For most of us, saving pictures in a file is neither here nor there and we never give it much thought after it’s done. However, you might be surprised to know that different files equal different levels of quality and detail.
If you are dipping your toes into the realm of digital photography, it’s important to know the differences and, in this case, RAW vs JPEG.
Comparing a RAW file and a JPEG is a difficult proposition because one (JPEG) is essentially a finished product with some loss along the way, while RAW is uncompressed and completely unprocessed, wide open for whatever alterations you want to apply.
When you save a picture as a JPEG (it starts its life as a RAW file) it is compressed from its original format and formatted before it becomes a JPEG file in your camera’s digital storage. What makes RAW files superior to JPEG is the fact that you can do so much more with them.
What are the Pros and Cons of RAW?
Are RAW Photos Better Quality?
What are the pros and cons of JPEG?
Do Professional Photographers Use RAW or JPEG?
Why Don’t Photographers Give Out RAW Files?
Should Beginners Shoot In RAW Or JPEG?
When Should You Use RAW Format?
Should I Use RAW or JPEG in Lightroom?
Can You Edit RAW Files in Photoshop?
Can all DSLR Cameras Shoot RAW?
What is a RAW Image?
When you see the term RAW, all it means is that it is not a file that is compressed or processed. In fact, very little if anything is done with the file to modify it one way or another. A RAW image is far more open for editing than a JPEG file.
When it comes to the RAW format, you may see your image saved as a CR2 or DNG. That’s not unusual and both are still RAW images. CR2 is nothing more than a Canon RAW version 2 image which you will obviously see often if you are shooting in RAW with a Canon camera.
DNG is basically a “universal” RAW file and it makes it easy to dump the files into almost anything that handles RAW formats without having to take any extra steps.
The RAW image is a larger file on your camera because no compression is involved and the file is exactly the picture you took. Also, the uncompressed nature of a RAW file means that you have a ton of options and room for editing.
- RAW files come with a much higher degree of options and optimization capabilities
- With a RAW file, you have all of the image data that was captured in the original photo
- White balance options are much broader
- You have a more detailed and expansive capability when adjusting sharpness and noise
- A RAW file is a completely original photo with limitless editing possibilities,
Fortunately, for those who aren’t using professional cameras, RAW is an option you will still find on many cameras. If you want to learn to play around with RAW images, there are plenty of camera options out there that won’t break the bank.
What are the Pros and Cons of RAW?
While RAW files are the way to go for the photography editing enthusiast, it does come with its own set of caveats, just like everything else.
| Pros | Cons |
| Much more leeway for editing Lost data is easier to recover Camera settings don’t affect a RAW image Less noise in your images You get better prints | Eats up a lot more storage space You need some professional software to edit RAW files Original image may lack a little contrast |
RAW files allow for mistakes during the editing process and if you lose some of your data with a JPEG file, it’s almost always unrecoverable. However, with a RAW file, you have a much better chance of recovering lost data during the editing process.
Of course, one of the larger differences between JPEG and RAW files is the overall size. RAW files are much larger than JPEGs due to the fact that they are not compressed.
For those who just like to take pictures and aren’t concerned about the editing process, the slight lack of contrast is irrelevant because they’ll just stick to JPEG. For those who love to edit their photos, RAW is the way to go because there is a lot more that can be done with the editing process than with a JPEG file.
Are RAW Photos Better Quality?
RAW photos are generally going to be a higher quality image than what you will find from a JPEG file. While JPEG is great in that it saves space and time, it is also known for the fact that detail is lost in the compression process, whereas RAW loses none.
JPEG is also 8-bit, in terms of colors, and that means that a JPEG image is not going to take advantage of the number of colors that your camera is capable of capturing. When it comes to RAW images, on the other hand, you get all of the original colors that are captured in the image.
RAW images have a higher dynamic range than JPEG as well, which is the disparity between the extreme points of light and darkness. If you draw a straight line, from A to B, with A labeled “brightest” and B labeled “darkest”, a JPEG loses much of what is in between during the compression process.
That results in what is called “overexposure” and “underexposure”, both of which you can edit and work within a RAW image. It’s much more difficult to accomplish that in a JPEG since your tools are limited with an over or underexposed, compressed JPEG file.
What is a JPEG?
Despite it being a file format for photos, JPEG actually stands for (Joint Photographic Experts Group). All a JPEG file really boils down to is a compressed image format. When you take a picture, it’s naturally a RAW photo, however, many cameras default to JPEG, compressing the data into a much smaller format.
