Argh, RAW sizes

MattF

MattF

Messages
245
Name
Matt
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi,

I am currently transferring 78 RAW files and the lovely status window says them 78 RAW files are 1.16GB.

If only 78 RAW files take up 1.16GB, I can't see myself getting very many photos on my 500GB harddrive.

To the question, what do you do with your RAW files? Delete them after processing to JPEG or keep them all? I am considering putting them on DVDs but I am not sure.
 
Personally I delete them once I've processed them and converted to Jpegs/uploaded to Flickr, but I don't have an external hard drive. If 78 RAW files are 1.16BG, that equates to around 14-15MB each, which is probably about right for a 12.5mp sensor. My 40D generates 11Mb-ish RAW files from a 10.1mp sensor.

Edit: I agree with Andrew above, I delete the vast majority of my RAW files on the first viewing because they are blurred/poorly composed etc. I took about 1000 photos at Oulton Park last weekend, and kept 150 of them.
 
If your keep to shoot ratio is as bad as mine you'll soon weedle that down to about 1 meg :D
 
Well the RAW files are a lot smaller than TIFFS. You're right though - they take up a lot of room, and as has been said, you really need to get ruthless with deleting the dross and the 'not quite there' images. It's amazing how few you're left with if you're brutally honest. I keep the RAW files just for my 'keepers' - you never know when you might want to back to the original file and RAW gives you the most processing latitude.
 
i cant believe people are moaning about file sizes when storage is so cheap! you can get a 1tb hard drive for less than £65 now
 
My Raw files come out at 18mp off a 12 megapixel camera. If I shoot a large number of them in one day I will usually put them on a DVD after processing, otherwise they just stay on an external hard drive. I currently have a 320gb and a 250gb hard drive but they are starting to fill up. Looking at getting a 1tb drive soon as they are chap as chips at the moment.
 
1TB external hard drives are indeed getting as cheap as chips. That being so, if you can afford it, get one for your pics and another to back up your pics. ;)
 
Thanks for the replys people. Looks like its time to get more ruthless.
 
Although I delete the trash, I would never consider deleting raws after processing. Countless times I've come back to older raws from years ago to process in a different way, or try different and better programs.

You can save about 20% space by converting to DNG. I've done that and deleted the raws afterwards. But as storage has got so cheap I still save raws to a backup drive and dvd, as well as keeping the DNGs, which also get backed up.
 
I don't actually delete any :eek:

photos.jpg

Granted, there's a lot of JPEGs in there, off my phone and point and shoot camera, but space isn't much of an issue for me.

The best I've managed is 1089 photos in a day and that only took up 10.3GB. Not all of them are 100% in focus and everything, but even despite being a bit blurry, a lot of them look fine when resized for the web.

At 15mb per photo 500 gig will fit just over 34k photos on, so I wouldn't worry about filling it any time soon :p
 
fabs said:
My Raw files come out at 18mp off a 12 megapixel camera. If I shoot a large number of them in one day I will usually put them on a DVD after processing, otherwise they just stay on an external hard drive. I currently have a 320gb and a 250gb hard drive but they are starting to fill up. Looking at getting a 1tb drive soon as they are chap as chips at the moment.
Click to expand...

I have 1 1tb drive and 2 160gb drives and beleive me they do fill up very quick ...looking into adding 4 tb for future proofing but probably in 2 years this will be a small amount of disk space:shrug:
 
MattF said:
...what do you do with your RAW files? Delete them after processing to JPEG or keep them all?..
Click to expand...

NOOOOO! Don't delete after turning them into JPEGs. All you're then left with is a load of JPEGs that you have basically can't make further amendments to later on. Just be brutal, get rid of the shots that you just don't think cut the mustard and then back them up. Hard drives are pretty cheap these days and personally, I'd rather shell out £50 for another to back up onto than ditch raw files that I might need later down the line.
 
specialman said:
NOOOOO! Don't delete after turning them into JPEGs. All you're then left with is a load of JPEGs that you have basically can't make further amendments to later on. Just be brutal, get rid of the shots that you just don't think cut the mustard and then back them up. Hard drives are pretty cheap these days and personally, I'd rather shell out £50 for another to back up onto than ditch raw files that I might need later down the line.
Click to expand...

I argree, and lets not forget what improved superduper software might come along in the near future. Maybe those raw files might be able to give vastly improved renderings or better dynamic range or something, who knows.
I wouldn't ditch them for anything, space is cheap. Wayne
 
i treat my Raw files as i would have a negative
its the original and as such irreplaceable

i have two Maxtor 1tb ext drives that i use to store the current shoots
i keep the raw files on these for a couple of weeks in case there is a need to supply different outlets with the same shoot as often different titles have differing needs when it comes to the finished image
i then i burn my raw files to dvd's and delete the folder to make space for the next load of shoots
its a system i've been using since 2003 and to date its working well although the dvd storage and archiving is now becoming a problem
luckily i've had no problems with disc degradation either but i do use the best discs i can afford
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top