Question 9

Only one of these camera settings can be changed in a raw file – which one?

ANSWER (C) Score 1 The correct answer is (C), white balance. The basic exposure level is set by the shutter speed and lens aperture you chose when you took the shot; and while raw files do have a little extra exposure latitude you can take advantage of when you’re processing them, you do still have to get it right in-camera.

You can’t change the ISO setting later either. The ISO adjustment is carried out before the raw file is even created, using electronic amplification of the light levels captured by the sensor.

The white balance, however, can be changed later. If you shoot a JPEG, the camera will use your WB setting to discard what it considers unnecessary colour data, and if you try to change it later you’ll often be working with too little remaining data. If you shoot raw, though, the file contains all the colour information, regardless of the white balance setting you chose. This will only be useful, of course, if you can’t guess the white balance correctly as you shoot.