Category: Technical Standard, Photography

Definition: An uncompressed image file format that captures all data from the camera sensor without processing, providing maximum flexibility for post-production color correction, exposure adjustment, and quality optimization. Contains significantly more information than JPEG.

Why It Matters: Enables precise color correction and grading; recovers highlight and shadow detail; allows non-destructive editing; maintains maximum image quality; essential for professional color accuracy; provides future-proofing for re-editing.

Use Cases: Professional product photography, images requiring color accuracy, photographs needing significant editing, archival purposes, creating multiple versions from one capture, maximum quality requirements.

Example of Real Use Case: A photographer discovers white balance was incorrectly set during a 500-product shoot. Because images were captured in RAW, they easily correct all images in post-production without quality loss—saving the shoot from being a complete reshoot worth $25,000.

Software/Service: Professional cameras (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Phase One), Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, DxO PhotoLab, RAW processing software

Common Issues: Large file sizes (5-10x larger than JPEG), requires post-processing, incompatibility with some systems, slower workflow, storage space requirements, need for RAW processing software.

Do's and Don'ts:

• ✓ Do shoot RAW for all professional work

• ✓ Do have sufficient storage capacity

• ✓ Do use professional RAW processing software

• ✓ Do archive RAW files for future re-editing

• ✗ Don't shoot JPEG for final professional work

• ✗ Don't delete RAW files after creating JPEGs

• ✗ Don't skip RAW processing workflow

Related Terms: Color Accuracy, Color Grading, Post-Production, Professional Photography, Image Quality

Also Known As: RAW Files, Camera RAW, Unprocessed Image Data