I say “revisits” because my assumption is that most photographers — pro or amateurs — reading this blog will agree with Peter Gregg (and me) that going RAW is a no brainer, and that there is really no argument to be made or discussion to be had.
That said, I realize that writing my “RAW Processing Solutions” column for After Capture might have stilted me a bit. So I was pleased to encounter Gregg’s latest report for ProPhoto Home: “If you are not shooting RAW files – your camera is BROKEN!!!” He brings up some good points that that remind me that I am not stilted and the raw files simply rock.
However, the best part of Gregg’s report is that he brings up and expands on a point that is not well known:
• Setting color balance in-camera when shooting raw files DOES matter.
As Gregg explains, “technically” to set color balance or not might not seem to matter. Of course, one of the pleasures of working with raw is that color balance can easily be changed during in-computer processing, no matter what color balance metadata setting is attached to the unprocessed raw file. HOWEVER:
• “However if you are to examine a histogram where the RGB channels are separated, it is easy to see in the sRGB color space and the Adobe RGB color space the red channels are often pushing the envelope and blowing out long before the green and blue channels.”
Gregg goes on to explain:
• “Knowing what I just explained in the previous paragraph is an advantage to the photographer. The camera’s metering reads the entire spectrum and because the red channels are overexposing (clipping) the camera will often under expose the image. When looking at your image on your screen the first thing you will do is white balance with an eye dropper tool. Immediately this now under exposed image on your computer will jump out at you will want to to correct this image in your RAW software which means raising the exposure slider – sometimes a lot. This in effect is gaining stops which is gaining noise. So correcting your white balance ahead of time is advantage to you in getting the correct exposure in the camera to begin with.”
Gregg gives some concrete examples of how this can make a big difference when shooting at higher ISOs. But the bottom line:
• While the color balance setting does not literally affect the color balance of an image, the camera color balance setting does affect how the camera meters and exposes an image, and this can have an effect on exposure and therefore the quality of the overall image.
June 9th, 2011 6:03 am
I like your views very much and thanks for such an informative information for both amateur and professional photographers.