Glossary
RAW
An unprocessed image file format that preserves the sensor's full data. Compared to JPEG, RAW gives far greater flexibility in post-processing — exposure, white balance, and shadows can be recovered without quality loss.
A RAW file is the sensor's actual reading, not a processed image. Different manufacturers use different RAW formats (.CR3 Canon, .NEF Nikon, .ARW Sony, .DNG Adobe/Apple/Pixel).
Tradeoffs
- Size. A RAW file is 20–80 MB; a JPEG is 4–8 MB.
- Post-processing. RAW requires editing software (Lightroom, Capture One, darktable). Most don't open without conversion.
- Recovery. Pull 3–4 stops out of shadows; recover blown highlights up to 1–2 stops. Impossible with JPEG.
RAW on phones
Apple's ProRAW and Google's Pixel RAW capture full sensor data while still applying some computational pipeline (HDR, noise reduction). They give RAW flexibility with smartphone-aware processing.
Where this matters
Categories that use raw
Continue reading