How to upload and edit my RAW photos without losing photo quality

[mollyfreemanL]

When I upload my RAW photos to my computer, why does it lose its picture quality? I would like to know how to edit my RAW photos without losing the picture quality. I’ve tried editing on GIMP but it will lose picture quality.

 

[dxqcanada]

Hmm, what exactly do you mean by picture quality? What are you comparing ?

 

[Thiophilos]

Raw files don't lose image quality. However, the photos from them might look bland compared to the JPGs which are usually souped up quite a lot by the camera (depending on the settings).

It is up to the user to edit the RAWs to their liking. That is what RAW editors are for.

 

[ClintLloyd]

On modern cameras, the image you see on the back of the camera is usually a JPEG camera processor pepped up image. I had this same thing a couple of years ago when I first started doing photography, I'd look at my RAW on the computer and think 'that's not the image I took...'

 

[480sparky]

You can't see a raw file on your computer. It MUST be processed into a JPEG or PNG. So whatever method is being used on the raw data to produce the image you actually see is causing the issue.

 

[AlanKlein]

If you like what you see on the camera's screen, shoot in jpeg and forget raw. YOu can still fine-tune jpeg files although not to the same extent as raw. But jpeg is good enough for most people.

 

[Woolsocks]

How lame is it that I hoped no one would answer this the original posters question correctly

Am I right in thinking that Gimp creates a jpg after a converting a raw file? That happens with most image editing tools. They open a raw file but convert to a jpg or tiff or some other format. I believe Gimp has it's own native format right? In photoshop it's a psd file.

 

[480sparky]

AFAIK, Gimp doesn't do any raw format.

Gimp does have a native .xcf format, but that's not a raw image format.

 

[Woolsocks]

AFAIK, Gimp doesn't do any raw format.

Gimp does have a native .xcf format, but that's not a raw image format.

.Tiff files are losseless image files. Right up to 32 bit. I don't know of any camera he's likely to use that goes beyond 16 bit raw.

 

[480sparky]

.Tiff files are losseless image files. Right up to 32 bit. I don't know of any camera he's likely to use that goes beyond 16 bit raw.

Are there any cameras that shoot .TIF though?

 

[Woolsocks]

Are there any cameras that shoot .TIF though?

Sure there are. I even remember a medium format camera that had the option to shoot 16 bit .Tif files.

That's not what I mean though. When you open up your raw image and convert it to the next format chose a .Tif file. Window's renders a thumbnail for them so it's easier to view in windows explorer. Raw to .Tif losseless where's the harm in that.

 

[480sparky]

Unless the OP has a camera that shoots TIF, then it's all a moot point now.

 

[Woolsocks]

Unless the OP has a camera that shoots TIF, then it's all a moot point now.

No that's wrong. LOL. If he opens his raw and then saves it has a 32 bit .tif file, he should be able to open it again and again without losing quality....

I mean s/he can't lose quality by opening the same raw file over and over again right?


Assuming the "Noob" is opening the raw file and saving it as a jpg.

 

[Thiophilos]

When a raw converter app like GIMP or Lightroom opens a raw file, it does not create a JPG or TIFF. It just converts the raw file to an image in memory.

The user then can edit that image, and when ready, export the image as a file in a format chosen by the user - JPG or TIFF or other.

The OP has not been seen since a few minutes after posting the first post, and is not benefitting from the wisdom in all the replies.

 

[ClintLloyd]

The OP has not been seen since a few minutes after posting the first post, and is not benefitting from the wisdom in all the replies.

Please come back! The suspense is killing me...