BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

raw images on cd

To love this question, log in above
May 24, 2007

apparently the application you use to view the photos on that CD cannot handle RAW files.

Try another viewing app.

Have fun!

To love this comment, log in above
May 24, 2007

To love this comment, log in above
May 24, 2007

There are literally dozens of different graphic image file formats, many of which are proprietary etc. JPEG and TIF are two pretty standard formats, though, and virtually every image editing program can display them.

RAW files, however, are actualy specific to the particular camera used. A RAW file from a Canon 30d is different than a RAW from a Nikon D80 is different than a Nikon D200 etc. There's a constant game of "catch up" going on between software companies and camera manufacturers (who often don't publish their RAW file specifications publicly) - the software folks have to reverse engineer the RAW file in order to interpret it. This means that even if your Aperture or Lightroom program can use today's RAW D200 file, it will need an update of some sort in a year to handle the D400 (or whatever) RAW file format.

While JPEG and TIF are formats designed to be viewed or printed, RAW files are not - they contain the unprocessed data captured by the imaging chip and require further processing. This is why the folks who disdain shooting in JPEG do so - they feel that the in-camera computer cannot do the best possible job of interpreting the data and creating the JPEG, and so would rather store the RAW data and create JPEGs on their post-production software.

The point is - you can (and should) certainly back up RAW files, but there is no need to share them since JPEG or TIF files will suit the purpose of viewing.

To love this comment, log in above
May 24, 2007