RAW vs JPEG

RAW vs JPEG is an ongoing debate in the photography world. There are those that swear by RAW and others that will only shoot in JPEG. I’m going fill you in in some of the pros and cons of shooting with RAW and JPEG, and let you know which I personally prefer and why.

RAW File Format

RAW files are lossless, which means they have the maximum amount of information you can possibly get out of an image. This is a big plus because it leaves room for adjustments after the photo is taken without loosing quality.

There are very few downsides to shooting in RAW. The first downside is that you almost always have to edit you photos when you shoot in RAW. Without any post processing work, most straight-out-of-the-camera RAW files look bland. Another downside is that RAW files are significantly bigger than compressed files. To be able to shoot in RAW, you will need a computer that will be powerful enough to handle all of the editing, and you will need a lot of hard drive space to store tall of your RAW files. If you shoot a lot and keep all of your RAW files, your investment in storage space and backups will have to go up over time.

RAW Files

• Lossless files – A lot of information is stored
• Flexible with editing
• Large files – Take up a lot of disk space
• Need processing
• Need special software to edit
• Need an above average computer to edit files comfortably

JPEG File Format

JPEG files are a “lossy” file format. When you shoot in JPEG, your camera records the image according to the settings that you have already programed into your camera. It adjusts contrast, saturation, sharpness and white balance in camera, and only outputs the final image. This means that you do not get the rest of the information that you would have gotten if you shot in RAW. Files are a lot of smaller because of this.

JPEG photos need less work if you have the the settings the way you want them on your camera. It is a lot less taxing on your computer as well. The problem with JPEGs is it give you less flexibility to work on an image after you have taken it because of the lack of information in the image. Every time you make a change to aJPEG file and save it, you lose more and more data, resulting in a lower quality image every time.

JPEG Files

• Lossy files – Less information
• Harder to make adjustments to
• Smaller in size – Takes up less disk space
• Need less editing – camera makes adjustments to the photo (color, contrast, sharpness etc.)
• Only basic software required

Conclusion

I personally think that if you are taking your photography seriously, you should shoot in RAW. Shooting in RAW gives you a lot more flexibility to work with your photo after the shot is taken. The whole process of creating an image goes beyond taking a photo with your camera, with post processing being a vital part of the equation. Being able to edit your photo the way RAW files let you will help bring out the best photo you can possibly create. If you have not tired shooting in RAW I suggest that you give it a go. When I started shooting in RAW, my photography moved up to a whole different level.

Knowing what RAW and JPEG have to offer, which file format do you choose to shoot with?