From the article: What is a digital camera Raw file?
When shooting digital photos, do you prefer the ease of use that shooting JPEG brings, or the flexibility of shooting raw and preserving the digital negative? Or do you use both for different situations? Why do you choose to shoot JPEG or Raw? Here's what readers have to say about the digital photo format they prefer. Share Your Reasons
JPEG for me
- I like to shoot everything in JPEG. Even in post processing I mostly do everything I want to an image and then close it. I've done some beautiful images up to 12 by 16 so far and I have had no trouble whatsoever plus most professional labs will only print Jpeg or Tiff anyway. I have not noticed any degradation of quality. If you're going to have to make it a JPEG wouldn't you originally want to know what it's going to look like when it gets printed? I also think that post processing in raw takes forever! No wonder people take so many breaks when post processing one shot!
- —Guest jack mckechnie
New in the Raw
- I have to admit I was reluctant to work with raw, and it was a bit hard to get used to, but it is like being in a dark room again, it gives you so much more control over the image.
- —StarrpointHost01
JPEG or RAW
- That was educational AND to the point. I have just taken up this new hobby and am still learning the basics of photography. Friends have told me to use RAW as you can play around with the detail on your PC Software but after reading your comments on RAW and JPEG I shall make my own mind up, thankyou.
- —Guest Fred O'Neill
Raw bailout
- I recently managed to get all of the family together for group photos in the garden. In Aperture Priority at F5.6 I inadvertently left the hotshoe flash ON from the indoor session. Everything 2 stops over exposed. Get out of that shooting in JPEG.
- —Guest RayB
RAW unless reasons not to
- JPEG is for shooters who need speed or CAN'T translate from RAW in the field, such as photo-journalists. I import to Lightroom into DNG format, but keep the RAW file as my original backed up. JPEG is letting the camera decide how to post-process the original data...
- —Guest drsPIX
RAW for me
- RAW is tougher, but it's rather like being in a darkroom again (without the chemical mess). I take theatre pics and the ability to find extra detail in shadows and tame highlights is a joy. I also use DxO which gives me many more options.
- —Aniarb
RAW is filled with AWE
- I just returned from White Pocket near Page, AZ. This is a photographer's dream -- geologic rock formations of unparalleled beauty. I call it "God's Finger Painting". Sunrise and sunset light creates what appears to be an entirely different scene. Being able to "CAPTURE" all of these nuances in RAW is important.
- —Sebastian612
I prefer Raw
- A Raw image is a true digital negative that has much more "data" than a jpg image at 12 or 14 bits instead of 8 bits, so it captures more tones and colors than a jpg file. It is not processed in the camera as to white balance, sharpness, color saturation, etc. as are jpg files. Raw offers more dynamic range from black to white and is less likely to clip highlights than jpg. Since you process the photos yourself, you can set the white balance and fix color casts, apply sharpening, adjust color saturation and you have more ability to salvage under- or over-exposed images. Jpg images area already "baked" when they come out of the camera so there is not as much leeway for making corrections to the image.
- —Digidiva100
Retired Pro Photographer
- With my Canon S 50 I shot RAW because it allowed me to create larger images from the 5MP files of this camera. With my Nikon D300 I shoot RAW because I archive my images as Adobe DNG in Lightroom. This is a cross platform format for archiving RAW files. If I were taking production images in a fixed set up I would be using jpeg for the smaller file size. Memory is so inexpensive that RAW storage is affordable, and gives you more options.
- —romanticf16
