Should i take pictures in raw or jpeg

Some of that is color data, which is done by reducing the number of available colors there are still a lot of colors available in JPEGs though. In addition, the camera will add some processing to the picture. The camera manufacturers know that you want your pictures coming out of the camera looking sharp and colorful. Therefore, they will add some effects, like sharpness, contrast, and saturation to them at the same time that the JPEG file is being created.

In most cameras, you can go into the menu and change the file format to something called RAW. Right away, you can see an issue with this, in that these files are not easily shareable. In addition, these files are huge, typically times the size of JPEGs. So why does nearly everyone recommend shooting RAW then?

Because they are simply superior files. That means you keep all the color data, and you preserve everything you can in the way of highlight and shadow detail. That means you are in control of the process. You can add whatever level of sharpness, contrast, and saturation and other controls you want. Sure, these files are bigger, but they are way better.

So RAW files are the way to go, right? Beginner photographers can shoot tons of different types of photos , from landscapes to wedding shots , and create strong photos, without having to worry about the processing side of things. The processed nature of JPEGs also gives seasoned photographers the option of taking images more quickly and consistently. Extra processing time, and large file back-ups, can also end up costing you, and your clients.

JPEG, another thing to consider is file size. JPEGs are stored as compressed files. A smaller file size also gives you the flexibility to take a lot of images at once on one memory card.

JPEGs are also easy to post on your online photography portfolio right away to boost your site and help you land clients. The small file size of JPEGs means a short upload time, so you can publish your photos online in mere minutes. Sharing, posting, and printing your photos is much quicker if you shoot JPEGs. While JPEGs can be beneficial to new and seasoned photographers, they do have a few drawbacks, including:.

When your camera compresses an image into a JPEG, the image ends up with less detail. JPEGs can have a lossy quality, meaning the image may appear grainy, flat, or pixelated. The loss of detail tends to be more obvious if you are shooting a highly detailed image or a close-up. Some photographers find the loss of detail in JPEGs off-putting, especially as, once an image is formatted as a JPEG, it cannot be edited or re-processed to have a more detailed quality.

When it comes to RAW vs. JPEG, there are also color considerations. JPEGs are 8-bit, which means they have a limited range of colors and tones. Your camera can capture trillions of possible colors, but when it converts an image into a JPEG, a majority of these colors are discarded and will not appear in the final image. So, for example, a colorful landscape may end up looking much less bold when you shoot in JPEG.

In photography, dynamic range is the difference between the lightest and darkest tones in an image. When you shoot JPEGs, the image will have a lower dynamic range, meaning there may be areas that have a high level of light tones overexposed or a high level of dark tones underexposed.

There may also be shadows in certain spots that are obscuring the image, making it difficult to see. Again, because you cannot re-process JPEGs, you cannot address issues like overexposure or underexposure in the final image if they show up. This means that no details from the image are removed or discarded which is often what happens with JPEGs. With the RAW format, your camera is collecting everything it can see and storing it for you so you can process these details yourself.

This means you have high-quality image files to work with during processing, and can create the best image possible. Having a higher brightness level will make the tones in your images appear smoother. Conversely, if you only ever shoot RAW, think back and see if you really need to edit every single photo. Either way, try and think outside of what you normally do and try something new with your camera.

By clicking Sign Up, you are opting to receive educational and promotional emails from Nikon Inc. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe any time. Search Articles. Featuring Chris Ogonek. Glossary Off On. This makes it very easy to share but it also comes with some downsides: Much of the information encoded in a JPEG is baked-in, meaning that any edits done to the file are destructive and there will be a slight loss in quality.

The original photo was mistakenly heavily overexposed. More Like This More articles like this. Article Collections. Articles like this, right in your inbox. True story.

Even though more and more people are shooting digital, great prints are as important as ever maybe even more so, due to their relative rarity! With RAW you can choose from any colour space when you are exporting it out, so you can adjust depending on the situation! Is the image going on to the web? Then output in the sRGB colour space to ensure maximum compatibility among web browsers.

Basically there are different colour spaces that work best for different situations, and when you shoot RAW you can export a single image in multiple spaces! In order to take full advantage of all the benefits of Lightroom and Aperture you should be shooting RAW! Professionals should be providing their clients with the highest quality possible.

Achieving proper colour balance, and choosing the right colour space for the situation are critical as well. By shooting RAW you take control, and are able to manage these problems to create the best results possible. Now that some point and shoots are capable of shooting RAW, hobbyists and amateurs can also take advantage of this pro level option, and get better files and prints!

Good deal. However, most photographers do some level of processing to their JPEGs so already the argument is getting flimsy. Then, when you add in the fact that adjustments like white balancing, and recovering highlights and shadows are way faster with RAW files, and it actually begins to looks like processing RAW can be faster than JPEG!!

This is definitely a concern for many shooters, especially those who create a lot of images. Memory cards are the same deal. The camera will still shoot the same frames per second, regardless of whether it is RAW or JPEG, but you may have to wait for the camera to write to the memory card if the buffer fills up.

If shooting fast sequences if critical for you, and you want to shoot RAW, you can purchase faster memory cards, or a more expensive camera with a larger buffer.