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What is it
RAW is an unprocessed image file captured directly from a camera sensor — it preserves every bit of detail, dynamic range, and colour information for full editing control in post-production. Straight from the sensor with nothing thrown away. This gives photographers full control over exposure, white balance, and tone in post-processing, which is impossible with JPG (where those decisions are baked in). The catch: RAW files are huge (20–80 MB each), proprietary to each camera brand (Canon's CR2, Nikon's NEF, Sony's ARW), and require specialised software to open. They are not meant for sharing — they are the digital negative you edit from.
Technical details
Safety
What opens it
Adobe Lightroom
Capture One
darktable
RawTherapee
FAQ
What's the difference between RAW and JPG?
JPG is processed by the camera — white balance, sharpening, and compression are applied and the original data is discarded. RAW preserves everything the sensor captured, giving you far more editing flexibility at the cost of larger files.
How do I open RAW files?
Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, darktable (free), and RawTherapee (free) all handle RAW files. Apple Photos and Windows Photos can also open common RAW formats. Each camera brand uses a different RAW variant.
Should I shoot in RAW or JPG?
If you plan to edit your photos, shoot RAW. If you just want to share snapshots quickly, JPG is fine. Many cameras offer RAW+JPG mode, giving you both.
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