Advanced user of Digital SLR or pocket camera often hesitate before start to shoot : what format file that i will choose, JPEG/JPG or RAW?
In this article we will discuss simply different between them.
Basically most of camera working like this : when we press the shutter , camera will record the RAW data that received by censor. Based on this data, software in the camera will decide some parameters, for example how far the photo need to be sharp, which the best white balance setting, how much exposure level that should you use, how the saturation value and how the the contrast, and etc. The result of data editing by software in this camera will be send to the memory card in JPEG file.
Are you already understand about the different of them? Yes, RAW is raw data which is catch by censor directly , while the JPEG is the final data which is already processed by camera software. If we decide to choose the RAW format, it means that we ask the camera to send the raw data from censor to memory card directly. And if you choose the JPEG format, it means that we ask the camera to process data from censor firstly before send to memory card.
Why there's Format RAW?For most of photography lover, the photo result by camera usually is good enough. But for professional , they don't admit the camera dominating the photo that was taken. RAW format make us to change the parameter as we want. With the RAW software editing ( photoshop, lightroom, GIMP, ACDSee and etc), we can change the the value of exposure, white balance, saturation, until the contrast to save in different format then : JPG or TIFF.
The advantages of using RAW format?
We can manipulating the RAW file become the photo suitable with what we want.
The editing photo option is more variates, so this is good for who's have creative soul.
save more many information ( if you choose the JPEG, camera will delete few data to smaller file size and speed up the data processing)
Photo quality is more good overall, it because there's compression if using JPEG.
Disadvantages of using RAW ?
Take the Hardisk & Memory Capacity a lot. Because there's no compression process, so the RAW file is more large better than JPEG ( about 3 unti 4 times more large)
Take more times. Even during shooting ( decrease the camera speed especially in burst mode) nor during computer processing ( because its file size).
So, which is the format that should you use ?
If you have hardisk above 500GB, memory card minimum 4GB and you shoot the special moment ( human or place), pick the RAW mode.
If you're shooting the usual things or need burst shooting, or just have small capacity of hardisk and memory card, pick the JPEG mode.
Or choose the middle way if you have more hardisk and memory card capacity : pick the RAW mode + JPEG ( camera will saves 2 formats at once).
Notes:
JPEG file format also give permission to process quite many photos, but the result and the range is not so much and good like RAW.
There's also TIFF format, but you shouldn't use it because the file size is very very large.