1. Extra Data
RAW files are much bigger than JPEGs because they contain more data (details) than JPEGs. An average JPEG file is between three and eight megabytes. On the other hand, a typical RAW format file can be between 25 and 125 MB). So as you can see, RAW files will take up much more storage space. In their unedited version, they’re so huge that sending them via email isn’t practical.
So, why would it be worth shooting in RAW? It’s worth it because when you shoot a picture in RAW, it retains valuable data captured when you took the picture. You can think of that data as a treasure trove when editing the image in post-processing.
When you shoot a JPEG, the camera’s algorithm will discard (or try to discard) data it feels unnecessary without changing the image’s appearance. The loss of that data reduces the size of the file, which means it will take up less storage. That’s great for your storage space, but it also means you will have less detail to work with when editing the image.
Less detail means less editing flexibility because you only have so much data with which to work. On the other hand, the amount of data contained in a RAW file allows you to do so much more with an image than you could with a JPEG.
The ability to do more with the RAW data can be valuable when working with landscape images. For example, a JPEG won’t give you the range of details you need because landscape photography often deals with high-dynamic range scenes. However, a RAW file would.
