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Should You Switch to RAW File Format? Let’s Find Out

  • Blog
    • 5 min Read
    • April 16, 2024
    • RAW Conversion
Should You Switch to RAW File Format? Let’s Find Out

We have come across images of different sorts. Most consist of a generic quality. Some even remind us of other images we have come across in the past. Then at times, we stumble upon images and stand instantly impacted by them. Those feel like nothing we have seen before, and the format has the most significant part to play in it.

If you are a photographer, looking to capture the most visually compelling pictures and keep up with a high level of creativity, you should rely on RAW format. Hence steps in the importance of using a robust RAW format converter.

RAW file formats contain very minimally processed data, directly derived from the sensor of a camera. This provides photographers with more flexibility during the phase of post-processing.

Below are mentioned some crucial details that you should learn about RAW format prior to trying it out

RAW Format – What Is It? Let’s Find Out

As the name suggests, RAW file format is a completely unprocessed image data, that gets captured by the sensor of a digital camera. You would be taken aback to know that unlike many other compressed formats like JPEG, the RAW file formats retain every piece of original data without any kind of compression applied by the software of the camera.

This invariably makes the RAW files significantly larger, quality-yielding, and more flexible. Yes, you can convert RAW to PNG, in case your work demands so, but nothing can beat the flexibility that RAW brings to the table.

Why Should RAW Not Be Looked Down As Something Raw?

If the images you capture are not visually compelling, your creative work will become stagnant. You will stop earning praises, in the long run, may even be discouraged from continuing come up with them.

To avoid this doom, it’s better to make switch to a high-quality file format like RAW. The quality is the core to the aesthetic value of your images. It would be best if you strived to make the most of the amazing characteristics of RAW. Since the market is filled with a number of online file or image converters, you can easily convert your PNG or JPG to RAW free – in just a few seconds!

Below are mentioned some of the reasons why RAW has stood out, time and time again, when top-tier quality is required to take the centre stage in images –

  • Uncompressed Data : RAW file formats are absolutely uncompressed! This characteristic helps them preserve every minuscule detail clicked by the sensor of a camera. This automatically results in larger sizes of files compared to the compressed file formats such as JPEG, etc.
  • Higher Bit Depth : RAW files own comparatively higher bit depth, which generally ranges between 12-bit or 14-bit. This enables RAW files to capture a wide array of colours as well as tonal gradations, particularly in highlights and shadows.
  • Flexibility is Ensured : One of the reasons why RAW files cut through the noise is due to their post-processing flexibility. They provide photographers with better control over different kinds of adjustments such as contrast, exposure, sharpness, white balance, etc. at the post-processing phase. As the image data is very minimally processed, a photographer can easily make non-destructive fine-tuning without having to curtail image quality.
  • Data Originality Remains Intact : RAW files have drawn a lot of adulations for their capacity of preserving original sensor data, offering a digital negative, which could be manipulated without the need for altering an original image. This characteristic enables photographers to make experimentations with multiple editing techniques, and keeping image quality intact, at the same time!
  • In-Camera Processing Not Required : Unlike JPEG – that’s known for undergoing in-camera processing for applying settings such as sharpening, noise reduction, white balance, etc. – the RAW file formats can capture absolutely pure sensor data. And no adjustment is required in the process! This allows photographers to get a complete control while editing or finetuning their work.
Switch to RAW! Don’t Be Afraid

We hope that the above-mentioned can prod you to shoot in RAW formats! One thing let’s tell you that shooting in RAW is almost identical to shooting in JPEG. Hence, there's no need to be sceptical if you can’t really get out of your “JPEG hangover.”

Take things slow if you are still not entirely at ease shooting in RAW. If you're not sure, we advise not shooting a wedding or even at a large-scale event in RAW the first time around. Once you understand how it works, you can’t just make a comeback to any other format from RAW – that we can guarantee!

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