Should I be using 16-bits per channel?

[RoshGlamour]

Thanks for the reply. I tried some 16-bit processing and I see a difference. I'll probably keep using it for processing and save final at 8-bit. 100mb for a file is too big to keep around [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[RoshGlamour]

Very interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing it.

[RSavage]

[ QUOTE ]
100mb for a file is too big to keep around

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL....Print this out and re-visit it in a year or so. File sizes are going to continue to grow.

Here are my thoughts on this (for what they are worth):

I process from RAW to 16 bit .tif (using Capture One). The tif gets converted to .psd in Photoshop....the tif can then be discarded. (This is a weakness in Capture One..it should convert directly to .psd)

The completed .psd file represents a LOT of work in most of my images....I want to preserve that work if possible. I save the full psd in 16 bit. I make output files that are flattened and converted to 8 bit (until such time as someone comes up with 16 bit output devices ). The output files may or may not get saved, depending on the file.

Hard drives are WAY cheap these days...buy more...and don't sweat file sizes.

R

[kwik67]

Are you sure your seeing a difference between processing now in 16-bit versus before in 8-bit. I started doing some testing.

The test I did was set up with a set of actions that would adjust curves (5 different times), and using a high pass filter sharpening. I placed the images side by side and nothing stood out then I converted the 16 bit back to 8bit and then copied, pasted it to a new layer over the first 8bit file.

If the image was shoot at the correct exposure the difference I saw was about a 1% pixel shift in the shadow area's and if the background is a neutral gray. I saw a bit smoother vignette and about a 1% pixel shift in the neutral gray. Still nothing I would consider major.

But on the plus side, I would consider making a 16bit file if the RAW file was shoot underexposed and it would need to be opened up in Photoshop (less noise in the shadow areas in the 16bit file) and if I wanted a slightly smoother background if the background is a neutral gray.

there's my 2 cents