by Miserere

Used via CC through FreeFoto.com.

In every photography conversation that takes place anywhere in the World, the subject will eventually come up. Someone will innocently ask: Do you shoot RAW or JPEG? And a friendly conversation turns into an ugly bloodbath, ending with photographers spinning their cameras over their heads held by the strap, as modern-day photographic flails, mouths frothing, shrieks of hate filling the air as they attack one another in defence of their chosen file format. It’s not coincidence that ‘RAW’ is ‘WAR’ spelled backwards.

It needn’t be this way. I believe photographers of all races, colours, creed and shooting format can coexist and live together, in peace. Seriously, I do.

So what’s the big problem? Let me begin with the negative things each faction says about the other.

What the JPEG Zealots Say

RAW shooters are pussies who don’t know the first thing about photography, if they did, they wouldn’t have to use the crutch of RAW because they’d get their exposures right at the time they took the picture. JPEGs capture the real scene in front of the camera without any bias from the photographer. Real professionals only shoot JPEG.

What the RAW Zealots Say

JPEG shooters are amateurs who don’t know how to extract the maximum IQ from a digital file and are too lazy to learn how to use Photoshop. Why would they even buy a DSLR if they’re going to shoot JPEG? They’d be better off just shooting with a P&S. Real professionals only shoot RAW.

Who Is Right?

Neither! Or both, depending how you look at it. Let’s examine the pros of each format.

• Pros of JPEG:
  • File sizes are smaller by a huge percent.
  • No time is wasted in front of the computer doing postprocessing, so you can actually spend more time taking pictures.
  • You can shoot many more photos in continuous shooting mode because the files get written to the memory card quickly due to their smaller size. This small size also means you don’t need huge memory cards or hard drives to store your photos in. Oh, and uploading images from the memory card to a computer or over the internet is faster
  • Once you find the camera settings that you like, all your photos will have your look and you’ll never have to worry about settings again.
• Pros of RAW:
  • You retain all the information captured by your camera sensor allowing you to make adjustments in postprocessing without losing IQ (or with minimal loss).
  • Adjustments you make in postprocessing are non-destructive.
  • You can postprocess a picture in many different ways and keep each version.
  • Ansel Adams would’ve shot RAW.

I’m sure zealots in each band can come up with more pros, but in essence they reduce to this: If you shoot JPEG you get smaller files (with all the associated benefits) and you spend less time in front of the computer and more out shooting; if you shoot RAW you have a file that offers a lot more latitude for being manipulated in postprocessing. And that’s it. Really, it is.

The thing about pros shooting only JPEG or RAW is rubbish—pros shoot whatever is most convenient for them. Sports shooters and journalists shoot mainly JPEG because they need to get their photographs uploaded to their agencies or newspapers as soon and quickly as possible. They don’t have time to upload 10-20MB files, not when they have a few hundred files to transmit; and they certainly don’t have time to postprocess the images. If any postprocessing needs to be done to the particular photos that will be published, it’s usually a small bump in contrast or levels adjustment, which a JPEG should be able to handle. If you’re talking landscape photography, then chances are those photographers will be shooting RAW. Landscape photographs routinely present challenging situations where parts of the photograph need to be lightened, while others need to be darkened; maybe ugly power-lines need to be erased and the tone of the image be warmed up (or cooled down) to fit in better with the emotional content of the scene.

That said, there will be sports photographers that shoot RAW and landscape photographers that shoot JPEG. JPEG and RAW are more than just file formats—they’re tools. Good artists use tools to their advantage and start off by choosing the appropriate ones; remember that.

What Format Should I Shoot?

The choice is easier than you think:

• Shoot RAW if you enjoy postprocessing or you feel the subjects you shoot are too complex from a dynamic range perspective and/or the camera cannot capture the scenes you shoot as you see them. If you shoot B&W and want to do more than just press the monochrome button, then RAW is probably the best option. If you are shooting under tough lighting conditions (and pressed for time) and are not sure the camera will meter correctly, shoot RAW to give yourself some leeway if you need to adjust a shot in postproduction.
• Shoot JPEG if you don’t enjoy postprocessing and have your camera set up such that the photos that come straight out of it are to your liking. If you are strapped for space on your computer, shooting JPEG will allow you to store many more files, and you can also fit more images on each memory card when you’re out shooting. Many people are not computer savvy and would like to stay as far away as possible from a laptop—there’s nothing wrong with that, and these people are one of the reasons engineers spent so long programming the JPEG engine in those cameras.

Whatever you choose, don’t consider it a decision for life. There may be shooting conditions when one or the other is better, and a wise photographer will change format if the situation requires it. Be at the mercy of the Photograph, not at the whim of your idiosyncrasies.

Most of all, dear reader, don’t think you have The Answer; don’t diminish your fellow photographers if they don’t shoot the same format as you. Each of us has different needs and tastes; we’re all individuals; but maybe more importantly: We don’t need another war.

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