Getting To Know Your Camera's Image Quality Formats

RAW (.CRW .NEF .DNG .ARW .ORF)

A RAW file is an unprocessed format that is not manipulated in any way. There are only a handful of camera settings such as focus and exposure that affect the data.  A RAW file allows YOU to have control over the editing process with no automated in-camera enhancements. All original information from the camera sensor will be stored if the camera is set to record as an uncompressed or as a lossless RAW. This not only allows for the most versatile editing but also creates the highest quality image.  

• Highest Quality Image

• Most Potential for Post Process Editing

• No Automatic In-Camera Manipulation

• Option for Maximum Resolution

JPEG (.JPG .jpg .jpeg)

Jpegs are the most popular format used across all devices. They are small, compressed files made for easy sharing via smart phones, uploading and social media. The camera applies automatic edits to a Jpeg like saturation, sharpening and contrast before compressing it into a ready to view format. The benefit is that little editing, if any, is needed in post process.  The downside is the missing information within the file which would be most noticeable if the image is enlarged, printed or if further edits are applied.

• Minimal Post Processing Needed

• Maximum Potential for Frames Per Second 

• Minimal Hard Drive Space Needed

• Ready to View Across Most Platforms 

Have you ever tried to lighten the shadows of a Jpeg and immediately noticed noise and quality degradation?  This could be because data was disregarded by the camera when recording the image. It directly affects the image quality. If you choose to shoot jpegs, it’s best to save them at maximum resolution with minimum compression.

Compression and File Size

There are two ways to create a smaller file: Compression and Resolution.  Both are often applied in the post process workflow but you’ll also find these options in the camera’s menu.

• Uncompressed

• Lossless Compression

• Lossy Compression

• Resolution

Compression is an algorithm used to shrink a file to minimize the space it requires on a media card or hard drive.  Uncompressed means the files are large and unaltered.  Lossy compression omits certain redundant data that is unrecoverable in trade for a smaller file size.  Lossless compression is a method where original data is restored with no reduction in quality.  Consult your camera’s manual for interpretation as each brand has slight variations. 

Resolution is the detail of your image measured in pixels. Menu options are commonly listed as small, medium and large or (standard, fine and extra fine) and will have the megapixels and pixel dimensions next to each choice. The recorded pixel count is adjusted according to each option. As the resolution decreases so does the file size.