PHOTOGRAPHY

 Understand shooting RAW and JPG? what's the difference between them? Which one is better at photography?

  I remember the first time when I was browsing through my camera options and reading the manual, when I came across RAW I wondered what it does, and why I should consider using it.

  All the photos we take with our phones and regular cameras are in JPEG format (also called JPG) - it's the default photo format, so we know what JPG photos are.

  But RAW, I wanted to know how it affected photos because it was a new term to me.

  Well, I changed my camera settings to RAW and tried to take a picture. The first thing I noticed, is the large size of RAW images.

  The image looked exactly the same on the LCD screen yet took up 3 times more storage space.

  I took the memory card and inserted it into my laptop. The photo looked exactly the same as the normal photos I normally take in JPEG format, I thought "Nothing special about it", then changed the camera settings back to JPEG.

  If you're in a similar situation, don't make the mistake of giving up on RAW like you did before and keep reading. You really need to understand all the advantages and disadvantages of both formats before making this important decision.

  A RAW image is a large, uncompressed file that contains all the data and details of the captured image without any modifications. Whereas, a JPG image is a compressed image that has been modified in the camera when it is captured live.

  This's in a nutshell the difference between RAW and JPG, read on to find out exactly what RAW and JPG, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the two formats are, and which one is best for you.

  Before I start, don't forget that JPEG is the same as JPG and there is no difference between them.

 RAW and JPG

   What is RAW?

  When an image is taken in a digital camera, it is recorded as raw data. If the camera's format is set to JPEG, this metadata is processed and compressed before it is saved as a JPEG.

  If the camera's format is set to RAW, no processing is applied, so the file stores more data and details of the scene you shot as well as more tonalities.

  With more data stored in the file, you can edit RAW images in an editing program with more flexibility, meaning the result you will get when you edit a RAW image is much better than the result you will get from editing JPG images because the camera has edited them first.

  This's very similar to cooking. A RAW file contains the ingredients needed to prepare a particular meal, and you can prepare it the way you want.

  Whereas, JPEG is a meal pre-cooked quickly and with fewer ingredients.

  In short, a RAW file is a file that contains all the information recorded by the camera sensor while the photo was taken. There is no compression or processing applied to the file by the camera.

  In contrast, a JPEG file is a file that was compressed by the camera, and it does not contain all the information recorded by the sensor while the image was being taken. Instead, the camera chose certain information to show in the image and other information to ignore.

   What are the advantages of shooting in RAW format?

  I'll go over the main advantages of RAW photography, so you know why you'll need to shoot in this format.

  1. RAW files keep all image data

  Perhaps the biggest benefit of shooting in RAW format is that the camera captures exactly all the data it receives from the camera sensor.

  This means that no detail from the image will be removed or ignored which is often the case with JPEG files.

  With RAW, your camera collects and stores everything it can see for you so you can process those details yourself.

  This means you have high-quality image files to work with while processing in Lightroom or Photoshop, and you can create the best image possible.

  Why is this important?

  Well, let's think of an example. Sometimes, when we take a scene, the sky may be too bright, or the subject you want to shoot is too dark.

  Using a JPG file, you get an image that was previously edited in the camera but unfortunately the sky is still very bright despite the adjustment made by the camera.

  When you want to fix problems with your photo like a bright sky or a dark subject, it's very difficult to do it in an editing program like Lightroom if your photo is in a JPG format, as the photo is already in a final state and allows only a small amount of editing.

  With a RAW file, a huge amount of image information is available, which means you can lower the extreme brightness, or increase the shadows so that a dark subject is brighter.

  In the example above, you can see the original RAW file above, and the edited version below it.

  Then, when he tweaked it with Lightroom, he was able to restore shadow detail and create a more balanced and colorful image.

  If the photographer took the photo in JPG format, it's impossible to recover the details and colors of the photo when editing.

  2. Increase brightness

  Consider this: a JPEG file, also called a JPG, records less than 300 levels of brightness. While a RAW file can record anywhere from 4,000 to over 16,000 levels of brightness!

  Getting a higher brightness level will make the tones in your photos appear smoother.

  It will also make it easier for you to adjust the brightness of the image while editing in Lightroom or Photoshop, giving you more tones to play with when editing the image.

  3. Increase in clarity and sharpness

  JPEG files may look sharper than RAW files, but this is not necessarily the case.

  The sharpness that appears in the JPEG file is a result of the camera's processing system. The processing systems available to a computer are much more advanced than the ones used by the camera.

  The greatest detail and sharpness will be achieved by processing RAW files using software such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.

  4. Proof of ownership

  JPEG photos are Easily manipulated, RAW images can be used as proof of your ownership of the image.

  If you see an alien and have a RAW image to prove it, no one can argue that you manipulated the image in Photoshop 🙂

  5. Non-destructive editing

  One of the greatest benefits of shooting in RAW format is the ability for non-destructive editing.

  When processing a RAW file, the original file is not directly affected.

  The RAW file you are editing is a reference file, where the edit is a set of directions that will be applied when you export your image.

  When processing a JPEG file, you will experience quality loss during the process. This quality loss occurs every time a JPEG file is opened, edited, or saved.

  6. More color in your photos

  RAW shooting ensures that you capture as many colors as possible in an image, creating images with a higher color gamut and depth of color.

  This's why vividly colored landscapes or a vibrant fashion scene are more likely to adjust nicely if you shoot in RAW.

   What are the downsides to shooting in RAW?

  1. It must be processed later

  RAW files require post-processing and conversion to a format such as JPEG before they can be displayed normally, which adds time to your photography workflow.

