RAW vs JPEG: What’s the Best Choice for Your Photos?

You’ve probably heard about shooting in RAW. But you’re not sure if it’s worth it. Should I shoot in RAW or JPEG? It’s a question every photographer faces. This blog post will walk you through RAW vs JPEG, helping you choose the right format for your photo goals.

Difference Between RAW and JPEG

First, let’s break down these two digital image file types. Both store pictures, but they do so differently.

What is a JPEG file?

A JPEG file with minimal editing and lots of sharpness applied in-camera.

JPEG is one of the most common image formats, often your camera’s default. It’s standardized, meaning most devices and programs can easily open JPEG images. Wikipedia describes JPEG as a widely used format.

When taking a JPEG image, your camera processes it—adjusting color and sharpness. JPEG photos are generally ready to share immediately.

They’re ready for social media or printing. Most new photographers start with JPEGs, like I did.

What is RAW?

A RAW file with manual light adjustments and color adjustments made.

RAW gives you more control. Think of it like uncooked pasta; you season and prepare a RAW photo as you like.

The RAW format gathers pure light data from your camera’s sensor. This uncompressed data preserves everything the sensor sees. RAW images contain significantly more detail than JPEGs straight out of your digital camera.

Should I Shoot in RAW or JPEG ? Weighing the Pros and Cons

JPEG Advantages

Convenience : JPEG’s main advantage is ease of use. If you value a quick workflow, JPEGs are great. Smaller JPEG file sizes mean quick sharing and less processing time. While you can still edit JPEG photos, a lot of the color enhancements and sharpness are applied automatically in-camera.

Shareability : JPEG is universally compatible with social media and other platforms. It is also easy to take photos and share them instantly.

Storage : Memory cards hold more JPEGs. A64GB card , costing around $15, can store a large number of JPEG images. Those on a budget don’t have to worry about filling up their memory card too quickly.

JPEG Disadvantages

Detail Loss : JPEG compression discards some image data, leading to lost detail. You might notice fewer colors, more digital noise, and a “flat” look. This loss of data limits your editing options. This can create challenges when you are shooting jpegs and hoping for a quality image.

Difficult Recovery : Incorrect camera settings , like an overexposed sky, are harder to fix in JPEG. Recovering details is often impossible. Highlight recovery in JPEG format is also very poor.

RAW Advantages

Editing Power : Shooting RAW provides more flexibility. Choosing the raw format allows you to adjust your images precisely later on.

Non-Destructive Editing : Editing RAW files is non-destructive . Your original file remains untouched, and the raw data remains preserved. You can make a thousand edits to one photo and easily bring it back to your starting point because adjustments are saved separately.

High Dynamic Range : RAW excels at preserving detail in shadows and highlights, providing a high dynamic range. It gives you far greater flexibility with image processing and ensures a high quality image when compared to jpeg images.

RAW Disadvantages

Resource Intensive : RAW files are larger, requiring more storage space and longer upload times. Consider investing in high-volume storage solutions such as external hard drives or cloud storage if you shoot RAW. My photography workflow takes slightly longer due to the large file sizes.

Post-Processing Required : RAW photos need processing with photo editing programs like Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera RAW, Adobe Photoshop, or other editing programs that allow you to edit raw files. This extra processing adds time to your workflow. If you travel and shoot photos frequently, substantial storage is essential. In addition to more the more commonly used photo editing suites, you can also use native editing software like Nikon’s NX Studio or Canon’s Digital Photo Professional , as they can handle both formats.

RAW vs JPEG File Size: A Direct Comparison

Here’s a numerical comparison of raw vs jpeg file sizes:

Image Format	Average File Size (Approximate)
JPEG	2-10MB
RAW	15-40MB

RAW images use considerably more space, impacting long shoots. A 64GB SD card fills up faster with RAW files, especially when compared to JPEGs.

When Should I Shoot In JPEG vs RAW?

When RAW Wins

RAW files contain more data, which allows photographers to make more precise adjustments in post processing. This is especially helpful in challenging or low-light situations.

Professionals, especially those shooting in challenging conditions, prefer RAW. Its flexibility is invaluable in situations with difficult lighting. For instance, wildlife photographers often deal with severely underexposed conditions and benefit from RAW’s capabilities. RAW is also helpful for family photos where preserving high image quality for future editing is important.

I often shoot family photos in RAW with my Nikon D750 , ensuring high-quality images for the future. If you frequently need to correct exposure or white balance issues, shooting raw will save you a lot of headaches. RAW can be a lifesaver for paid events, offering more leeway for fixing problems in post-production.

