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What are Raw Files?


More and more cameras have the ability to shoot in Raw mode. 'JPG', 'Raw', 'Tiff'....what does it all mean? Understanding Raw Files is a good article from Luminous Landscape that unpacks the topic and gives reasons why and why not one would shoot in Raw mode.

Also check out Digital Photography School for more free Digital Camera Tips on All Topics.

'When a digital camera makes an exposure the imaging chip (whether it's CCD or CMOS) records the amount of light that has hit each pixel, or photo site. This is recorded as a voltage level. The camera's analog to digital circuitry now changes this analog voltage signal into a digital representation. Depending on the camera's circuitry either 12 or 14 bits of data are recorded. Incidentally, if the camera records 12 bits of data then each pixel can handle 4,096 brightness levels (2^12), and if 14 bit then it can record 16,384 different brightness levels (2^14).'

errr....ok....so what is a raw file?

'So now you see the difference. A raw file is essentially the data that the camera's chip recorded along with some additional information tagged on. A JPG file is one that has had the camera apply linear conversion, matrix conversion, white balance, contrast, and saturation, and then has had some level of potentially destructive compression applied.' Read More

Found via Photography Blog







Posted by Darren in our Tips category on May 19, 2004