"using raw SQL exclusively becomes time consuming when you need to make the jump between the raw sql results and objects"
I don't find that to be true. You write the SQL, you've already written your Objects, you write a 2-3 line row -> object(s) mapper (supported by your own utils, or something like Spring). You have clear control and mapping between SQL and Object.
This said, I like what I've seen and used of the Django ORM so far, but then my application has not been anywhere close to as complex as the "day job" RDBMS.
If you have entity with 10 fields and 5 nested collections (which may also have more nested objects) and you need load full object for edit (and save it after), it will be more than '2-3 line'
I don't find that to be true. You write the SQL, you've already written your Objects, you write a 2-3 line row -> object(s) mapper (supported by your own utils, or something like Spring). You have clear control and mapping between SQL and Object.
This said, I like what I've seen and used of the Django ORM so far, but then my application has not been anywhere close to as complex as the "day job" RDBMS.