Harley Sutherland
When shooting in RAW, the camera stores a preview image, often a JPEG, that is shown on the screen using white balance and other adjustments set in the camera. This preview image is compressed and does not take up much space. It is not a full-resolution image.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| File type | RAW |
| File format | Lossless |
| File size | Larger than JPEG |
| Image quality | Higher than JPEG |
| Image data | All image data is kept |
| Image editing | More control over the final image |
| Image preview | A full-size JPEG conversion of the image |
What You'll Learn
- The camera stores a preview image, possibly a JPEG, which is shown on the screen using white balance and other adjustments
- The preview image is stored within the RAW file itself
- The preview image is a thumbnail for easy preview without processing the image
- The preview image is heavily compressed, so it doesn't take up much space
- The camera decides whether to use the thumbnail or render the RAW data using stored settings
The camera stores a preview image, possibly a JPEG, which is shown on the screen using white balance and other adjustments
When shooting in RAW, the camera stores a preview image, possibly a JPEG, which is shown on the screen using white balance and other adjustments. This preview image is stored within the RAW file itself, although it is not full resolution and is heavily compressed. This means that the preview image does not add a lot of extra size to the RAW file.
The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen on the back of the camera is used to review photos, display menu options, and serve as a live viewfinder. The LCD screen can be used to check the focus, improve composition, and check the exposure of the photo. The sharpness of the LCD screen depends on the number of pixels the LCD can display. A display screen with more pixels of resolution will be sharper than one with fewer pixels.
RAW files are lossless and capture uncompressed data from the camera sensor. They are often referred to as digital negatives, as they contain the raw "ingredients" of a photo that will need to be processed to bring out the picture's full potential. JPEG files, on the other hand, are compressed versions of RAW files. They are smaller in size and the camera processes them to make the photos look more finished straight out of the camera.
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The preview image is stored within the RAW file itself
When shooting in RAW, the camera stores a preview image, possibly a JPEG, that is shown on the screen using white balance and other adjustments set in the camera. This preview image is stored within the RAW file itself.
Most RAW files include a thumbnail for easy preview without having to process the image. This thumbnail is not full resolution and is heavily compressed, so it does not take up much space. Without it, nothing that doesn't know how to process RAW files would be able to show what the file contains.
The preview image is used as the preview for MacOS, Windows, and many imaging apps to speed things up because processing and rendering the actual RAW information takes time and processor power.
Canon cameras, for example, create a preview JPEG that is about one-quarter the size of the original and heavily compressed, so it does not add a lot of extra size to the RAW file.
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The preview image is a thumbnail for easy preview without processing the image
When shooting in RAW, the camera stores a preview image, possibly a JPEG, that is shown on the screen using white balance and other adjustments set in the camera. This preview image is a thumbnail, a smaller version of the full digital image, which allows for easy previewing without processing the image.
Thumbnails are important as they give viewers a first impression and a preview of the image or video content. They are especially helpful when there are many media files, as they allow for easy browsing and viewing of multiple images at once. The term "thumbnail" originated with still images, but now also applies to videos.
Most RAW files include a thumbnail, which is not of full resolution and is heavily compressed. This means that the space consumption is not something to worry about. Without a thumbnail, nothing that doesn't know how to process RAW files would be able to show what the file contains.
The camera decides whether to use the thumbnail itself or to render the RAW data using the stored settings for display. Some camera models also support doing custom RAW processing right on the camera.
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The preview image is heavily compressed, so it doesn't take up much space
When you shoot in RAW, your camera often shows a preview image on the screen, but this isn't an accurate representation of the RAW file you're capturing. This preview, or "thumbnail" image, is a separate, compressed file, typically in JPEG format. The main reason for this is convenience and speed. A JPEG image can be quickly displayed on your camera's screen, allowing you to get a sense of the basic composition and exposure of your shot. This preview image is generated because RAW files, containing unprocessed sensor data, require time and processing power to be displayed.
The preview image is designed to give you a quick idea of the result of your shot, but it isn't meant for in-depth review or editing. As a result, it is heavily compressed and doesn't take up much space on your memory card. This compression reduces the file size significantly, often by a factor of 10 or more, compared to the actual RAW file. For example, a RAW file from a modern DSLR camera might be around 20-30MB, while the JPEG preview could be less than 2MB. This compression is achieved through a lossy compression algorithm, which discards some data to reduce file size.
The benefit of this compression is twofold: firstly, it ensures that your camera's memory card isn't filled with large, unnecessary preview files, and secondly, it allows for faster transfer and display of these preview images, both on your camera's screen and when downloading and reviewing them on a computer. It's important to note that while the preview image may not accurately represent the full dynamic range and color depth of your RAW file, it still serves as a useful reference for basic composition and exposure checks in the field.
You might notice that the preview image looks different from the actual RAW file when you import it into photo-editing software. This is because the software applies its own set of default settings to interpret and display the RAW data. You can often adjust these settings to retrieve more detail from the RAW file, highlighting the difference between the processed preview and the editable RAW data. So, while the preview image is convenient for a quick check, it's important to remember that the RAW file contains far more data and dynamic range, giving you more flexibility in post-processing.
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The camera decides whether to use the thumbnail or render the RAW data using stored settings
When shooting in RAW, most cameras will store a preview image, often in JPEG format, which is shown on the screen using white balance and other adjustments set in the camera. This preview image is embedded in the RAW file and is used to speed up the previewing process, as processing the RAW information takes time and processor power.
The camera decides whether to use the thumbnail preview image or render the RAW data using the stored settings. Some camera models also support custom RAW processing directly on the camera. The preview image is usually a full-size JPEG, but in some cases, it may be a smaller, heavily compressed version.
The preview image is useful when you want to quickly share lightweight images without using RAW processing software. It also allows you to see the camera's built-in effects, which are not applied to the underlying RAW image. Additionally, if the RAW image data becomes corrupted, extracting the preview image can be a way to salvage at least a lower-resolution version of the photo.
There are apps and software available, such as ERawP and PhotoMechanic, that can help you extract the preview JPEG from the RAW file. However, keep in mind that the preview image may not always accurately represent the final image, especially in terms of exposure and colour balance.
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Frequently asked questions
A RAW image file contains unprocessed or minimally processed data from a camera's image sensor. It is often referred to as a "digital negative" as it captures the full dynamic range of data from the sensor, which can then be processed and edited to bring out the image's full potential.
JPEG images are compressed versions of RAW files. They are smaller in size and the camera does a lot of the processing work for you, so JPEGs are often preferred for quick, ready-to-use images.
Shooting in RAW gives you more control over the final image. It preserves all the image data, allowing you to recover details in bright skies or dark shadows. It also gives you finer control over white balance, sharpness, and noise adjustments.
RAW files take up a lot more space on your memory card, about 5 times more than a JPEG. They also require additional time and work for processing and editing, so they add time to your workflow.
To view and edit RAW images, you'll need software that supports your camera's specific RAW file format. Most cameras come with their own software for this, and there are also many third-party options available, both free and paid.
