Hi and welcome to Episode 91 of the Photography Explained podcast.
I’m your host Rick, and in each episode I will try to explain one photographic thing to you in plain English in less than 10 minutes (ish) without the irrelevant details. What I tell you is based on my lifetime of photographic experience. And not Google.
Before I go on if you have a question you would like me to answer just go to photographyexplainedpodcast.com/start
Here is the answery bit
RAW and JPEG are picture-taking formats. When taking photographs using RAW no processing is applied to an image other than creating the image itself. When taking photos using the JPEG format the RAW data is processed in-camera at the time of image capture. JPEG files look better straight out of the camera, but RAW files record more tonal and colour data.
You can listen to the episode here
Or keep on reading. Or do both. Entirely up to you!
Ok – what does this all mean? And yes we need to understand this.
RAW
RAW is RAW. A RAW photo has had no processing applied to it, other than creating the digital image that is. That is why it is called RAW.
OK – a photography thing that makes sense! Makes a change doesn’t it?
JPEG
JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. OK – very quickly this is a group of good folks who created the universal file format called JPEG.
So that is where the term comes from, which is always good to know, and we should be grateful that they came up with a universal digital image standard.
This is a good thing.
What is the difference between RAW and JPEG?
As I said, a RAW file is just the data that the camera records. A RAW file looks dull, flat, and uninteresting. A JPEG file on the other hand looks brighter, sharper, and more vibrant. This is because it has been processed in-camera!
Your LCD screen
Get this. When you take a photo and look at it on the screen on your camera you are probably looking at a JPEG preview file. Oh, the irony. You take a photo in RAW and your camera shows you a JPEG preview.
Imagine your disappointment the first time you look at photos taken in RAW on your computer and they are nothing like the preview. But it is all fine don’t worry.
What processing is done to JPEG files?
Well, it depends on the camera. Indeed some camera makers have made a thing out of this in-camera processing. Fuji spring to mind as a company that gives you lots of different film simulation modes, amongst other things.
But JPEG applies processing to the tonal range and colours, and also compresses the files, making them smaller.
What are the downsides of JPEG – it sounds great to me!
If you are happy taking photos in JPEG then that is just fine. There is no stigma attached to this these days. Well, there might still be but there shouldn’t be.
The downside to JPEG is that the processing that is done in camera cannot be undone, and also the files are compressed meaning that the file sizes are smaller but data has been lost.
But if you are happy with the look, feel and quality of the images you get then great. And if you are starting out in photography even better.
So why would you choose RAW?
A RAW file has not been processed. Well, I say not processed but there must have been some processing to convert the light that hits the sensor into a digital image.
This is not one for another episode. I could tell you the words that describe how this happens but there wouldn’t be any understanding behind them…
Not processed means that the camera has captured what is there, and not done anything with it. This is why JPEGs look great and RAW files look rubbish.
With RAW files we choose what processing is done to the RAW file. A RAW file has more tonal and colour data. This includes more data in the highlights, the light bits, and the shadows, the dark bits.
Can anyone tell?
A RAW file processed properly has the potential to look better than a JPEG photo. A RAW file processed properly can create a higher-quality image than a JPEG photo.
But it really does depend on what you are doing with the photos. If all you are doing is taking photos and sharing them with friends and family you are probably fine with JPEG. No one would ever know. Or care.
If you are working commercially, making money from your photos, then you will probably use RAW to give yourself the maximum data to work with.
What are the downsides of RAW?
You have to do the processing yourself. You need specialist software to be able to work with RAW files. RAW files are larger than JPEG files. Other people cannot open RAW files without specialist software.
What do I do?
I take photos in RAW. I process the RAW files in Lightroom. I export files out of Lightroom and convert them into JPEG files so other people can open them.
The talky bit
Does this really matter?
As I say it all depends on you.
What are you using the photos for?
- Just to send to friends and family? JPEG should be fine.
- Photographing weddings? You would probably want to use RAW.
- Photographing buildings? I use RAW.
The gap is closing though. A few years ago RAW was much, much better than JPEG. And with developments in technology, there may come a point where it does not make any difference. We are not there yet though.
If all you want to do is take photos, tweak them a bit and then get them out there into the world then that is different to high-end processing for the issue of images to a client. Or to just take photos and get them out there and let the camera do all the work.
If you are not interested in learning how to process RAW files and are happy with what JPEG gives you then fine.
But if you want to produce the highest quality images you can, and want to learn digital image processing, then RAW gives you the maximum data to work with.
And if you are not sure you can take both. Most cameras give you the option to shoot in RAW and JPEG at the same time which is cool.
Don’t let this be a barrier to going out and taking photos though. If you are not sure use both and you can always delete the JPEGs if you get into processing RAW files, and if you do not just delete the RAW files and you have lost nothing.
But go out and take more photos – this is much more important. If you and I are not going out taking photos there is little point in debating RAW or JPEG is there?
One line summary
RAW files are RAW, JPEG files are processed in-camera. Choose your preferred format, and if you cannot decide choose both and decide later.
Related episodes
Well, the last episode was the reason for this episode – Photography Explained Podcast Episode 90 – Do I Really Have To Edit My Photos? It Depends But Mainly Yes!
Next episode
Hmmm – you will find out in the next episode. Spoiler alert – no sorry you will have to wait…
Shout out
This space needs filling so get in touch and get your shout-out on my ever-growing podcast.
I’m done
Thanks for listening to my small but perfectly formed podcast. To find out more about my podcast and do stuff to help me check out Photographyexplainedpodcast.com/start.
Brought to you by
This episode was brought to by caffeine courtesy of Alta Rica coffee.
I’ve been Rick McEvoy, thanks again very much for listening to me and for giving me 11 ½ (ish) minutes of your valuable time, and I will see you on the next episode.
Cheers from me Rick
OK – that was the podcast episode.
Want to know more?
Head over to the Start page on the Photography Explained Podcast website to find out more.
And here is the list of episodes published to date – you can listen to any episode straight from this page which is nice.
Let me know if there is a photography thing that you want me to explain and I will add it to my list. Just head over to the This is my list of things to explain page of this website to see what is on there already.
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And finally a little bit about me
Finally, yes this paragraph is all about me – check out my Rick McEvoy Photography website to find out more about me and my architectural, construction, real estate and travel photography work. I also write about general photography stuff, all in plain English without the irrelevant detail.
Thank you
Thanks for listening to my podcast (if you did) and reading this blog post (which I assume you have done as you are reading this).
Cheers from me Rick
