What exactly is happening to a Raw photo when it becomes a JPEG and what about Raw photos are so preferable for photo editing
In: 239
RAW photos are . . . well . . . raw.
Each pixel is a record of the net photons which landed at that particular spot on the sensor. In a photograph that has 100 million pixels, this is a lot of information.
To reduce file sizes, JPEGs replace portions of an image with mathemaic functions that compute approximations of these sections. These functions comsume less data than what they approximate.
Since the jpeg image is a computed reproduction, by definition it is less accurate than its raw source image.
RAW photos are . . . well . . . raw.
Each pixel is a record of the net photons which landed at that particular spot on the sensor. In a photograph that has 100 million pixels, this is a lot of information.
To reduce file sizes, JPEGs replace portions of an image with mathemaic functions that compute approximations of these sections. These functions comsume less data than what they approximate.
Since the jpeg image is a computed reproduction, by definition it is less accurate than its raw source image.
Raw image data has greater dynamic range between the darkest and lightest points and somewhat higher accuracy or the step size between similar colors. In a raw image it is possible to reveal some highlights and shadows that have been blown out by less than ideal exposure time. The lower accuracy of JPEG doesn’t allow extreme adjustments to contrast or color balance without showing compression artifacts.
Raw image data has greater dynamic range between the darkest and lightest points and somewhat higher accuracy or the step size between similar colors. In a raw image it is possible to reveal some highlights and shadows that have been blown out by less than ideal exposure time. The lower accuracy of JPEG doesn’t allow extreme adjustments to contrast or color balance without showing compression artifacts.
When a RAW becomes a JPEG there is lossy compression going on. The JPEG format is more convenient for storage and sending by sacrificing some of the original image quality.
RAW retains as much data as possible, and therefore is the preferred format for editing.
When a RAW becomes a JPEG there is lossy compression going on. The JPEG format is more convenient for storage and sending by sacrificing some of the original image quality.
RAW retains as much data as possible, and therefore is the preferred format for editing.
RAW photos are . . . well . . . raw.
Each pixel is a record of the net photons which landed at that particular spot on the sensor. In a photograph that has 100 million pixels, this is a lot of information.
To reduce file sizes, JPEGs replace portions of an image with mathemaic functions that compute approximations of these sections. These functions comsume less data than what they approximate.
Since the jpeg image is a computed reproduction, by definition it is less accurate than its raw source image.
One specific trick RAW files can do is adjust white balance, after the picture is taken, without any data loss.
If you shoot JPEG the camera will make you set the white balance before shooting. If you don’t get it quite right, adjustments made afterwards will reduce the quality somewhat. When you shoot RAW you get to set the white balance afterwards, with no loss of quality.
One specific trick RAW files can do is adjust white balance, after the picture is taken, without any data loss.
If you shoot JPEG the camera will make you set the white balance before shooting. If you don’t get it quite right, adjustments made afterwards will reduce the quality somewhat. When you shoot RAW you get to set the white balance afterwards, with no loss of quality.
Raw image data has greater dynamic range between the darkest and lightest points and somewhat higher accuracy or the step size between similar colors. In a raw image it is possible to reveal some highlights and shadows that have been blown out by less than ideal exposure time. The lower accuracy of JPEG doesn’t allow extreme adjustments to contrast or color balance without showing compression artifacts.
Latest Answers