14 Bit vs 12 Bit is it worth it ?

[Alpha_7]

From most sites I've read, the increase in highlight and shadow details moving from 12 to 14 bit is marginal. So my question is I'm shooting a high contrast high tomorrow (bride and groom), so is it worth bumping it up to 14bit over the 12 ?

If anyone shoots 14bit, what is your experience ? Do you do it because you can, or are you seeing it actually helping ?

Thanks,
Craig

[chrisk]

definately helps mate. its marginal sure, but every bit counts. i think where you'll see it of most benefit is in highlight detail you are trying to recover in harsh sunlight on a white dress.

[Alpha_7]

Thanks Rooz, I've got 44GB of CF cards, plus a PSD, so I think I can take the storage hit, and the speed hit (shrug) I can live with. Seems like its worth it given I've only got one shot to get it right.

[surenj]

If it was my wedding I'd want you to do 14 bit, UNLESS it slowed you down too much so you'd miss shots too often.

what's the size difference on disk?

[Alpha_7]

Manual says

NEF (RAW), Lossless compressed, 12-bit — 13.3 MB
NEF (RAW), Lossless compressed, 14-bit — 16.3 MB
NEF (RAW), Compressed, 12-bit — 11.0 MB
NEF (RAW), Compressed, 14-bit — 13.8 MB
NEF (RAW), Uncompressed, 12-bit — 18.8 MB
NEF (RAW), Uncompressed, 14-bit — 24.7 MB

I haven't tested it in person as yet.

[aim54x]

NEF (RAW), Uncompressed, 14-bit — 24.7 MB

I'll vouch for that...well at least on the D300 it is between 24-30mb usually in the 27mb range. I am not sure about the D700 but the D300 cant keep its frame rate shooting 14-bit RAW it goes down to 2.5fps....from memory it cant even keep the frame rate shooting 12-bit but I cant remember...I switch to TIFF when I need speed...yes it will keep 8fps shooting TIFF with the grip with AAs

[ATJ]

NEF (RAW), Lossless compressed, 12-bit — 13.3 MB
NEF (RAW), Lossless compressed, 14-bit — 16.3 MB
NEF (RAW), Compressed, 12-bit — 11.0 MB
NEF (RAW), Compressed, 14-bit — 13.8 MB

These would have to be approximations based on certain conditions. As soon as you start to compress, the file sizes will depend on the image. A completely black or completely wide image will be quite small indeed.

I shoot lossless compressed 12-bit with my D300 and my June images ranged from 8,881 KB to 13,919 KB (but I have had them smaller and larger than the two extremes for last month.

[DVEous]

... Obsolete ...

[Alpha_7]

Almost a month after the wedding, I've come back to add a bit of closure to this thread.
While I haven't done any side by side testing, using 14bit seem to provide RAW files that when needed did give me more detail and could be pushed around further.

[aim54x]

Glad to hear that you managed to compare and find out if there is difference. Was there a speed hit on the D700? I am glad to hear that i have not been wasting my time with 14-bit.

[Alpha_7]

I didn't notice a speed hit, but I wasn't feeling the buffer or doing long bursts. So I didn't really test it in that respect.

[aim54x]

I killed my D300s buffer by burst bracketing for HDR panos yesterday...and 2.5fps is all it can handle when shooting 14-bit RAW....I am going to be processing for weeks to get these panos done!

[Mr Darcy]

I killed my D300s

You've got one already

[aim54x]

I killed my D300s

You've got one already

YEP!!! with a bit of magic marker I do....

[Mr Darcy]

I killed my D300s

You've got one already

YEP!!! with a bit of magic marker I do....

Or maybe Apostrophe Man needs to come round to your house in the middle of the night and beat you with a big stick

[aim54x]

Or maybe Apostrophe Man needs to come round to your house in the middle of the night and beat you with a big stick

maybe....but then again that big stick had better be stronger than my sword.....I have a beautiful replica 'hadhafang' that some friends got me for my 19th bday a few years back

[gstark]

Or maybe Apostrophe Man needs to come round to your house in the middle of the night and beat you with a big stick

maybe....but then again that big stick had better be stronger than my sword.....I have a beautiful replica 'hadhafang' that some friends got me for my 19th bday a few years back

But can you open a bottle of champagne with it?