Photographers have been debating the pros and cons of shooting JPEG versus RAW images for a long time. Since this is inevitably a choice of preference I am sure the debate will continue until a new format is created that will replace one or both of these. Opinions vary depending on who you ask. This can be particularly confusing for new photographers trying to nail down an efficient workflow. The bottom line is that the file format you choose to capture your photographs with will have a significant impact on your workflow. Let’s take a few minutes to examine both formats!

So what’s the difference?

Your cameras’ RAW setting offers a significant advantage in overall image quality compared to JPEG format. RAW images contain all of the original file data. The camera simply writes the data straight to the memory card without applying compression or processing adjustments. Changes to a RAW image are typically written to a sidecar file. A typical RAW image usually looks dull and lacks the “pop” that most photographers look for. For some photographers this is a serious put off due to the additional time required to process the image. Think of RAW image files as you would traditional film negatives. All of the data your camera’s image sensor captured are present; it just needs to be processed. Photographers shooting in RAW format have to apply standard processing adjustments to their images before they can be presented. Typical workflow adjustments include exposure and lighting tweaks, bumping up the saturation, increasing contrast and sharpening.

A downside to shooting RAW images is that there is no set standard for what a RAW file should look like. Every camera manufacturer has its own proprietary RAW file format and software to open it. Companies that produce image editing software (such as Adobe and Apple) have to work double time to keep up with new file formats that hit the market each year. This is a serious problem for photographers concerned about the long-term storage of their work. Photographers interested in archiving their images want to be assured that they can open and re-edit their work years down the line. I will show you later in this article an option that might change this downside.

A big advantage of shooting JPEG for some photographers is that your camera applies all of the necessary processing adjustments prior to being saved. Processing adjustments vary from camera-to-camera and manufacturer-to-manufacturer; however the most common enhancements include increasing saturation, bumping up the contrast and sharpening the image. Consider how this can significantly speed up a professional photographer’s workflow; especially if he or she is shooting thousands of images each week!

This advantage can also be a distinct disadvantage. If your exposures are not spot-on, there is very little flexibility to be had if you decide you want to make processing adjustments later on. JPEG images are compressed to 8-bits per channel before even being written to the memory card. The amount of compression depends on several factors; however your camera essentially throws away approximately 1/3 of the file information before writing it to the memory card. This compression reduces the overall file size, but it comes with a huge cost. An 8-bit JPEG has a mere 256 exposure values (0-255). In contrast, a RAW image can contain up to 32,768 different shades between pure black and white. To make matters worse, JPEG files are recompressed each time they are saved. This means that each time you resave the same image you are degrading its quality. You can visually see the degradation after saving the image as little as five times.

Mistakes Happen

I am sure you properly set the color temperature and exposure while you’re shooting; however mistakes happen. It is not uncommon to have to make basic adjustments to an otherwise wonderful series of images. Since 12-bit or 14-bit RAW images are lossless and contain all the information available in the original data file, you have a more latitude than with compressed 8-bit JPEGs. If you need make a large number of JPEGs available to a client, you can quickly convert the original RAW files using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom’s Export tool. Each photographer must decide which image format works best for them based on what they are photographing. There are still several good reasons to shoot straight JPEG images; however I highly recommend shooting in RAW format if you want total control over how your images are processed.

The RAW Solution

I mentioned that one of the downsides to shooting in RAW format is that it is proprietary. If your camera manufacturer goes out of business or simply decides to stop supporting a particular RAW file format; you may have difficulty finding software that supports it in the future. There is also the issue of sharing RAW files with others who may not have the appropriate viewer to open the images. This is where a fairly new Digital Negative format comes to the rescue!

The Digital Negative (DNG) format was created by Adobe as a way to bring the hundreds of RAW file formats under one umbrella. A Digital Negative is simply a non-destructive, uncompressed wrapper. Digital Negatives are convenient to share with others because the format has been made publicly available and is considered an open standard. Unlike RAW files that are manufacturer specific, DNGs do not require side car files to keep track of changes and should be around (and supported) for a long time. Converting your RAW images to DNGs allows you to easily share your work with other photographers and clients, since they will not need proprietary software to open them, and insures that you will be able to read your files (without manufacturer specific software) for years to come. Fortunately, Lightroom provides a way to automatically convert your RAW images into Digital Negatives seamlessly while they are being imported into your Lightroom library for the first time. Adobe also offers a free Digital Negative Converter for photographers who do not have Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) or Lightroom. JPEG shooters may also benefit from converting their images to Digital Negatives. You can’t recover the data lost to compression or extend the dynamic range of an 8-bit JPEG image by converting to DNG; however it might be a smart way to archive your files. Only time will tell if this ends up being a good option for JPEG shooters.

Still not sure which to use?

Putting all the technical aspects of both file formats aside, this issue really boils down to speed versus control. Shooting JPEG images offers a slightly faster workflow with less storage space needed while shooting in RAW offers more control over the quality of your image.