Adobe Photoshop Camera RAW 9.5 and Adobe Lightroom CC 2015.5 (earlier versions may not be able to open the new RAW files) use the same improved demosaicing and de-noise algorithms (and thankfully they both also have the same simplified controls) that can process Sony RAW files properly. Without going into great detail about the operation of these two behemoth software programs, here’s a quick rundown on how to use their controls to reduce the noise in high-ISO RAW files (we’ll use the same sample image as in the previous section; refer to Figure 15-17):
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Figure 15-17: Both Lightroom and Adobe Camera RAW (which comes with Photoshop, and pictured above) use the same six sliders when it comes to reducing noise. The sliders you see on the right are typical of the values I use when de-noisifying most high-ISO RAW files. |
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Figure 15-18: The Details tab allows you to both de-noise the image and also sharpen a bit. |
There’s more to it than that, but just the steps I outlined above are enough to produce dramatically better high ISO results than what your in-camera JPGs look like. If you’d like to delve more into understanding what all these variables do, Peachpit.com has posted a very nice video which provides a slightly more detailed overview: http://tinyurl.com/3gmsz8b. (This is for CS5, whose user interface is identical.)
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Figure 15-19: The original .jpg and the post-processed RAW file from ACR. The .jpg out of the camera prints better. Who could have predicted that? |
There are three variables which determine how large an image will appear when printed or when viewed on the web: the number of pixels (height), the number of pixels (width), and the number of pixels per inch (typically referred to as “dots per inch” by the majority of the populace). Figure 15-20 shows three IDENTICAL sets of pixels that can magically “change” dimensions when printed on printers of different resolution.
The gist of this is the same set of pixels can print in different sizes just by redefining the dots-per-inch setting of the printer.
This is an important concept to grasp if you will be printing the images yourself on your inkjet printer, for sizing them properly (using tools such as PlayMemories Home or Photoshop) to match the output resolution of the final imaging device (be it printer or web page) is critical to retaining the image quality.
So, how is this all relevant? Your A6300 has a 24 megapixel sensor which produces images that are about 83" x 55" x 72 dpi out of the camera. Taking the exact same set of pixels and changing to print resolution (300 dpi), the dimensions change to 20” x 13” x 300 dpi.
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Figure 15-20: Same number of pixels, but each will print at a different size given different resolutions. |
If you wanted to make the image twice as large, you could decrease the dpi to 150 dpi and end up with an image 40” x 26" in size. Such large images are often viewed at a distance, and therefore, few notice the lower resolution needed to achieve such a large size.
Sometimes a small dot on every picture isn’t caused by a speck of dust; rather sometimes a single pixel can fail and remain a fixed color forever. Although it is not mentioned anywhere in the documentation, every Sony camera has a method for finding and “eliminating” stuck sensor pixels automatically and in a way that’s invisible to the user.
At the beginning of a month when the camera is turned off, it will test itself for a stuck pixel, and if it finds one it “maps it out” in its memory, replacing its value with the average of all the surrounding pixel’s values when it processes the image and writes it to the memory card. (That’s why it can sometimes take an extra 8 seconds or so for the camera to turn off.) So if you suspect your camera has such a “hot pixel”, set the camera’s date to the beginning of next month, turn the camera off and then on, and the problem should go away. (You can then move the date back to today once it’s done.)
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Figure 15-21: Newer cards are essential to use these camera’s latest video modes |
Your camera’s memory slot was cleverly designed to accept both SD-class and MemoryStick Pro Duo memory cards. Many flavors of these memory cards have evolved over the years, but here are the ones that are guaranteed to work with all of the camera’s high-bandwidth features (such as 4K and XAVC S HD video shooting):
SD Class: SDXC or SDHC, UHS-I or II, Class U3 (here’s an example: http://amzn.to/1NbotwR)
MemoryStick Class: PRO-HG Duo, although with this format you can't record movies with a bitrate of 100 Mbps or greater.
If you’re not shooting 4K or XAVC S video, then these kinds of cards will work:
SD Class: Any kind: SD, SDHC, SDXC. Speed class 4, or UHS class U1 or faster
MemoryStick Class: Pro Duo Mark 2, Pro-HG Duo,
If I were to recommend a brand, based solely on my personal experience I would highly recommend Lexar and Sandisk – both have had a strong, reliable (albeit not blemish-free) track record with me.
If you shoot a lot of RAW out in the field, you might also consider a USB 3 card reader if your computer has USB 3-compatible ports. Reader Bill Jacobsen writes, "When I downloaded 68GB of files from this last weekend using an old USB2 reader from the new card it took over 2 hours! ...So I bought the SanDisk ImageMate USB 3 reader and in a test it only took 5 minutes for the same 68GB of data....big difference."
TIP 1: When you buy memory cards, make sure you purchase them from a retailer that will accept returns, no-questions-asked. As an example of why I say this, here’s how Lexar handles their in-warranty returns for cards that fail bit-error tests: 1) You must wait two days to get an RMA number by email, 2) You must return the card at your own expense (including insurance), 3) You must wait 2-3 weeks for them to test it and send out a replacement (!). Being able to return a bad card immediately is a Good Thing. Note also that the Sandisk tend to be the most often counterfeited brand, so test it thoroughly (see next section) before going out to shoot! TIP 2: SDXC cards use an EX-FAT format which many computers don’t know how to read. How can you tell? Tether your camera to your computer and turn it on. If your computer prompts you to format the card, say no and disconnect the camera. You’ll have to use only SC or SCHD cards from now on. TIP 3: Large capacity cards make the camera take longer to turn on initially (it has to estimate the number of images remaining on the card the first time you turn it on). |
Although all memory cards have been designed for reasonably rough usage (and some expensive models have been introduced, which are advertised as being designed for extremely rough usage), there may be times when the unthinkable occurs: several random bit errors occur within the card, resulting in “corruption” – the inability for the computers to reconstruct the image due to the missing or damaged information. This alone can be a compelling reason to shoot RAW+JPG all the time, since the chances of a random bit error affecting both files is extremely small.
There are several software tools on the market designed specifically to try to recover from these kinds of errors. Two tools I can highly recommend are Photo Rescue™ at
http://www.datarescue.com/photorescue. The other is Image Rescue™, which comes bundled for free with some Lexar memory cards (a bold move if you stop and think about it…). Both are worth every penny for recovering from corrupted media (assuming recovery is possible… some corruption is unrecoverable.) You can try Photo Rescue for free to see if it will do any good before you plunk down any money.
[Note: I get no compensation for endorsing these companies. But I’ve used both successfully to retrieve images off a corrupted memory card more than once.]
Since the last two memory cards I’ve purchased had such corruption issues, I’ve now learned a few things about minimizing the surprise factor involved:
