RAW files contain unprocessed image data directly from a camera's sensor, while JPEGs contain processed data with adjustments already applied. When photos are taken in JPEG, RAW data is lost, but converting RAW files allows for non-destructive adjustments without degrading image quality, similar to adjusting prints from film negatives. Special RAW conversion software is used to precisely adjust RAW files.

2.  RAW is not an acronym - it's just a generic term
for a file that contains the raw data from a
camera's sensor

3.  RAW is not an acronym - it's just a generic term
for a file that contains the raw data from a
camera's sensor
010001111000101010101101010010001
111000101010001101010110101001000
111100010101010110101001000111100
010101010110101001000111100010101
010110101001000111100010101010110
101001000111100010101010110101001
000111100010101010110101010100011
110001010101011010100100011110001
010101011010100100011110001010101
011010100100011110001010101011010
1001000111

4.  Every camera shoots RAWs but most convert into
a standard JPEG file for ease of use

5.  When you shoot in JPEG adjustments are applied
to the image via the camera's image processor at
the time of capture
01000111100010101010110
10100100011110001010100
01101010110101001000111
10001010101011010100100
01111000101010101101010
01000111100110101001000
11101010110101010001101
011101
Converted by camera
RAW FILE JPEG FILE

6.  Then the RAW data is deleted – LOST!
01000111100010101010110
10100100011110001010100
01101010110101001000111
10001010101011010100100
01111000101010101101010
01000111100110101001000
11101010110101010001101
011101
X JPEG FILE

7.  Leaving you with a nicely exposed JPEG photo –
but you’ve lost all the extra RAW data!
JPEG FILE

8.  You can adjust colour
temperature, contrast,
shadow depth,
highlight brightness,
saturation, sharpening,
exposure...
…without ‘degrading’
the image

9.  RAW file is a bit like a digital version of an old
negative

10.  These adjustments take place in special RAW
conversion software

11.  In traditional photography you always get the best
quality photo by printing from a neg…
35mm NEGATIVE
PHOTO / PRINT

12.  Likewise in digital photography – using RAW
means you expose the JPEG not your camera!
35mm NEGATIVE
PHOTO / PRINT
RAW FILE
JPEG FILE

13.  Adjustments made off a negative/RAW contain far
more precision than a print/JPEG
You adjust the print
You adjust the print
35mm NEGATIVE
PHOTO / PRINT
RAW FILE
JPEG FILE

14. RAW FILEJPEG FILE

15. RAW FILEJPEG FILE

16. RAW FILEJPEG FILE

17. RAW FILEJPEG FILEORGINALS

18. RAW FILEJPEG FILEORGINALS

19.  Imported through Adobe Camera RAW (ACR)
plug-in

20.  Software that came with your camera
 UFRaw for GIMP or RAW Therapee

21.  If you just want to quickly view RAW images
before properly converting them use an image
viewer such as XnView:
 Or the software
that came with
your camera