Adam Duckworth A need for speed
Pro sports and commercial photographer Adam says shooting JPEG can free you from hours in front of a monitor – and make you a better photographer
I switched to digital in 2001 when cameras finally reached an acceptable quality threshold for magazines, shooting raw for the ultimate quality and control in processing. I continued this right through my Sony journey – from A7R to A7R II and III, plus A7S III and A9. However, since I started with a pair of Sony A1s as my main cameras, I now use raw for studio and controlled work, but have swapped 100% to JPEG for my sporting action.
This is due to the speed that my clients now demand photos; and the smaller file sizes compared to raw. Clients want video and stills, and the A1 lets me do both with one body. But where they used to be happy with photos at the end of each day, now they want a selection from trackside during the racing to use on social media. So, I shoot JPEGs in camera and transfer them to my phone using Imaging Edge, quickly edit them using a phone app and send them to the client for immediate use.
I could shoot RAW+JPEG in camera and transfer the JPEGs, but the file sizes and storage required afterwards is just too great – especially when you are shooting up to 10,000 images per day at 20fps, plus high-bitrate video. Add the hours waiting for 10,000 large raw files to transfer to a hard drive then be imported and rendered on the computer, the storage – I never delete any photos! – and JPEGs are a very compelling option.
Downsides? As JPEGs are compressed there’s less dynamic range and of course you can alter white balance for raws. So, if the lighting is mixed with lots of bright highlights and deep shadows, raw will win. But if the white balance is set right, exposure is correct and highlights aren’t blown, then JPEGs are very close in quality – certainly from the A1. I find the colours bright but not too contrasty, which is ideal for the bold colours of the racing motorcycles. I set everything manually to ensure consistency – and Sony cameras make it easy. Just don’t set tungsten if you are shooting in daylight and expect the results to be good!
Of course, raw will win for the ultimate in quality and control, but it takes time and skill afterwards on the computer to get the best out of the files. The quality and flexibility of Sony JPEG files is shockingly good, though. So, if you’ve always shot raw as you have experienced lesser-quality JPEG files from older technology, it’s time to give it another try. I first noticed the difference between JPEGs and raws, when processed, was not actually that great when using the A9 as a main camera. Since the A1 came out, I find there is very little difference in terms of colours, noise, and outright image quality. And they are ready to go!