The RAW vs JPEG Debate
Ask ten photographers whether to shoot RAW or JPEG and you will get ten different opinions. The truth is that the right answer depends on your specific workflow, your camera system, and how much post-processing time you can afford. Here is a practical breakdown.
What Is a RAW File?
A RAW file contains the unprocessed sensor data captured by your camera. It is not an image in the traditional sense — it requires demosaicing and processing before it can be displayed or printed. RAW files are large (typically 20 to 50 MB per frame) but retain maximum information. imagic supports all major RAW formats: CR2 and CR3 for Canon, NEF for Nikon, ARW for Sony, RAF for Fujifilm, ORF for Olympus, RW2 for Panasonic, PEF for Pentax, and DNG.
What Is a JPEG?
JPEG applies the camera's internal processing pipeline — colour science, noise reduction, sharpening, and compression — and discards the underlying sensor data. Files are much smaller (typically 5 to 15 MB) but offer far less latitude for post-processing adjustments.
RAW Advantages for Workflow
- Exposure recovery: RAW files can recover two to four stops of over or underexposure. JPEG cannot.
- White balance flexibility: White balance is applied non-destructively in post; changing it on a JPEG degrades quality.
- AI scoring accuracy: Tools like imagic score RAW files more accurately because they have access to the full tonal range of the capture.
JPEG Advantages for Workflow
- Speed: No demosaicing required. Files open instantly.
- Storage: JPEG shoots use three to five times less storage than RAW.
- Straight-out-of-camera delivery: For photojournalism or same-day event delivery, JPEG can go straight to the client.
The Workflow Impact
For photographers using AI culling tools, RAW is almost always the better choice. imagic analyses every image's sharpness, exposure, noise, and composition. With RAW files, the AI has more data to work with and produces more reliable quality scores. With JPEG, some information has already been discarded by the camera's processor.
That said, imagic also supports JPEG, PNG, and TIFF — so if you shoot JPEG by necessity (sports, news, run-and-gun video), you can still run your selects through the five-step workflow: Import, Analyse, Review, Cull, Export.
The Hybrid Approach
Many cameras support RAW+JPEG simultaneous capture. This gives you the quick-preview benefits of JPEG alongside the full-latitude RAW file for final editing. The trade-off is doubled storage use. For high-volume shooters, this approach adds up quickly.
Recommendation
Shoot RAW whenever your workflow allows it. The extra latitude for exposure correction and white balance adjustment pays off every time you are working in difficult or mixed lighting. Use imagic to cull your RAW files efficiently — the AI scoring is faster and more accurate with full sensor data — then process your selects in RawTherapee or darktable for final output.