  2. It requires more storage space

  RAW images take up much more storage space than JPEG images.

  This means that your memory cards can store fewer images and the camera's buffer can fill up quickly.

  You will also need more storage space on your computer and other storage devices to keep all the RAW photos you take.

  3. RAW compatibility

  RAW files are not standardized across different manufacturers.

  For example, Nikon software cannot read Canon RAW files and vice versa.

  In addition, not all image viewers and editors can open all RAW files.

  If you have a new camera that has just been released, you may need to wait a while for the software companies to catch up with your camera software, and update it so that your RAW files can be opened and worked with.

  4. Share photos

  You will have to convert RAW files to a compatible format like JPEG or TIFF before you can give them to your friends and clients.

   What is JPG?

  JPG is an image format that uses compression to store and display digital images.

  With its high compression efficiency, JPG is the most popular and most widely adopted image format today.

  JPG files are processed directly inside the camera. Exactly how it is addressed varies from model to model.

  Color temperature and exposure are adjusted based on your camera settings When the photo is taken, the camera will also process the photo to add black, contrast, brightness, noise reduction, and sharpening.

  JPG images are ready-made images, which you can use as soon as you take them (share on social media, print, etc.).

   The pros of shooting in JPG format

  1. Pre-edited images

  JPEGs are completely processed in-camera, so you don't need to spend any time post-processing the image, it's basically ready to use.

  Of course, you are free to choose if you want to add some modifications or not.

  2. It needs less storage space

  JPEG images are much smaller in size than RAW images and therefore require less storage space.

  3. Compatibility

  Most modern hardware and software support JPEG images, which makes the format highly compatible and practical.

  4. No camera lag

  Due to their small size, cameras can write JPEG files faster than RAW files, which increases the number of images that can be placed in the camera's buffer.

  This means that compared to RAW, you can shoot at higher frames per second and for longer periods without slowing down the camera.

  5. Pressure selection

  Digital cameras and post-processing software offer different compression levels for saving JPEG images, giving you flexibility and choice between image quality versus size.

  Some software such as JPEGmini can compress JPEG images automatically without any obvious quality loss, which reduces storage space.

   Disadvantages of shooting in JPG format

  1. Data loss

  The image compression algorithm means that you will lose some data from your images. That's, the JPG image does not contain all the details captured by the camera.

  2. JPEG is 8 bits.

  The JPEG image format is limited to 8 bits, which puts a strict limit on 16.8 million possible colors.

  This means that basically all other colors that the camera can record are ignored when converting the image to JPEG.

  3. Refund options are limited

  JPEG images contain much less data, which greatly limits dynamic range and recoverability.

  This means that if you take a photo that is too bright or too dark, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to bring up the details that are lost when editing in Lightroom or Photoshop.

   When is RAW shooting recommended?

• If you have the time, ability, desire, and software, which enables you to process photos yourself on your computer (using a program such as Photoshop, Lightroom, etc.).

• To get the highest possible quality results from your photography.

• If you have a lot of space on your memory card (RAW files take up 2-5 times more space).

• If you are shooting in situations where there is a large dynamic range (for example, a scene contains very bright areas and very dark areas, such as outdoors), it is easy to have the ability to drag highlights and raise shadows in the editing stage in Lightroom or Photoshop later.

• When shooting landscapes, the image is not lost with JPG. Instead, use RAW and you won't regret it!

   When is it recommended to shoot in JPG format?

• If you do not have the desire or ability to process the images yourself on a computer, or you find that you are happy enough With the processing you can do to the .jpg file.

• If you have limited space available on your memory card or you need to take several hundred photos in a row, such as creating a Time-Lapse group.

• When you need to use (or share) photos right away.

• When you need to be able to shoot a long series of photos in quick succession (continuous shooting), without the camera's internal buffer choking and stopping.

   The ability to shoot in both RAW and JPG formats at the same time

  Now it sounds like RAW is the professional format, right?

  I mean, you keep all the color data, highlight, and shadow details. And you are in complete control of your image processing.

  But what if you don't want to edit photos? What if you want to share your photos directly with your friends? Wouldn't it make sense to shoot in JPEG format?

  Well, why not take both RAW and JPG? Your camera likely has a setting that allows you to do both.

  Every time you take a photo, the camera will create a RAW file and a JPEG file. This will allow you to get all the benefits of both file types.

   When is it recommended to shoot in both RAW and JPG?

• You can use JPEG right away: Let's say you have Wifi in your camera, and you want to share the photo with your friends right away. You can share a JPG image and at the same time, you have a RAW image to edit later.

• You can see how the camera processes your photos: If you have a JPEG file next to a RAW file on your computer, you can see how the camera has decided to process your photo. In other words, you can see how much sharpening, contrast, and saturation have been added, and if you want to, you can simulate this effect when doing your own processing. This can come in handy when you are just getting started and trying to decide how much processing to add to your photos.

• LCD Preview: When you look at an image on the LCD screen, you see a JPEG version of your image. You can add different processing across image styles. It includes things like black and white. So if you want to see the effects while preserving the integrity of the RAW file, taking both can be helpful.

• If you are just getting started with RAW, and want to fiddle with post-processing, at the same time keep your backup JPG files.

• If you don't encounter any of these situations, avoid shooting in both RAW and JPG - it's just a waste of space!

   conclusion

  By now, you should have a solid understanding of the differences between RAW and JPG file formats.

  Use this understanding, along with our situational advice, to select the file format that best suits your needs for any given situation.

  Search your camera's list for Image Quality, try shooting in RAW alone, then JPEG, and then both, and you'll find the format you like best.

  If you have any comments, feel free to share them below in the comments. Thanks!