topic Saving raw photos in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Saving raw photos

Steigy4827 — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 04:30:47 GMT

I have a eos m100 and only shoot in raw. I transfer all of my photos to my iPhone with the canon camera connect app and it appears to only save in jpg format at a resolution of 2400x1600 and 3.8 mp. I have been saving this way for months not realizing this, then deleting them off my memory card which is frustrating because I have lost all my raw photos. Is there any way to export them in raw besides saving them to my computer? Or a way to recover the full image size? Even when I download them from my iCloud onto my computer they are jpg

Re: Saving raw photos

jrhoffman75 — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 10:04:24 GMT

For future downloads you could use the Apple SD Card Adapter, but how much memory do you have on your iPhone?

There is no way to recover all your RAW images since you have written new images to the card. With file recovery siftware you might be able to recover some (the ones that weren't written over).

You really should be downloading from the SD card to your computer.

Re: Saving raw photos

wq9nsc — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 15:10:10 GMT

I agree with John that the computer is where those memory card contents need to go. High performance SD cards are quite inexpensive now (but get them from someone reputable like B&H because the online market is full of dubious counterfeit cards) so that you don't have to worry about transferring data until you get home from a trip.

There are dedicated transfer devices that allow you to save AND view the files like the Sanho Hyperdrive but it isn't something that most people need and although the price is reasonable for what it does, it isn't cheap.

Smartphones can accomplish a wide variety of tasks and do some of them well but transfer/storage of high resolution image files isn't something that the vast majority of the target market needs so not surprisingly that isn't a task at which they excel.

Rodger

Re: Saving raw photos

Steigy4827 — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 02:08:48 GMT

My computers memory is completely full from all my pictures already lol. I have the max storage on my iPhone and 2 terabytes iCloud storage, I’m just furious because everything I read said I could store raw files on my iPhone so I’d transfer and delete without realizing they have been just saving as jpg. As of now my phone is my only option for storage so if the transfer device will allow me to actually save as raw I might just have to go that route

Re: Saving raw photos

wq9nsc — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 17:19:55 GMT

If you don't need to transfer photos in the field, the cheapest storage is to use an external hard drive with your current PC. I have a bunch of 5 terabyte drives, cost around $100 each, and I use them for longer term storage of photos ( two drives per data set so I have a separately located backup just in case).

5 Tb will hold a LOT of RAW files. 8 Terabyte external drives are in the $150 range as SSD prices continue to drive down the cost of mechanical/magnetic storage which is plenty fast for long-term storage of files. I have two internal regular hard drives and two solid state drives in my HP workstation and I use one of the SS drives when working with RAW files. Transfer via USB 3 is fast enough for me with these long term storage files and avoids the additional price premium of using Thunderbolt external drives when that level of transfer speed isn't necessary.

Rodger

Re: Saving raw photos

Steigy4827 — Sun, 16 Jun 2019 00:25:31 GMT

Any suggestions on reliable hard drives of both types? Reading a lot of mixed reviews and I am terrified of losing any photos and videos because of iffy products

Re: Saving raw photos

wq9nsc — Sun, 16 Jun 2019 00:55:12 GMT

If you read Amazon reviews looking for the perfect product, it doesn't exist 🙂 There will always be product failures AND some users are simply absolute morons! Choose a drive with an overwhelming number of positive reviews and you should be fine.

I have used both WD and Seagate external drives with various systems for years and never had a problem. But I would still always go with two redundant drives with a second one stored offsite (your office, bank, relative, etc.) which greatly reduces the possibility of data loss due to equipment failure, fire, or theft.

I did a lot of enterprise risk management consulting over the years and driving risk down to absolute zero is impossible and extremely close to zero isn't practical but a pair of redundant drives in separate locations provides a very good probability of safety for your important files. The most important thing is you must follow a regular schedule in creating these redundant copies and if a problem occurs with one drive, make a backup of it using another system before trying it on the system where the other drive failed.

Many people never make any sort of backup and get away with it but risk management is like buying insurance; by the time you realize you need it then it is too late to do anything about the problem.

Rodger

Re: Saving raw photos

Steigy4827 — Sun, 16 Jun 2019 01:10:03 GMT

Awesome thank you! Very good idea of keeping two in separate locations!

Re: Saving raw photos

ebiggs1 — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 21:01:17 GMT

External HDs are the only way to go. It is a really bad idea to use a iphone as a storage device. Icloud or one of the others is really good, too.

Re: Saving raw photos

ebiggs1 — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 21:03:35 GMT

What exactly are you shooting or what for? It sounds like a big deal so I am curious why you choose a M100?

Re: Saving raw photos

Steigy4827 — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 06:12:01 GMT

Just as a hobby mostly but I do sell prints as well so only having a 4mp image really restricts the quality and size I can print. And I’ve shot tons of astrophotography in raw so I can stack and edit so that really sucks. I just bought an external hd so I can free my computers memory and start transferring that way. Just sucks that the camera connect doesn’t transfer raw because it is so quick and easy

Re: Saving raw photos

Steigy4827 — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 06:18:37 GMT

Could just be an iPhone issue though

Re: Saving raw photos

Steigy4827 — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 02:25:55 GMT

My wd hd just came in. Since I’m going to have to tranfer all my files from my computer and then delete them, any recommendations on tests I can do to make sure the hd is all good to go or like a time period I should use it and be sure it’s solid before deleting the files off the pc?

Re: Saving raw photos

wq9nsc — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 13:18:40 GMT

I really hate relying upon a single storage source for any important files. When I was finishing my doctoral dissertation back in floppy disc days I had three sets each for the dissertation itself and the data and they were stored in different physical locations. Some things you really don't want to have to recreate and I will never forget the accounting doc student who stopped to pick up a pizza on the way home and her single set of dissertation data tapes was stolen from her locked vehicle during that 5 minute stop. They got all of her audio cassettes also and probably thought those big IBM tapes were studio masters 😞

I would give your new drive at least 2 weeks but my risk management side says factor in the price of a second drive versus the value you place on the images and I think you will be back online with Amazon soon!

Rodger

Re: Saving raw photos

coachboz68 — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 04:28:20 GMT

I would agree strongly with Rodger. It's not just a HD failure to consider, but all sorts of other bad things that can happen. Fire damage, theft, accidental misplacement in the trash by one of my kids... 🙂 Lots of stuff can happen. I keep galleries on SmugMug of exported files, and RAW files on two HDs, one that I keep at home and one that I keep at work in my desk. Maybe a little overkill, but after a bad experience losing a year's worth of pics one time, it's worth the little extra hassle.

billy