Difference between RAW and JPEG?

There are two different file types that digital cameras use: JPEG and RAW. The format chosen not only effects the file size of the image but its quality.

JPEG

These are images that the camera’s computer has condensed for you - removing any additional information - by using the settings you selected it forms the final digital image. There are settings to choose the quality of the JPEG , however the higher the quality the more space is taking up on the card. Saving out at the largest size is always a good option as you never know what size that image is going to be used at. A ‘fine’ JPEG, is the format that produces the least compression, resulting in a high quality final photo.

RAW

This is a format which includes all the image’s information calculated by the camera, allowing more control over adjustments later. As expected this takes up a lot more space on a memory card and takes a couple more tenths of a second for the camera to write the data onto the card. Once adjustments are made on a computer, the image is then saved as a separate JPEG, condensing the information in order to be able to viewed. So cameras can shoot in both formats. This may be chosen to view the exposures a little quicker before deciding which RAWs to adjust at a later date. The RAW files, although can not be used in the end, they are always good to keep, in case different settings are decided to be applied.