gen-define-raw-versus-jpeg-and-give-one-short-worked-example-b507

Define RAW versus JPEG and give one short worked example.

# RAW vs JPEG ## Definitions **RAW** is an unprocessed image file containing all the data captured by the camera's sensor. It's like a digital negative that requires processing but offers maximum editing flexibility. **JPEG** is a processed, compressed image file where the camera has already applied settings (white balance, sharpening, contrast) and discarded data to create a smaller, ready-to-use file. ## Quick Comparison | Feature | RAW | JPEG | |---------|-----|------| | File size | Large (25-50 MB) | Small (3-10 MB) | | Editing flexibility | High | Limited | | Processing | Required | Ready to share | ## Worked Example **Scenario:** You photograph a sunset but the white balance is set to "cloudy" instead of "daylight," making the image too orange. - **With JPEG**: The orange color cast is baked into the file. Correcting it in editing will degrade quality and may look unnatural because color data has been discarded. - **With RAW**: You can simply change the white balance setting in post-processing (like Lightroom) as if you'd set it correctly in-camera. All the original sensor data is preserved, allowing perfect correction without quality loss. **Result:** The RAW file recovers accurate colors easily; the JPEG shows visible artifacts and color banding after correction.