Scene modes and small RAWs - useful or useless?

What do you use?

  • Use scene modes

    Votes: 2 3.5%

  • Don't use scene modes

    Votes: 41 71.9%

  • Don't have scene modes

    Votes: 18 31.6%

  • Use reduced-size raw

    Votes: 4 7.0%

  • Don't use reduced-size raw

    Votes: 41 71.9%

  • Don't use raw

    Votes: 5 8.8%
  • Total voters
    57
weybourne

weybourne

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Having just read the 50D thread in the Equipment board, there were a couple of questions that I'd be interested in hearing the answers from all DSLR users:

Do you/have you ever used the scene modes on the mode dial (if there are any)? (Edit: P and A not counted as scene modes)

If your camera allows smaller sized raw files (such as the Canon Sraw1), do you/have you ever used them?

EDIT: I don't use either.
 
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I've used the scene modes on my 30d, but not for a very long time to be honest. I just do the tinkering afterwards now.
 
Well, the early indication on this board is that there seems to be practically no demand for either (but only 13 votes so far).

I can just about grasp the logic in putting scene modes on 'entry level' DSLRs but only just. But go one level up in a range (60D or D90?) and I really struggle to understand.

I'm not really sure what the reduced-size raw file is and so can't offer much opinion on it other than for space-saving on the memory card.
 
When I had a 50D I used to occasionally put it into "sports" mode when I handed it over to my husband to use, photographing me either do dog displays or cavalry reenactment. Never used the scene modes myself, however, from the day I got my first DSLR, and have never used any file setting other than full RAW or largest JPG.
 
I flipped it into "Portrait" this weekend, just to see if it would give me some nice skin tones but keep the richly saturated blue sky.
It fixed the aperture at f2.8 though, even though the lens would go to f1.8, and it insisted on having the pop-up flash go off, even though the subject was too far, and in too much natural light for it to make any difference.

I didn't take the shot in the end. Stuck it back in Aperture priority and I'll tweak the skin later.
 
Shame you can only vote once! I don't use scene modes, I don't have scene modes and I don't use raw of any size.
 
Can't see the point of having 15mp and then not using them. Might as well save your money and buy a compact if you're going to use Scene modes.
Always full size, sometimes jpg, sometimes raw, never both together.
 
I have used 'Small Raw' Once or twice - when at the end of an event I've used far more memory cards than planned - and have gone well into the emergency stocks, realising I still have an hour of shooting left, will reduce to SRAW to ensure I don't run out of space...

But usually is full sized RAW for 99% of what I do..
 
MRaw on the 7d produces roughly the same size file as the 40d, the 40d files are big enough for most occasions, why not use the smaller file size?

Scene modes are for soccer moms and i dont understand why they exist on anything over entry level either.
 
Nod said:
Shame you can only vote once! I don't use scene modes, I don't have scene modes and I don't use raw of any size.
Click to expand...

Coud have sworn I was able to vote for all three of those but it was early and I may have been hallucinating.
 
markmullen said:
Re being good enough, I work on the principle that it is easier and more successful to downsize a photo than it is to upscale it.
Click to expand...
Of course it is, but we dont always need the full resolution, if youre shooting for a known output; 'big enough' is, well........ big enough:)
 
gad-westy said:
Coud have sworn I was able to vote for all three of those but it was early and I may have been hallucinating.
Click to expand...

:nuts::bonk:

Oops! If it hadn't been 10 to 6 yesterday morning, I might have spotted that it was multiple voteable! Hopefully, the OP will take my post into his accounting when adding up the results.
 
Lossless compressed raw is the obvious one to use, no loss of quality but smaller file sizes as Phil V says

And again as Phil says, aside from the most basic - just one step up from PoS - I can't see the point of scene modes either, unless... they are 'holiday settings' - as in... choose the best setting for the camera to do everything when you're too drunk to do so yourself :D

Dave
 
I have spoken to my photography group about the Scene modes and who uses them, most say they have used them but mostly when passing the camera to a friend or relative to takes some shots

But as above, can't really see the point in them other than that, i have never used them, and now my camera doesn't even have them

As for small RAW files, like Phil said, if you know you are only shooting to upload to the web or whatever then no reason not to use small RAW i suppose, but then there is always that possibility you might take a cracking shot that would look great hung on the wall, but not have the quality there to do it

Best bet is to buy a second backup memory card if size is a problem

I always use full size RAW but i never even get close to filling my card in one shoot anyway
 
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Just to clarify - Lossless Compressed raw is just a clever way of the camera recording ALL of the same info as uncompressed raw but in a smaller file size - well that's how Nikon do it anyway

So unless Phil is referring to an actual smaller capture, as per jpeg small, which I doubt - then he's referring to the same thing as me

Same full max raw data - smaller file size

Dave
 
DG Phototraining said:
Just to clarify - Lossless Compressed raw is just a clever way of the camera recording ALL of the same info as uncompressed raw but in a smaller file size - well that's how Nikon do it anyway

So unless Phil is referring to an actual smaller capture, as per jpeg small, which I doubt - then he's referring to the same thing as me

Same full max raw data - smaller file size

Dave
Click to expand...

Phil V said:
Of course it is, but we dont always need the full resolution, if youre shooting for a known output; 'big enough' is, well........ big enough:)
Click to expand...

Ahh right, because Phil did mention about not always needing the full resolution, i'm confused :thinking:
 
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Canon do a smaller res Raw file - as in 7d MRaw gives a file that's 2592 x 3888
The 40d gives a file size in full size Raw of 2592 x 3888

So if the 40d gives big enough files for my purpose - the 7d on MRaw does too:thumbs:
 
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