Raw File
A RAW file stores nearly unprocessed data straight from the sensor, before the camera applies the sharpening, color processing, white balance and compression a JPEG bakes in permanently at the moment of capture. That unprocessed state preserves far more dynamic range and editing flexibility, at the cost of a much larger file size and the need for dedicated software before the image is viewable in its finished form.
RAW is genuinely valuable specifically in high-contrast or challenging-light situations — long exposures, astrophotography, and any scene with a wide brightness range benefit the most from having genuine recoverable highlight and shadow detail available in post-processing, detail a JPEG would have already discarded during in-camera processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I always shoot RAW instead of JPEG?
For most deliberate photography, yes, since it preserves the most editing flexibility — but RAW files take up considerably more storage space and need processing before sharing, which is a real practical tradeoff for casual or high-volume shooting where JPEG's convenience matters more.
Can I shoot RAW and JPEG at the same time?
Yes — most cameras offer a simultaneous RAW+JPEG mode, giving an immediately shareable JPEG alongside the RAW file's full editing flexibility, at the cost of using roughly double the storage space per shot.