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You’ve probably heard over and over that you should be shooting in RAW. But do you know why it’s so important? And what it really means for your images? Let’s sort it out!
First off, what is RAW? RAW is a file format that captures all image data recorded by the sensor when you take a photo. When shooting in a format like JPEG image information is compressed and lost. Because no information is compressed with RAW you’re able to produce higher quality images, as well as correct problem images that would be unrecoverable if shot in the JPEG format.
And happily many many cameras these days shoot RAW, including point and shoots! So even if you’re using a little camera, you might still be able to take advantage of the RAW file format (just check your camera manual to see!).
So, the benefits. Let’s list ‘em out.
1. Get the Highest Level of Quality
This is one of the biggest benefits. When you shoot in RAW you record all of the data from the sensor. This gives the highest quality files. And when it comes to your awesome images, you want high quality.
Look at it this way: all cameras technically shoot RAW. Yes, it’s true.
The difference when you shoot in JPEG format is that the camera does it’s own processing to convert the RAW information into a JPEG.
However, your camera is nowhere near as smart as your brain, nor is it as powerful as your computer. When you shoot RAW, you’re able to do that processing yourself. You can make the decisions on how the image should look, and produce way better results.
2. Record Greater Levels of Brightness
Levels of brightness are the number of steps from black to white in an image. The more you have, the smoother the transitions of tones. Smooth is good.
JPEG records 256 levels of brightness, and RAW records between 4,096 to 16,384 levels! This is described with the term “bit”. JPEG captures in 8bit, and RAW is either 12bit or 14bit. That’s what that bit business means!
The effect this has on your images is huge. Those additional steps of brightness let you make more adjustments (expoosure, blacks, fill light, recovery, contrast, brightness) to your image without a significant reduction of quality, because there’s more levels to work with!
It’s also easier to avoid or correct posterization in your images when you shoot in RAW. Posterization is the banding that you often see in bright skies, which really doesn’t look good in prints!
3. Easily Correct Dramatically Over/Under Exposed Images
Obviously you want to get the best exposure in camera, but sometimes things move fast (especially with weddings!) and you wind up with a dramatically over or under exposed image.
With RAW you have additional information in the file, so it’s much easier to correct the image without a drastic reduction in quality. You can also recover more blown highlights and clipped shadows. Good stuff.
4. Easily Adjust White Balance
When you shoot JPEG the white balance is applied to the image. You can’t just easily choose another option. With RAW the white balance is still recorded, but because you have way more data, it’s easy to adjust.
Great white balance and colour are essential to an awesome image, and shooting RAW lets you make the adjustments easier and faster, with better results.
5. Get Better Detail
When you shoot RAW you have access to sharpening and noise algorithms in a program like Lightroom that are way more powerful than those found in your camera.
Plus, these sharpening and noise algorithms are always improving, so in the future you’ll be able to re-visit your RAW files and take advantage of these improvements. And jetpacks.
6. Enjoy Non-Destructive Editing
When you make adjustments to a RAW file, you’re not actually doing anything to the original data. What you’re doing is creating a set of instructions for how the JPEG or TIFF (another file format) version should be saved.
The awesomness of this is that you never ever have to worry about ruining an image, accidentally saving over, or being unable to go back and make changes. You can always reset your adjustments, and start over again.
JPEG files lose quality every time you open them, make adjustments, and save again. True story. It’s what is known as a “lossy” file format. So if you’re making edits to JPEGs you always have to be duplicating the image and saving out a new version if you don’t want to lose file quality. Hassle.
7. Get Better Prints
Because of the finer gradation of tones and colours you’ll get better prints from RAW files. Even though more and more people are shooting digital, great prints are as important as ever (maybe even more so, due to their relative rarity!)
You’ll also get less banding, which is really yucky on a print.
8. Select Colour Space on Output
Colour space is a bit of a complex topic, but here’s a quick tip. With RAW you can choose from any colour space when you are exporting it out, so you can adjust depending on the situation!
Is the image going on to the web? Then output in the sRGB colour space to ensure maximum compatibility among web browsers.
Are the files heading to a client? Save it in the common Adobe RGB (1998) colour space.
