# shooting in raw format



## 77vetteguy (Jan 26, 2007)

i have a canon rebel xsi 450D. i can't figure out how to shoot in raw though. the book tells all about it except how to shoot in raw. does anyone know how to use this function?


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## 77vetteguy (Jan 26, 2007)

never mind. i figured it out.


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## uracowman (Jun 30, 2009)

77vetteguy said:


> never mind. i figured it out.


I hope you have a program like photoshop or lightroom to process the raw images. That is the only way you can view tham as the .cr2 raw file is not actually a picture. Also do keep in mind that unless you plan on actually processing the image, there is no point in shooting in raw. Raw images are an option given to the shoot to give you wiggle room for stuff like tone adjustments.


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## milobloom242 (Dec 28, 2004)

uracowman said:


> I hope you have a program like photoshop or lightroom to process the raw images. That is the only way you can view tham as the .cr2 raw file is not actually a picture. Also do keep in mind that unless you plan on actually processing the image, there is no point in shooting in raw. Raw images are an option given to the shoot to give you wiggle room for stuff like tone adjustments.


+1 Recommend Photoshop Elements or equivalent as a minimum to process RAW files. Elements can process single files (apply automatic fixes or tweak it yourself) or entire folder of files (using globally applied automatic fixes for a range of things).


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## 77vetteguy (Jan 26, 2007)

yes i know all about it. the setting was just buried in all the options.


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## uracowman (Jun 30, 2009)

77vetteguy said:


> yes i know all about it. the setting was just buried in all the options.


that is not the point I was trying to make.

If you do not have the correct programming to edit raw images, then there is no point shooting in the format. Ontop of this, if you do not know how to edit images, then there is also no point in shooting raw. The raw shooting format is there for people to have flexibility in editing. Raw images come off the camera unsharp and desaturated so unless you know what type of look you want, there is no point in just shooting in raw just for the hell of it.


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## mathjak107 (Apr 1, 2006)

yep i agree, no point dealing with raw files if you dont know what to do with them or have suitable software


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