1: The main differences between raw and JPEG are, the file sizes, with raw files being significantly bigger than JPEG image file formats, this is because they contain all the raw image information captured by your digital camera’s sensors, completely uncompressed, but shooting raw also means you will need a bigger memory card, and they will fill up quickly. JPEG files are a more manageable size because the data they contain is compressed. The next difference is image quality, the main advantage of shooting in RAW is that you end up with high-quality files to edit into the best possible image. Capturing and storing all the details that pass through your camera’s sensors means RAW files contain a wider dynamic range and far greater color spectrum than JPEGs. If a RAW image is under or overexposed, the wider dynamic range makes recovery a lot easier, with greater control over sharpening. Because RAW files are lossless, unprocessed, and uncompressed, they maintain their original high quality and don’t experience any drops in resolution due to resizing, and when your camera compresses a RAW file into a JPEG, it goes through a lossy compression process. The third main difference is editing and sharing, you will need to process and convert the RAW file into a JPEG, TIFF, or any other relevant format before it can be opened and edited, however Adobe Photoshop Lightroom lets you process RAW files, edit, and export as, for example, a JPEG or PNG making a copy so you still have the RAW file with all its detail. RAW files can be challenging, and you need special software if you are to receive them. The final main difference is speed, JPEG images are already processed, so can be quickly transferred from the camera and opened with editing software, or sent directly to someone, with no post-processing. Their smaller size makes transfers fast and avoids any camera slowdown when shooting, too. With RAW files, you need to factor in the time it will take to process and convert the file into a JPEG, PNG, or TIFF. This means storing two versions of the same image, which uses up more storage space, and leads to longer backups and transfers. It can also cause camera slowdown when shooting RAW, meaning your frame rate may fall.
2: A RAW file is bigger than a JPEG.
3: You can convert RAW files to JPEGs, you need to process and convert a RAW file into a JPEG, TIFF, or another relevant format before you can open and edit it. Software such as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom enables you to process RAW files, edit, and export as, for example, a JPEG or PNG making a copy so you still have the RAW file with all its detail.
4: If I were shooting an important event I would shoot it in RAW because it would be a bigger photo, with better quality, and I want the important event to be captured with all its details.