Do you want the widest colour space possible? Use ProPhoto RGB.
Basically there are different colour spaces that work best for different situations, and when you shoot RAW you can export a single image in multiple spaces! Sweet!
9. Have an Efficient Workflow
It’s easier to work through large batches of images when you’re using a workflow centric program like Lightroom or Aperture. They’re designed to easily process groups of RAW images. Photoshop is not meant for that kind of thing, it’s built to handle one image at a time.
In order to take full advantage of all the benefits of Lightroom and Aperture you should be shooting RAW!
10. It’s the Pro Option
Professionals should be providing their clients with the highest quality possible. Issues like banding and blown h
ighlights are big deals when you’re offering your clients printed products. Achieving proper colour balance, and choosing the right colour space for the situation are critical as well.
By shooting RAW you take control, and are able to manage these problems to create the best results possible.
Now that some point and shoots are capable of shooting RAW, hobbyists and amateurs can also take advantage of this pro level option, and get better files and prints! Good deal.
Downsides and Solutions
Now, there are always pros and cons to every option, and RAW does have a few downsides. We’ll chat about those, as well as some potential soluations!
Need To Be Processed
A common argument against shooting RAW is that because the files need to be processed, it takes more time to shoot RAW than JPEG. If you don’t do any processing to your JPEGs that might be true.
However, most photographers do some level of processing to their JPEGs so already the argument is getting flimsy.
Then, when you add in the fact that adjustments like white balancing, and recovering highlights and shadows are way faster with RAW files, and it actually begins to looks like processing RAW can be faster than JPEG!!
Then, with RAW, you can easily export to JPEG, as well as convert to various sizes (like web res) at the same time. If you really wanted you could even shoot RAW + JPEG simultaneously!
RAW gives you way more options, and can be processed just as fast, if not faster, than JPEG.
Takes Up More Space
Since RAW files have more uncompressed information they can be 2-3 times larger than JPEG files. This is definitely a concern for many shooters, especially those who create a lot of images.
But over the past few years, the cost of hard drives has really dropped, and they’re incredibly affordable!
Let’s consider a 1TB hard drive.
- A 1TB drive costs about $55
- If a large JPEG file is about 8MB, you’ll fit 125,000 images on the drive, at $0.00044/image
- If a RAW file is about 30MB, you’ll fit 33,333 images on the drive, at $0.00165/image
Obviously you can store fewer RAW files, but the number of images that you can cheaply store is so large for both formats that it’s not really an issue! It’s also probably a good idea to not place so many images on a single hard drive. Don’t put all your photographic eggs in one basket!
Memory cards are the same deal. They’re constantly dropping in price. Remember when a 2GB card was over $200?? Nowadays you can hardly even buy one that small, and 4GB is as cheap as $15. Madness!
Yes, RAW files are bigger and take up more space. But that’s because they’re of higher quality. Go with high quality for the extra $0.00121/image.
Slows The Camera Down
RAW files are larger than JPEGs, so they’ll fill up the buffer of your camera faster. The camera will still shoot the same frames per second, regardless of wehther it is RAW or JPEG, but you may have to wait for the camera to write to the memory card if the buffer fills up.
If shooting fast sequences if critical for you, and you want to shoot RAW, you can purchase faster memory cards, or a more expensive camera with a larger buffer.
In A Proprietary Format
RAW files are often recorded in a proprietary format, which means that the camera manufacturers haven’t officially disclosed how the raw data can be converted. Companies like Adobe either need to license software to decode the RAW files or reverse engineer how the files should be converted. (For Canon cameras the RAW format looks like .CR2 and for Nikon it’s .NEF).
The problem here is that you can’t be certain that in 5, 10 or 20 years you’ll be able to easily open that RAW file if you don’t have the proper software to decode it!
A new open source RAW format has been developed in order to overcome this obstacle. It was developed by Adobe and is known as DNG (Digital Negative). Using a program like Lightroom, you can convert your proprietary RAW files into the open source DNG format. It’s an extra step, but it will ensure your files are readable far into the future!
Already the Leica M9 shoots in the DNG format, so look for more camera manufacturers to support this open source format in the future!
