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If you’re into image editing and photography, you’ll come across the term ‘RAW’ quite quickly. We’ll explain what it is and whether you really need it.
Photography and image editing: What are RAW files?
- The term ‘RAW’ refers to a file format in which images are saved. The English word ‘raw’ means ‘unprocessed’. Usually, only higher-end digital cameras can save images in RAW format.
- As a rule, digital cameras convert the photos taken directly into a common image format such as JPG or PNG. The image data is compressed in the process, and the size of the file to be saved is significantly reduced. This allows you to take more photos until the memory card is full.
- However, images in the unprocessed RAW format have the advantage that no technical processing of the image has yet taken place. Because the image has not been saved as a smaller JPG file, it takes up considerably more space on the memory card.
- Due to the large amount of storage space they require, RAW images are not suitable for ordinary digital camera users. Compression into JPG format is primarily intended to save space whilst resulting in only minor losses in quality. RAW images are therefore usually aimed only at professional users who wish to edit their images extensively on a computer at a later stage.
