If there are things done in PP with crop-frame sensor RAWs to improve them towards the IQ of FF sensor RAWs - couldn't similar be done with RAWs from the smaller 1/2.3 sensor RAWs...?

Obviously that still wouldn't make them even nearly as good as those from the 12+ times larger crop-frame DSLRs, but any improvement would be nice!

While the camera makers are very likely using the "also saves RAWs" as advertising points for their somewhat overpriced higher end P&S / Bridge cameras - having RAW is probably more educational than the "Vanishing People" and "Automatic Scene Recognition" gimmicks that infest the recent versions.

So RAW in small-sensor cameras is unlikely to "go away" any time soon. What seems to be missing is any Guidance or Tutorials from the makers on how to get the best results from small-sensor RAWs.

Perhaps the folk who do the Digital Camera Tutorials you can find by Googling - some of them very good, if rather "technical" for folk newer to Photography - just assume that small-sensor RAWs from the P&S "Toy Cameras" aren't worthy of specific attention.

While Entry Level DSLRs are indeed becomong relatively less costly - not everyone wants to go there, if not because of cost initially, because of the complexities and the need to buy at least several lenses to cover the various things they will want to do.

So I'd guess that the upper-end P&S and Bridge cameras - with RAW - will keep increasing in popularity. Maybe the makers think that having RAW capability just looks good in the advertising - and that few folk will actually use the function anyway...

But some will, particularly those who want the learning experience before making the leap to DSLR. Perhaps somebody will begin a "Club Site" or a Forum Section for "Small-Sensor P&S RAW Users".

Regards, Dave.

[ricktas]

There is not a way to process them that is different to processing RAW files from a cropped sensor DSLR, Full frame DSLR or even a medium format digital back. You are stuck with the limitations of the equipment used to capture your RAW file. All you can do is process it and push that processing to the limit of the data available in the RAW file. There is no magic solution that can give you better results. The entire process is limited by one thing, the quality of the original RAW file!

[exwintech]

Rick - Well, thanks for clearing that up! So on the rule of "People take pictures, not cameras" - I'll work on getting better data in the first place - then upping the PP-ing abilities...

From what I've seen shown in some places, the HS10 is quite able to get very good P&S-small-sensor level results, so I'll keep working at it!

Do appreciate the prompt and friendly replies, too.

Regards, Dave.

[Adrian45]

Thanks Ric. Very help full indeed.

[drako4]

Thanks Ricktas for the great tutorial. I have had a fear of shooting in RAW and your advice on how to edit has encouraged me enough that I will give it a try. I only have Photoshop Elements 5.0 for the time being so hopefully this program will allow me to gain some valuable experience. I know I am not always happy with my results shooting in JPEG but always seemed much easier when you did not have a clue of what to do with RAW images.

Thanks again

[Elvie]

Thank you for this great tutorial, I have always been unsure what to do with raw images, so have not used the raw shoot very often, but this has inspired me to go for it. Elvie

[Fletch]

Thanks, I will give it a go. This photography caper is a lot more fun (and complex) than I first thought. this is a great site!