Wrap It UP!
Hopefully this look at RAW and it’s benefits has cleared things up a bit! Suggestions that RAW takes too long, or is too much work, don’t really hold water anymore.
These days, it’s super duper easy (and fast!) to process RAW files, and you’ll be able to get the absolute best quality out of those images that you put so much time, effort and love into!
i've been shooting RAW for ages, and won't go back. However, I loved this article. You explain complex things in such an easy to understand way! Thanks for laying it all out!
Thank you so much Tamsen! We're really glad to hear that we make it easy to understand!!
I remember when I first decided to shoot RAW a few years back – i thought it was a such a risky choice! How amateur tho – RAW is simply the best!! I will never go back to JPG, and I recommend it to everyone that asks :)
Have I toooooold you lately that I love yooooou? <3
Raw is awesome!
What an awesome post! I've just started to use RAW on and off as I keep hearing it's "better for processing" but never really knew why. Now I do and will definitely be making the switch permanently :) thanks for the great info!
Thanks for the comments everyone! Really glad you're all digging RAW!!
I'm one of those nerdy kids who felt the need to go to some sort of photography class before I started to use my camera. Even though it was years ago the teacher begged us all to shoot in RAW even though we were a bunch of amateurs. I'm super I listened because I think it could be a daunting switch for some people even though it's soo totally worth it.
Great post!
Thanks Nikki! :)
Excellent and concise. I love having this as a tool to inform friends who aren't shooting in raw yet. Thank you!
I've wanted to shoot in RAW but was told that the images would have to be converted to jpeg to download to my computer anyway, so why shoot in RAW. Is this true? My computer is less than a year old and I use Photoshop Elements.
another great post.. thank you.. I always shoot raw+jpeg. I just have one question, why crop to square?
sorry im suppose to ask my question on your last post..:)
Thanks for sharing articles, about lighroom, raw, shooting with panning. etc..
I did some photos is raw & loved them but had a really hard time getting downloaded into elements? Loved your article. donna
I know how to shoot in RAW and completely understand the benefits, but I don't know how to get the file from my camera to my computer in RAW and not JPEG. I use CS5 for my editing. Can anyone help? I'd be so grateful.
This was a great read, thanks!
Heidi, do you have Adobe Bridge? That is an easy way to organize your photos and keep the raw files in there and open them through Photoshop that way.
I used to shoot jpeg an I switched to raw, and what a difference, thx for the article.
Thanks for commenting everyone!
@Liz – It's not true that the RAW files would need to be converted to JPEG before being able to download them to your computer. You can easily download RAW files to your computer.
What you need to do is convert (process) the RAW files before you print them, or post them online. So you end up converting back to JPEG (or TIFF).
The quality of RAW files is so much greater than a JPEG straight out of camera, that it's better to convert RAW files to JPEG on your computer than let your camera shoot JPEG.
@Gino – No particular reason to crop square, sometimes it just works better for the composition. I feel rectangular crops often work better because composition is less constrained. With square crops symmetry feels more important to me.
@Donna – I don't have experience with Elements, but you should be able to just copy the RAW files from your memory card to your computer and then open then in the Photoshop Elements RAW editor. Something I'll have to look into further.
@Heidi – It sounds like you might be shooting in RAW + JPEG mode. When you connect the memory card to your computer and view the contents of the card do you see both JPEGS and RAW files?
If you're shooting just RAW you shouldn't see any JPEGS on the card. If you're only shooting JPEG then you won't see any RAW files on the card – in which case you'll need to change your camera to RAW mode or RAW+JPEG mode.
I'm not sure if this really answers your question? Let me know if that helps and we'll go from there!
Great suggestion Liz! Lightroom is also a great program to use to import, organize, and process RAW files!
what if you don't use lightroom or aperture? I tried opening raw images as a test in elements, and found it difficult and tedious, if it even worked.
