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Compressed v/s uncompressed raw – Sony A9 query
Hello!
I am an ameture photographer, mostly engaged into wildlife/bird photography. I am using Sony A9 and Sony 200-600mm G OSS lens combo for most of the time.
On a recent trip to Nagarhole, I observed something about camera and need help! Hence the post.
I had set the camera on uncompressed raw. Objective was to capture 14 bit raw that would have more colours and more image details.
To my surprise, the camera stopped clicking 14 bit (uncompressed raw) and moved to 12 bit (compressed raw) on its own while I was in the safari. I understood that the camera may do so if you are shooting high speed burst. But in this case, I was not shooting high speed burst. I was either at medium or low speed (dial selection). I was using electronic shutter. AF-C mode selected.
My doubts are:
1. Camera behaviour is not consistent. In one safari, even with high speed burst, it did not move on its own from uncompressed to compressed.
2. Once camera moved to compressed mode, it remained there even after I stopped shooting burst.
3. The menu option still shows uncompressed raw as selected mode though actually camera is now clicking compressed raw.
4. If camera makes such a shift on its own, is there a way to notice it while you are shooting. I noticed it only after I saw the raw file size!
Hoping to get good insights into this from Sudhir sir and other experts. More queries will follow 🙂
Kindly let me know if more details are needed.
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Prasad
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5 Replies
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Even if you are at low speed or medium speed burst mode – it will move to 12 bit compressed RAW. Only in Single-shot mode it will shoot in 14 bit Uncompressed RAW. Please see attached details.
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Hi Sudhir, thanks for the response. This helps. But still I am confused with camera behaviour. Because, I have 200+ photos from a safari where it did 14 bit. And then it suddenly shifted to 12 bit.
Once again, thanks for your response.
Regards,
Prasad
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It suddenly cannot change to 12 bit unless you made some changes. As you conveyed, you changed to continuous burst mode (does not matter if it is L or M)
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Thanks again Sudhir.
But right from beginning of the safari, I was on burst mode and AF-C. I only changed between H/M/L for the burst.
Certainly something here which is not adding up.
I have latest firmware. As you can see in the attached screenshot, till 373 (from 003) it was shooting 14 bit. Suddenly 374 onwards it has moved to 12 bit without any indication to photographer.
In my case, the dial is always on AF-C. Only thing I can think of is if the camera got turned off and on. I vaguely remember changing battery but unable to recall exactly when.
Thanks and regards,
Prasad
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The pain now is because I could click some wonderful pics of tuskers later. I wish they were 14 bit!
Regards,
Prasad
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