Good morning everyone and welcome to the blog part of my personal site. The topic of the post is ” Photos JPG or RAW “. That is, in practice, take photographs in JPEG or in RAW format, or both ?
This post introduces the topic of Photo Editing that I plan to cover in the coming weeks.
As mentioned, I am learning to use the photo editing software I recently purchased. One of the first things that is absolutely essential to understand in photo editing is exactly ” Photos JPG or RAW “. The answer that follows is unequivocal and without alternatives. Photo editing, it is absolutely necessary to be done starting from photographs in RAW format.
Many commercial cameras take pictures in both formats, even simultaneously. This means that they record both the JPEG and RAW format photos onto the memory card. In the field of photography, each manufacturer names the RAW file type with its own declinations. Here is a list of how the files are archived and stored for the main manufacturers.
.CR2 / .CR3 – Canon RAW
.NEF – Nikon Electronic Format
.ARW – Sony Alpha RAW
.DNG – Digital Negative (Adobe, universal)
.RAF – Fujifilm RAW
.RW2 – Panasonic Lumix RAW
.ORF – Olympus RAW
.PEF – Pentax RAW
.SR2 / .SRF – Sony RAW (old Raw file type)
So depending on the brand of camera you own you will have a file (plus the JPEG file), named as above. Until I became interested in photo editing, I personally shot using the RAW+JPEG option. Although in practice, since I had practically never done photo editing, I used the JPEG format files of the photographs, and in the end I deleted the files generated in RAW format.
Now, on the contrary and by choice, I’ve decided to set the cameras to shoot only in RAW format. In order to be able to edit and/or modify the shots if necessary. Photos JPG or RAW ? My personal choice, also taking into account that NOT all photographs will be edited and/or modified and that before the photo editing work, I will select what I consider best, then discarding the rest.
Photos JPG or RAW
Why Editing a JPG File is Not Ideal Compared to a RAW File?
Editing a JPG file is possible, but it has significant disadvantages compared to editing a RAW file. To understand why, we need to check the structure of both formats and how image data is handled.
Differences Between JPG and RAW | RAW Format: The Digital Negative
A RAW file is an uncompressed and unprocessed format that contains all the data captured by the camera sensor. It is comparable to a negative in analogue photography: it provides the maximum amount of information and flexibility for editing.
Key characteristics of RAW
Higher color depth: It can store 12, 14, or even 16 bits per channel, while JPG is limited to 8 bits. This means a much wider tonal range, with more color gradations and detail in highlights and shadows.
More information in highlights and shadows: Details are better preserved and recoverable during post-production.
No destructive compression: RAW files do not undergo lossy compression, whereas JPG permanently discards some information to reduce file size.
Greater control over white balance: In RAW, white balance can be fully recalibrated without quality loss, whereas in JPG, it is “fixed” at the moment of capture.
JPG Format: A Pre-Processed and Compressed Image
A JPG file is an image that the camera has already processed and compressed. This means that much of the data captured by the sensor has been discarded. This to reduce file size and optimize immediate display.
Key characteristics of JPG:
Lossy compression: To reduce file size, JPG discards color and dynamic range information, making it difficult to recover details in post-production.
Reduced color depth (8 bits per channel): This means fewer color details and fewer smooth transitions between tones, increasing the risk of “banding” in gradients.
Pre-applied camera processing: The camera automatically applies contrast, saturation, sharpness, and noise reduction, limiting flexibility in post-processing.
Why Editing a JPG File is Not Ideal ?
A. Loss of Quality During Editing
Every time you edit and save a JPG file, lossy compression is applied again, further degrading image quality. This leads to:
The appearance of compression artifacts (unwanted blotches or color blocks).
– Loss of detail in highlights and shadows.
– Alteration of the original colors.
Practical Example:
If you try to brighten a dark area in a JPG file, you may see posterization (a drastic reduction in color gradations) because tonal information has already been partially removed by the initial compression.
B. Limited Recovery of Highlights and Shadows
– In RAW, even if an area appears overexposed or underexposed, it is often possible to recover details by adjusting the exposure in post-production.
– In JPG, however, if an area is completely white or black, it means that the data has been discarded and cannot be recovered.
Practical Example:
You take a photo with a slightly overexposed sky. In RAW, you can lower the exposure and recover cloud details.
In JPG, those white areas will remain “blown out” with no possibility of recovery.
C. Limited White Balance Correction
In a RAW file, white balance is fully adjustable without quality loss. In a JPG, however, it has already been set at the moment of capture, and modifying it can cause color artifacts or loss of detail.
Practical Example:
You take a photo indoors with tungsten lighting, but the camera sets a white balance that is too warm. In RAW, you can adjust the white balance without issues. In JPG, adjusting the tone may lead to color degradation and an unnatural look.
D. Less Precision in Color and Contrast Adjustments
A RAW file contains more color data and dynamic range, allowing for more precise adjustments without introducing noise or banding. In a JPG, increasing contrast and saturation can make colors look unnatural and lose smooth transitions.
Practical Example:
If you try to increase the saturation of a blue sky in a JPG file, you may notice the appearance of color banding instead of a smooth gradient.
When is Editing a JPG File Acceptable ?
Despite its limitations, there are situations where editing a JPG is reasonable:
If you only have the JPG available (for example, images taken with a phone or received from others).
If you only need minor adjustments (cropping, resizing, small color corrections).
If the photo is meant for social media or non-professional use, where quality loss is not a concern.
Conclusion
Editing a JPG file is possible, but compared to RAW, it starts with a major disadvantage. The lossy compression, limited dynamic range, and reduced color depth make JPG a much less flexible format for advanced post-production.
If your goal is to get the most out of photography, working in RAW is always the best choice.