I started shooting in RAW a few months ago…i was nervous about doing it but would never go back!! I use elements and it's not hard at all to get the RAW images in there, although i did have to make sure the actual software that came with my camera was installed first b/c windows media viewer (or whatever it is called) won't show .NEF files but once you load them into elements it will bring each one up so you can change the exposure, fill light, etc and then once you've got the lighting etc the way you want you select all the images from the left hand side you want to process in elements and wa la they will open just like a jpeg then :)
Good post ! Maybe you can help me out ? I was shooting RAW up until a year ago when I upgraded my camera to a 5dmk2 – I am unable to find the appropriate plug-in for CS2 – without it, if I shoot RAW, my Photoshop doesn't regognise the file . Help , your post made me realize I need to get back to RAW !!
Thanks for sharing Jessica! I'm afraid I don't have much experience with Photoshop Elements yet (sorry Amanda) :)
@Loren – From what I understand you need Photoshop CS4 or later in order to open the 5D mk II's RAW files. "See this forum post for details":http://photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00TpeN Apparently what you can do is download a "free DNG converter free from Adobe":http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?product=106&platform=Windows&promoid=HTENB, and convert your RAW files to DNG. Worth a try!
Pentax cameras are able to save RAW in DNG format.
Great tip Artur! Thanks for sharing!
I shot in raw from our vacation. Converted a few to jpeg and the didn't look as sharp. What is the best way to convert and make them pop. I have a few thousand pics too.
Shot with a canon.
Hey Nick! Right on for trying out RAW! As we mentioned in the article, RAW files do need to be "processed" before they look as poppy as JPEGs.
With JPEGs the camera is doing the processing, but with RAW you get to take control.
The best way, in our opinion, to make them pop and then convert to JPEG is by using "Adobe Lightroom":http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/. You get more control over the final look. Or you can just apply some contrast and brightening to them all in a batch. Totally up to you and what you want to do!
I dont have lightroom… Can you do that same process in cs5??
Hi Jessica!
CS5 does have Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) which is basically the engine that Lightroom runs on. While you can make the same adjustments, Lightroom is much easier to use from a workflow perspective.
I just discovered the perfect workflow solution for my RAW images, Corel Aftershot! i prefer it to lightroom
this week on NEWEGG.com they have a pack deal on corel paint shop and corel aftershot for $100 together! Just a tip for anyone in the market for those programs:)
@ Heidi if you have set to RAW your camera probably came with software installation disc and info should be in user guide or manufacturers website.
Hello, I have Photoshop CS2, and am considering using RAW for a shoot Saturday. Just got my Canon DSLR & this is my 1st shoot. Anyone know if it's worthwhile to shoot RAW? Will it be compatible? Haven't done this in a while.
*@Matt:* Interesting, I haven't heard anything about Aftershot. What you do like about it over Lightroom?
*@Pamela:* You can open and edit RAW files in Photoshop using Adobe Camera RAW. Bridge also lets you do this. We find Photoshop isn't the most convenient method, however. We find Lightroom to be a far easier way to edit RAW files. Hope that helps!
Yes :) Thanks!
I always shoot in RAW format.
This article was inspiring and informative. I only shoot out of hobby and I've never used RAW on my Nikon D5000. I now realize I've robbed myself of brilliant photos for nearly three years by neglecting this feature.. I've processed gorgeous photos directly on my camera without losing the depth in the photo.. It's stunning. I'm on vacation in the country right now and capturing unforgettable images of my family and wildlife.. IMO grateful to know how much better RAW shoots, the photos wouldn't have been nearly as special in JPEG..
Of course, I now shoot RAW, but I have hundreds (if not thousands) of priceless JPEGs that I would love to be able to process but am afraid of degrading the files. What do you recommend?
Thank you for writing about RAW in a way that finally makes sense to me!
What is the difference in saving a file as aJPEG or TIFF? Is there an image quality difference. I give my customers a CD. Can they read a JPEG or TIFF the same? I want to give them the best product I can. Which is better after shooting RAW?
Thanks
Hey Brian!
JPEG is a compressed file format which means that some of the image information is lost due to compression. The upside is that it’s a convenient format to save photos in because the file sizes are smaller (and thus more manageable for your customers), and the quality can still be quite high. TIFF is a lossless file format which means that it can hold images in an uncompressed state (though the format also supports compression).
