Hi all. This question has been bothering me lately. I shoot raw + jpeg but find it's so much easier getting the look I want wether B&W or COLOR by just editing the jpeg file I Lightroom. I honestly can't see any degradation of the file. Tweak the tone curve, adjust whites, blacks, exposure, reduce saturation, vignette or whatever. Probably the only thing I don't do is sharpen.
I know, why don't I just do the same to the raw file? Because it just takes a lot longer. A lot. And multiply by 100+ images and kiss your evening good bye.
So what do you think? Do you only edit raw? Or are you editing your jpegs? How much? Do you see degradation, if so how? Thanks a bunch!
This is a great question and it mirrors my experiences over the last 18 months or so.
Change in cameras (Nikon FF to X-Pro2), change in post processing (DxO not support Fuji RAW), change in subject matter and a change in Asset Management (whining Aperture ex-user). Taken together these caused me to look long and hard at my workflow. Overall I'm happy I did.
After many years of film, actually getting it right in camera is an obsession. I almost never shoot with an expectation of "fixing" it later. What I've found is:
1) Fuji JPG's are frighteningly good, great for 90+% of my needs;
2) After culling I use Athentech's Perfectly Clear on my keepers. Batch processing, very simple to use;
3) With careful processing of RAW files in Iridient and other software I'm able to approach the quality of the JPG's...usually...but that's about it. Working the JPG's gives me more satisfactory output.
After an evening's shoot I may return with 700+ images. Processing that many RAW files was taking me 2 days. Now I review and rate the JPG's. Then I send the keepers to Perfectly Clear and go have something to eat. Later I review the results and do any cropping or minor touch up I desire. Entire process including dinner...2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Thank you Fuji.
