How do I upload RAW photos onto my computer without losing picture quality?

M

MPHOTOGRAPHY

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Molly
Edit My Images
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Whenever I upload my RAW photos onto my laptop, it loses the picture quality. How do I edit and save them without losing picture quality? I tried uploading on GIMP but it lost the picture quality.
 
Hi Molly, welcome.

RAW files are unprocessed images as captured by your camera. Almost always they look terrible until they have been processed. You will need to use GIMP or other RAW processor of your choice to process the file to your liking. Here is a resource with information about how to do that in GIMP https://expertphotography.com/open-raw-images-gimp-ufraw/

In your camera, when you look at the images you are looking at a jpeg file that your camera has produced by processing the raw file. If you like the results, then use the jpeg files, no need to work on your computer.

Good luck
 
Hi Molly, as Tim says, the images aren't degrading - that's how they really look. If you want to use the raw files then I'd suggest using a raw image editor like Raw Therapee or Darktable (both free) or download a trial version of On1 photoraw or Adobe Lightroom Classic (both require purchase after the trial period expires) and use the youtube tutorials to get you started.
 
Thanks so much Tim! I’ve tried opening my image with GIMP, but it still loses its photo quality.
 
Hi Molly and welcome to TP

Just to echo what @TimHughes said

Your camera when set to record raw it within that recording it includes an embedded jpeg.

Such raw files require an editing program that will be able convert those raw files into a file for outputting such a jpeg.

Many camera makers provide software to do the above and are a good starting point.

More modern 3rd party software these days require powerful graphics cards to perform the processing.

In you can set the camera to record raw & jpeg that will aid your learning curve.

All the best:)
 
MPHOTOGRAPHY said:
Thanks so much Tim! I’ve tried opening my image with GIMP, but it still loses its photo quality.
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Change the settings on you camera to save the images as jpg files. Then they won't change when you upload them into GIMP. You could also save them as both jpg and raw format so that later when you have more experience and more flexibility you can go back and re-edit them.

Also, make sure that you save any edited images as new pictures - don't over-write your originals because you will lose the chance to go back and re-edit later. I speak from experience here.
 
Thank you. But if I shoot in JPEG, won’t they look different than the ones shot in RAW? I prefer the ones shot in RAW.
 
MPHOTOGRAPHY said:
Whenever I upload my RAW photos onto my laptop, it loses the picture quality. How do I edit and save them without losing picture quality? I tried uploading on GIMP but it lost the picture quality.
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What camera are you using?
 
MPHOTOGRAPHY said:
Thank you. But if I shoot in JPEG, won’t they look different than the ones shot in RAW? I prefer the ones shot in RAW.
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Whether your camera is saving RAW or JPEG, what you are looking at in your camera is the JPEG version using the camera's settings when the photo was taken. So what you prefer is the jpeg picture profile of your camera.

You can recreate this in your computer afterwards using a raw processor to do the same thing that your camera already did. But if you already like what your camera produces, why bother?
 
When you shoot a file in RAW on your camera, it also processes a JPG version to use as a preview to display on the LCD screen and embeds this in the file.

The RAW data is unprocessed and often flat looking, and needs processing (or cooking) with a RAW editor such as Lightroom, RAW Therapee, Dark Table etc.,

Shooting in JPG will give you a processed photo as per the one on the back of the camera, but you vastly reduce your ability to edit further - to adjust exposure, white balance etc.,
 
And if you like the way your photos look on the camera, if you do use Lightroom and import the RAW image, set up an import preset to the closest that your jpgs are - then you won't get frustrated with having to do each one separately. They'll look good on first viewing, but you'll still have all the flexibility of playing around with the RAW file if you want to. 'Auto' is much derided, but to be honest, combined with a bit of clarity and vibrance, it's a pretty good start.
 
MPHOTOGRAPHY said:
Thank you. But if I shoot in JPEG, won’t they look different than the ones shot in RAW? I prefer the ones shot in RAW.
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As stated above....if you mean that you like the look on the rear screen when reviewing your images, what you are seeing is an embedded jpeg and that is created by the settings in the camera.

If you like what you are seeing on the rear screen then switch to jpeg shooting. Although, on the surmise that you have enough computer storage space then shoot 'raw & jpeg' so that you have the raw files available for when you have a computer & software to handle them in future.

Edit ~
please bear in mind the raw file is a completely 'raw' product.....to see the final image it requires it to be post processed unless you are shooting jpeg in camera. Any online displaying of the raw file is not showing the raw file but the embedded jpeg and the AFAIK the likes of Google photos does not know (even if it is actually 'showing' the raw file?) what the processed file is supposed to look like.

IIRC there are programs that can extract such embedded jpegs but why bother when you can shoot jpeg.

PS can I ask why you are shooting in raw?

PPS can I suggest again that you try shooting in jpeg and just see the difference(s) in what you see on your computer or when uploaded to a sharing site???
 
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I use an A7III. I'd suggest saving jpg & raw together on the card until Molly knows how to edit raw files the way she wants. That can take time to learn.

As suggested, a Chromebook isn't really going to handle those image files well either, partly because it lacks processing power and storage, partly because the screen is unlikely to be suitable for consistent image editing. Not that it isn't possible to edit pictures with one, but it will be more difficult than necessary.
 
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