Something to note is that if you’ve captured the image in the JPEG format there is no benefit to converting to TIFF (though it does support layers unlike JPEG). If you’ve captured in the RAW format, then you may want to consider outputting your files as TIFFs, this maintains the highest level of image quality. We would really only do this for images that we know we want to print large, since outputting everything as TIFFs takes up a lot of space (same size as the RAW file).
If you’re delivering images to clients then you’ll likely want them to be in the JPEG format. While most professional labs will accept TIFFs a lot of consumer labs do not which might make it difficult for your clients to print the photos themselves.
Hope this helps! :)
Hi Rob, Thanks for all the help – I love the website. However, I am having some issues with some advice I took but can no longer find here. Somehow, I changed the order lightroom saves to xmp sidecar files. I can’t even remember what I did, but remember two little boxes to switch the order and believe it had something to do with trying to bring the file into camera raw. Ring any bells? thanks so much in advance :)
Hey Anna, I think you might mean the “Automatically write changes into XMP” setting which you can find under the Lightroom Menu> Catalog Settings > Metadata tab. What was it that you were trying to do/change?
One of the best things about RAW is being able to use Lightroom as a non-destructive form of editing. Its true you can use non-destructive editing in Photoshop but not with the same kind of ease as you can in Lightroom. It streamlines your workflow 100%. Shooting RAW is the smartest choice for anyone interested in turning Pro.
Hi, there. I have a quick question: when I process in CameraRAW, and hit Open Image, have i altered my RAW file? If I now flip my image into a .tiff file, is my RAW file still original, or does it now include my edits from CameraRAW?
PS- I love this site! Thanks for all the help you guys provide. :)
Can you open a raw file in paint shop pro? ( I know.. Old software but it works! )
Hey Ashley! Just checked out the PaintShop Pro website and it looks like some RAW files are supported.
I have been shooting JPG for more of my 5+ years with my DSLR. After reading this and how much of a difference RAW format can have on the outcome of my photos I am changing my camera over to RAW and never touching the setting again. Already researching storage options for the home PC to allow for the extra space the photos will take up :)
Thanks for the very informative article. Just wish I found it earlier as there are many photos I would have loved to have come out better than they did.
I shoot RAW only in bad lighting situations like the wedding ceremony in church with not much light, otherwise I shoot in JPEG. RAW is for amateurs, not professionals. If you are not able to set up your camera according to current conditions, you should think about your work, not to shoot in RAW and then save the image in Lightroom.
And yes, it takes 2,5 times more space on HDD, then archiving is an issue (I shoot about 10 000 images a month), have three spare backup hdds and having all in RAW would be extra costs (which are not necessary).
My conclusion – use RAW only in situations with bad lighting, like churches, basements, theatres etc. Otherwise JPEGs are sufficient.
Very well written article…I have been a bit apprehensive to shoot in RAW as an amateur/hobbiest but this was so well explained I am going to jump in with both feet! Thanks so much, Dee
I have just found your website and want to say a MASSIVE thank you for your ability to make understanding RAW data so much easier. I have been looking on line for a while now and this is by far the best!! Thank you!! :)
Hey Paula! Thanks so much for the kind words! We’re so glad you found our site, and that this was helpful!! :D
It depends on the type of photographer your are. 10 year pro photographer here and I shoot 95% JPEG. Get it right in camera, deliver to the WEDDING client and keep it moving. Shooting 60 weddings a year… I prefer to get it right in camera FIRST, not go back and and edit 1000′s of images from one wedding.
RAW = When you are very critical of your own image and/or couldn’t get it right the first time. Considered, your “money shot”. Mostly for those shooting models or one specific image in which they don’t mind spending time editing.
JPEG = When you can compose the shot correctly, won’t make any corrections and shoot high volume. Mostly for wedding or event photographers that can shoot in ANY lighting situation and have a business to run.
Sorry to be the lone ranger here with this point of view.. but I’ve shot Raw + Jpeg and understand the benefits of both but for what I do, it just doesn’t make sense. I’ve literally shot in raw and jpeg and can make the same minor adjustments to both files (raw and Jpeg) and deliver to client… simply because I have near perfect original shots coming from my camera in the first place.
Have a great day!