RAW Vs JPEG - Which to Choose?

10 Reasons Why You Should Be Shooting RAW

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!

What is RAW?

RAW is a file format that captures all of the data recorded by your camera’s sensor when you take a picture.

If you shoot a JPEG image, much of that information is compressed and lost. Because no information is lost with a RAW file, you can produce higher quality images and correct issues that might have occurred in camera - problems that would be more permanent in a JPEG.

Thankfully, most cameras now include RAW shooting - even many point-and-shoots and modern mobile phones.

Here are the advantages to shooting in RAW:

1. Get the Highest Level of Quality

   When you shoot RAW, you record all the data from the sensor - the highest quality file.

   All cameras technically start with RAW data. When you shoot JPEG, the camera processes and compresses it for you. Your computer - and your judgement - will usually do a better job. Shooting RAW lets you decide how the image should look for the best results.

2. Record Greater Levels of Brightness

   JPEG is 8-bit (256 levels). RAW is 12- or 14-bit (4,096 to 16,384 levels). More levels mean smoother tones and more latitude for adjustments without visible degradation or banding in skies.

3. Easily Correct Dramatically Over/Under Exposed Images

   RAW files retain extra highlight and shadow detail, so big exposure misses are easier to fix with less quality loss.

4. Easily Adjust White Balance

   JPEG bakes in white balance. RAW keeps the data so you can change white balance later with far better results.

5. Get Better Detail

   Sharpening and noise reduction in tools like Lightroom are generally better than your in-camera processing - and they keep improving, so you can revisit old RAWs with better algorithms.

6. Enjoy Non-Destructive Editing

   Edits to RAW are just instructions. Your original data stays untouched, so you can always roll back. JPEG is lossy - repeated edits and saves reduce quality.

7. Get Better Prints

   Finer tonal gradation from RAW gives smoother prints with less banding - especially important for big skies and subtle colour transitions.

8. Select Colour Space on Output

   Export for the job: sRGB for web, Adobe RGB (1998) for many clients, ProPhoto RGB for the widest gamut. With RAW, you can output multiple versions as needed.

9. Have an Efficient Workflow

   Programs like Lightroom are built to batch-process RAW files quickly. They’re far more efficient than editing JPEGs one by one in Photoshop.

10. It’s the Pro Option

    Professionals need maximum quality, control, and consistency. RAW helps avoid banding, recover highlights, and choose accurate colour spaces. Many hobbyists can shoot RAW too and enjoy the same benefits.

There are some drawbacks to using RAW files - life is a balance, right? I’ll cover those in my next blog. In the meantime, here’s a short video explaining the differences between RAW and JPEG files: