D2x file sizes

With my D70 camera I can take photos basically within three choices, namely:-

1) Raw , file size 6meg

2) Raw and jpg, file size 5meg and 1 meg

3) Jpg, file size 2.5 to 3 meg

Personally I usually choose Raw+jpeg

There are now quite a number of D2x photographers and I was wondering what choices you have , what file sizes are available and what in practise you tend to shoot in?

Mike Davidge

Hi Mike,

The D2X gives you the following options:

1) RAW

2) RAW + jpg fine

3) RAW + jpg norm

4) RAW + jpg basic

5,6,7) JPG - fine - norm - basic

8) TIFF

RAW files are about 20MB. You can also compress the RAW files in all the options. I would guess that would halve their size - 10MB. But I am not sure.

TIFF I don't know. But I guess about 35MB

JPG Fine is 4-6MB

JPG Basic is 1.5MB

I have been shooting RAW + JPG basic underwater. And all the D2X images I have had published so far (there are three in the current issue of DIVE) have actually been from the JPG Basic (although I now have a working RAW converter)!

Alex

compressed NEF file is 10mb. Personally I have not really seen much differences between NEF and compressed NEF file but then I have not look very hard either. I think some people of Nikonians did report seeing slight loss of detail in highlighted area in compressed NEF when compare to NEF.

Nowaday I am trying to skip my afternoon snack and save the money for a 4GB card

Let me put it this way, I have a 2gb card and a 4gb card. When I shoot RAW+JPG fine in the 2gb I get about 65 photos (twice as much on the 4gb).

Let me put it this way, I have a 2gb card and a 4gb card. When I shoot RAW+JPG fine in the 2gb I get about 65 photos (twice as much on the 4gb).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is the reason to use this mode (RAW+JPG fine)? I see why to uses RAW + JPG basic, but can't find useful usage to fine JPG if I have the RAW data.

What is the reason to use this mode (RAW+JPG fine)? I see why to uses RAW + JPG basic, but can't find useful usage to fine JPG if I have the RAW data.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't have any RAW converter yet, I am keeping the RAW files as a backup and waiting for Nikon and Adobe to figure out their differences (or for Nikon to come up with an useable version of NC). In the mean time, I want high quality JPG.

I have been shooting RAW + JPG basic underwater. And all the D2X images I have had published so far (there are three in the current issue of DIVE) have actually been from the JPG Basic (although I now have a working RAW converter)!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

slightly off topic - Alex - what software are you using for RAW conversion?

Will CS2 handle this?

Steve

I tried NC for a bit. And while there are a couple of nice features I did not like its control over white balance.

So I am using ACR in CS2. Which is great.

The only think I don't like with ACR in CS2 is that it starts off with Exposure, Shadows, Brightness and Contrast all on AUTO. Anyone know how to turn these off. Hardly serious, but annoying.

Alex

alex,

to switch off auto defaults what you need to do is the following:

on a untouched raw file, open it, unselect all the auto checkboxes, then in the settings menu (lttle triangle next to the words camera defautl or something to that effect), save this as the new camera raw default.

next time you open a raw file, voila! no more auto checkboxes

/paul

Thanks Paul.

I am happy again!

Alex

Thanks for your replies, they produce interesting threads. I can see the file sizes on the D2x are pretty large, necessitating large memory cards and back up systems. Alex, I recently read that you have taken 8000 images already on your D2x, how are you storing them?

Mike Davidge

I am not a tech-geek like many here on Wetpixel - so I may not have the perfect solution. I'd definitely quiz others.

At home I have three external harddrives (that I have bought over time). 500GB, 200GB and 60GB. The big two are attached to my computer (and I have duplicate copies of the NEFs on them). Selected files are also on the 60GB that that is offline.

I also have a seperate folder called "TIFF VAULT" that I copy processed files (either as TIFF or PSD - 8bit RGB) on the 500GB. These are also backed up up on my internal harddrive.

I also have 2 DVD backups of important TIFFs and NEFs that are deliverables on projects I am working on. I tend to carry these with me when I travel! Don't want to loose them at this stage!

While away I use my Laptop (G4 powerbook) and a 40GB portable external for backup. Neither of these is really big enough for the D2x! And I have to edit quite a bit in the field to keep the storage manageable (fine for 1 week trips - nightmare for two weekers!). I plan to get a bigger portable drive before I start shooting heavily again in September.

Hope this helps. This is how I do it, but certainly not the only way.

Alex

I have 3 harddisks too. All 300GB for now. First one is the main disk. I copy all files in there based on a subdir structure. Then, every night I automatically backup this harddisk to a second harddisk in the same machine. This will safeguard against most harddisk failures (I manage a serverpark with thousands of harddisks, so i know from experience that this is the most common failure, ehm, actually, right after operator error

Once a month or so, or directly after I do major changes like add a buncha images, I take a third disk, and backup all images on there. Then I take this disk someplace outside my house. For now I leave it at a family member's house. This will safeguard against theft or fire or other unforseen damage to both harddisks at home. It will also somewhat safeguard against operator error at home.

I feel relatively safe where my images are concerned. Now our thousands of slides, thats another matter ..

Cor