Raw or JPEG?
Which picture file type do you choose, and do the experts ever use JPEGS?
All EOS DSLR cameras have been able to capture images as either Raw or JPEG files. For some photographers the type of file they choose to shoot is almost like a badge of honour; ‘shoot Raw, it’s the best’. So what is the difference, why does each new camera need an updated Raw converter and do professionals shoot JPEG after all?
In simple terms you can liken JPEG and Raw to cake. The JPEG cake is simply going to the store, choosing the one you like the look of and buying it. The Raw cake is different, you’re buying the ingredients, and when you return from the store there’s the additional step of combining the ingredients and baking the cake. Of course, with ingredients you can mix the cake a little different than you originally planned, add cherries or leave out the chocolate to radically change the result. The quality is down to your skills too.
I shoot exclusively Raw virtually all the time, the post-production is part of my photography. The tools have got sufficiently fast that it’s not a major issue for me. For those seeking the most quality and flexibility possible, Raw is the answer.
On the other hand JPEG is universal, just about any program that needs to handle a picture will work with a JPEG. Raw gives the manufacturer the option to add new technology, new information and more quality but it is unique to each camera model, so each time a new camera arrives the Raw processing tools have to be updated. I get better quality from my old Raw images with modern software than when I first processed them.
Novice photographers often start with JPEG, as when you’re learning, having a finished file right away makes life easier. Professional news and sports photographers are mainly JPEG shooters. A file that is smaller and easier to move from camera to the agencies and press is highly prized. The quality is important, but equally so is the workflow speed. I sometimes shoot RAW+JPEG to give me a file that transmits quickly over a wireless connection, yet still retain the quality and capability of the Raw file for later.
For the foreseeable future we will still have Raw and JPEG options and photographers will choose the one that’s most appropriate for their pictures and clients.