RAW is ideal when using editing programs and when you need greater editing capabilities. Many photographers prefer RAW when they require higher image quality from their digital camera.

When To Shoot In A RAW File

High-Contrast Scenes (Bright Highlights and Deep Shadows): RAW files have a higher dynamic range, making it easier to recover details in both highlights and shadows during post-processing.
Professional Post-Processing Needs: When you want maximum flexibility to edit color, exposure, and white balance without degrading image quality.
Challenging Lighting Conditions: Shooting in mixed or tricky lighting (e.g., indoors with multiple light sources) where fine-tuning white balance later is crucial.
Prints or Large Format Display: When preparing images for large prints or high-resolution displays, RAW files ensure the highest quality output.
Capturing Once-in-a-Lifetime Moments: For important events like weddings, landscapes during travel, or rare wildlife sightings, RAW provides a safety net for editing.

When JPEG Wins

A JPEG file can be useful when time is limited, like capturing a sunrise when you’re out for a morning walk.

For quick sharing with family and friends, JPEGs are sufficient. When on vacation, the easy sharing of JPEGs is convenient.

If your time or device is limited, shooting JPEGs can be more practical. JPEGs offer the advantage of being universally compatible with most software. Understanding the advantages of shooting in raw versus JPEG will help determine when you would benefit from each image format.

When To Shoot In A JPEG File

Quick Turnaround Needed: For events like sports or journalism, where you need to deliver images quickly without spending time on extensive editing.
Limited Storage Space: When you’re traveling or shooting long events and need to conserve memory card or hard drive space.
Minimal Editing Requirements: For casual photography, such as family gatherings or snapshots, where you won’t need heavy post-processing.
In-Camera Creative Filters or Profiles: When you want to use the camera’s built-in picture styles, filters, or effects, which are baked into JPEGs but not RAW.
Uploading Directly to Social Media: If you’re capturing images to quickly share online, JPEG files are smaller, already processed, and easier to upload.

Shooting In RAW vs JPEG

Here’s an easy-to-use table comparing when to shoot in RAW vs JPG:

When to Shoot in RAW	When to Shoot in JPEG
High-contrast scenes with bright highlights and deep shadows	Quick turnaround needed for events or journalism
Professional post-processing needs	Limited storage space for extended shoots
Challenging lighting conditions (e.g., mixed light sources)	Minimal editing requirements for casual photography
Preparing images for prints or large-format displays	Using in-camera creative filters or picture styles
Capturing once-in-a-lifetime moments or rare scenes	Uploading directly to social media or sharing quickly

A RAW + JPEG Alternative Combination

The Best of Both Worlds

Some cameras offer a RAW+JPEG setting , which provides an alternative for having to choose between capturing images in either RAW or JPEG format. This feature allows photographers to have the best of both worlds, combining the benefits of each format in a single shot.

RAW: The Digital Negative

A RAW file is often referred to as a “digital negative” because it captures all the image data recorded by the camera’s sensor , without applying any in-camera processing. This results in a file that contains a wealth of information, allowing for greater flexibility during post-processing and editing.

JPEG: The Ready-to-Use Image

On the other hand, a JPEG file is a processed image that has been compressed and optimized for immediate use. It is a finished product, ready to be shared or printed straight from the camera.

The RAW + JPEG Combination

By selecting the RAW + JPEG setting in your camera, you can save both a RAW file and a JPEG file with every photo you shoot. This allows you to:

Have a high-quality, ready-to-use JPEG for immediate sharing or review
Retain a RAW file for further editing and post-processing, if needed

This combination provides flexibility and convenience, making it an attractive option for photographers who want to cover all bases.

Just be aware of how much extra storage this may use in your camera’s memory card. Having both a large RAW file and a smaller JPEG file will fill up your storage faster that just shooting in one format.

Plus, it can make things confusing when you go to transfer these files into your editing software, because you’ll see a copy of every image. And sometimes it’s hard to determine which one is which, if they aren’t labeled clearly during the upload process.

Conclusion

So, should I shoot in RAW or JPEG? It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. Convenience, sharing, smaller storage needs, and limited editing point towards JPEG. If you prioritize flexibility, maximum quality, and extensive editing capabilities, RAW is the better choice.

Choosing the appropriate file format, RAW or JPEG, can depend on factors like the type of digital camera being used or your planned editing workflow. Knowing if you intend to primarily edit images or only adjust white balance or color balance could affect your choice.

External hard drives offer terabytes of storage at affordable prices, making large storage increasingly accessible. But choosing between RAW and JPEG still depends on your specific situation and photography goals. Knowing the advantages of shooting RAW over JPEG will allow you to get the most out of every photoshoot.

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