This compression is probably the most popular file format for photographs in the world. It’s also universal, as almost anything can accept and send JPEG, such as emails, text messages, printers, photo transfers, you name it.
What are the Pros and Cons of JPEG?
Although it is easily the most popular file format for photos and it certainly isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, the JPEG (JPG) format comes with its own set of pros and cons, just like anything else.
| Pros | Cons |
| JPEG files have a 24-bit color scheme It’s the most popular image format Quick and easy universal compression Saves more space with multiple files Produces high-quality, highly detailed images | Not the best format for powerful editing software What you see is almost entirely what you get Lacks transparency support |
THE JPEG format is easily the most popular file format for photographs. So much so that it is typically the default file format unless you go in and change it. JPEG files are often termed “lossy”. This means that there is a loss of data whenever you take a picture and it’s saved as a JPEG.
Since the human eye is actually not the best tool in the world for discerning colors, JPEG files can get away with a certain degree of lost data that you probably won’t notice.
Do Professional Photographers use RAW or JPEG?
Professional photographers almost always shoot in RAW. It makes the most sense because professional photography is an art every bit as much as it’s a tool. Professional photographers prefer RAW because of the high degree of optimization and customization available with a RAW file.
Why don’t Photographers Give Out RAW Files?
That’s usually because the altered file after the photographer has spent a good deal of time and effort optimizing the photo is the file that people want to see. But it doesn’t stop there. While the above is the main reason, there are several other reasons why photographers don’t give out the RAW file.
- Ownership of the photograph is contained in the RAW file
- RAW files are much larger than JPEG so it’s easier to send the altered version
- Giving out the RAW file ruins all of the time spent adjusting it, resulting in numerous other files
- A photographer’s ability to optimize a photo is a part of their brand value
It doesn’t make sense to give out the RAW file in most cases because the RAW picture is not an example of the photographer’s capability with editing software.
Should Beginners Shoot in RAW or JPEG?
All of that depends on how good you are at leveraging the power of photo editing software. As a beginner, if you are uncomfortable with the idea of editing photos to a high degree of professionalism, then you should stick with the JPEG default.
However, if you know your business through and through with a good number of photo editing tools—whether that is with an app or with editing software on a desktop—then the RAW format is the way to go.
When Should You Use RAW Format?
There are three, solid reasons that you would want to use the RAW format when taking pictures.
- Whenever you are shooting professional photos for clients
- If you are planning on a substantial degree of editing
- If you have an idea that you might want to edit the photo at some point down the road
Shooting in the RAW format should always be done if you want to do some serious editing on it. This is especially true if you have excellent editing software and love spending time doing just that. If you never edit anything and just like your pictures as they are, you should stick with JPEG.
When Should You Use JPEG?
The truth is, you are essentially using JPEG by default whenever you pick up a smartphone or camera and start taking pics. If you are not a professional photographer and you don’t do much in the way of editing, then there is nothing wrong with sticking with the JPEG format.
You can still take really nice pictures using JPEG, so it’s not like it’s a horrendous sacrifice if you don’t prefer to do any editing of your pics.
Should I Use RAW or JPEG in Lightroom?
Lightroom is a digital editing software platform and most people who run their pictures through it are either professional photographers or they are dipping their toes into the field. When using Lightroom, you should always stick with RAW files. With RAW files, you get the following:
- Serious amount of highlights and whites editing power
- Detail and sharpness improvements are superior to JPEG editing
- The white balance adjustment is more apparent with RAW files
Can You Edit RAW Files in Photoshop?
You can definitely edit RAW files in Photoshop and although Photoshop lacks a few tools that professional photographers like, it’s still the most popular software for photo editing and most professionals use it over all of the others.
Can all DSLR Cameras Shoot RAW?
All DSLR cameras are able to shoot in RAW and you don’t have to jump through any hoops to set your camera up to do so. Shooting in RAW is just a matter of changing the settings in the camera from whatever its default setting is.
Some DSLR cameras save your files in both RAW and JPEG format. Of course, that takes up a lot more room so if you just want to shoot in RAW or in JPEG it’s worth checking a new camera’s settings before you start taking pictures.
Of course, if your camera is set to save a JPEG and a RAW file, it’s advantageous in that you can edit the JPEG file as much as you want because you can always rely on the original RAW file if you need to go back to it.
All Things Considered
RAW is better for professional photographers because of the immense level of editing options that comes with the format. While it may not look as good as a JPEG file on the front end, once the editing is complete it will be far superior to its JPEG counterpart.
JPEG is the most popular format for a lot of reasons. It’s quick, easy, doesn’t take up very much storage, has some light editing options, and is the dominant default file for many cameras.