Advantages & Disadvantages of taking photos in NEF (Nikon RAW)?

Advantages:-
1. NEF (Nikon RAW) gives the flexibility and better result for post processing (eg, White Balance, Exposure, etc). If you choose to do post processing on JPEG, the output might not be as good as from NEF (Nikon RAW).

2. If you have Dead/Hot pixels, with Nikon Capture NX / Adobe LightRoom, the conversion from NEF (Nikon RAW) to JPEG will auto remove the Dead/Hot pixels (without any need of adjustment). Just import NEF (Nikon RAW) and export to JPEG.

Disadvantages:-
1. Need more storage space on your memory card.

2. Need more storage space on your computer hard drive.

3. Need some time to post process from NEF (Nikon RAW) into JPEG.

i heard from some pro.. tat usually they shoot raw on potrait... or those pic u intend for highly.,..... editting.

actually most of the pro shoot on RAW. cuz they scare the photos KNS and cannot be edited already...

Agree that Max.

I tried Raw b4, walao it takes damn long to load/save from computer

A Raw file is…

• not an image file per se (it will require special software to view, though this software is easy to get).
• typically a proprietary format (with the exception of Adobe’s DNG format that isn’t widely used yet).
• at least 8 bits per color - red, green, and blue (12-bits per X,Y location), though most DSLRs record 12-bit color (36-bits per location).
• uncompressed (an 8 megapixel camera will produce a 8 MB Raw file).
• the complete (lossless) data from the camera’s sensor.
• higher in dynamic range (ability to display highlights and shadows).
• lower in contrast (flatter, washed out looking).
• not as sharp.
• not suitable for printing directly from the camera or without post processing.
• read only (all changes are saved in an XMP “sidecar” file or to a JPEG or other image format).
• sometimes admissable in a court as evidence (as opposed to a changeable image format).
• waiting to be processed by your computer.

In comparison a JPEG is…

• a standard format readable by any image program on the market or available open source.
• exactly 8-bits per color (12-bits per location).
• compressed (by looking for redundancy in the data like a ZIP file or stripping out what human can’t perceive like a MP3).
• fairly small in file size (an 8 megapixel camera will produce JPEG between 1 and 3 MB’s in size).
• lower in dynamic range.
• higher in contrast.
• sharper.
• immediately suitable for printing, sharing, or posting on the Web.
• not in need of correction most of the time (75% in my experience).
• able to be manipulated, though not without losing data each time an edit is made - even if it’s just to rotate the image (the opposite of lossless).
• processed by your camera.

Read more: http://digital-photography-school.com/raw-vs-jpeg#ixzz0MJJQhBbS

wow yensheng, thanks for sharing~~

he did survey on dat, thanx yen sheng

anyway i hav an experience 2 share wif u all here...yesterday when v went 4 lingerie shootin, i initially used raw 2 shoot but den only after a session (2models wif 2outfits, so it supposed 2 hav 4sessions), my memory left around 100pieces, so i had 2 switch back 2 large jpeg wif fine quality n i ended up shootin wif more than 800photos...da reason is da models r bloody sexy

Ya one more thing to add. In stead of using Light Room 2, Acdsee also can process NEF file. hehehhehehehe

waa......why shoot so many???

there are 2 kind of situation, 1st being controlavle situation, 2nd being uncontraolable situation. i use RAW for any of these 2 situations, reasons being :

under controlable situation, such as model shooting, product shooting, you have time to think how to shoot, how to compose, what setting, hows the strobes etc, so shooting in RAW can make you think as there are limited shots you can do. dont do brainless machine guns if you are given time to shoot. imagine how those sifu with 35mm film do ^_^

uncontrolable situation, such as events, weddings, candids, kids photography etc. ya, you need to keep snapping, you dont know when you will miss the best scece of the Bridge&Groom exchanging rings. there is no 2nd times. and sometime you get the right moment, but the exposure or something is wrong, you can still tweak in LR or PS.

just my 2cents, hope it helps. but every1 has its own style la, i am just pointing out some of the reasons i use raw. ^_^

Hey, have your nose stop bleeding?

Anyway, thanks for the info 'Yeng' sheng

from the 1st day i bought my alpha 200 i shoot i raw and manual exposure mode
then slowly switch to aperture priority mode with raw
but i m not a pro at all, haha

raw is really awesome... higher definition.
JPEG can tweak WB too but it is only plus minus 200 Kelvin
anything beyond that will start showing fake color

raw normally is used during wedding or ppl paid u for the shooting