A RAW file is an unprocessed image captured directly from the camera sensor with no compression, color correction, or sharpening applied. It preserves every piece of data the sensor recorded, giving photographers maximum control over the final look of their images in post-processing. Think of it as a digital negative that contains all the raw ingredients for creating a finished photograph.
RAW vs. JPEG
When a camera saves a JPEG, it processes the sensor data internally: adjusting white balance, applying color profiles, sharpening, reducing noise, and compressing the file. This processing is permanent. Once a JPEG is saved, the original sensor data is discarded. A RAW file skips all of this processing and stores the complete sensor output, letting you make these decisions later on your computer with full control and the ability to undo any change.
Advantages of Shooting RAW
The most significant advantage is flexibility in exposure correction. RAW files contain far more tonal information than JPEGs, thanks to their higher bit depth (typically 12-14 bits vs. 8 bits for JPEG). This means you can recover detail from overexposed highlights and underexposed shadows that would be permanently lost in a JPEG. White balance can be changed freely with no quality loss, since the original color data is intact. Color grading, contrast adjustments, and noise reduction all produce cleaner results when applied to RAW data.
File Size and Workflow
RAW files are significantly larger than JPEGs, typically three to five times the size. A 24-megapixel camera might produce 25MB RAW files versus 6MB JPEGs. This means you need more storage space and faster memory cards. RAW files also require processing in dedicated software before they can be shared or printed, adding a step to your workflow that JPEGs do not require. Every camera manufacturer uses a proprietary RAW format, though most editing applications support all major formats.
When to Shoot RAW
RAW is ideal for any situation where you want maximum quality and editing flexibility: portraits, landscapes, commercial work, events with mixed lighting, and any scene with high contrast or tricky white balance. Some photographers shoot RAW plus JPEG simultaneously, using the JPEG for quick sharing and the RAW for careful editing later. For casual snapshots where convenience matters more than editing control, JPEG is perfectly adequate. For serious work where quality is the priority, RAW is the standard choice among professional photographers.