Should I use RAW or JPEG in Lightroom?

If you wish to make a quick edit or directly use the image for social media, go with JPEGs. If you wish to edit the same image seriously, use the RAW file. I hope next time you import an image to Lightroom, these experiments will encourage you to shoot and edit in RAW format.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on digital-photography-school.com


Is it better to edit in RAW or JPEG?

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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on adobe.com


Do professional photographers use RAW or JPEG?

As you might expect, the tradeoff for these detailed files is that RAW files are quite a bit larger than JPEG files. Still, most professional photographers shoot in RAW because it gives them more information to work with in the post-processing phase.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on adobe.com


Is RAW better for Lightroom?

Both Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw edit Raw files non-destructively. This means that the Raw file stays the same, and edits are saved in a separate file. By default, Lightroom stores the changes in a special LRCAT catalogue file. Instead of using a cataloguing database, Adobe Camera Raw stores edits in a separate .
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on expertphotography.com


Why do my JPEGs look better than RAW?

It's because when you shoot in JPEG mode, your camera applies sharpening, contrast, color saturation, and all sorts of little tweaks to create a fully processed, good-looking final image.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on peachpit.com


How to handle RAW and JPEG in Lightroom



Do professionals use JPEG?

A JPEG is a type of image file that is popular for online uploads and media sharing. While many professionals consider JPEGs to be the image file format for philistines, high-quality JPEGs work well for photo prints and web design due to their small size.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dijifi.com


Is RAW sharper than JPEG?

JPEGs from the camera have sharpening applied to them, so they will always appear sharper than the unprocessed, demosaiced RAW image. If you save your RAW image as a JPEG, the resulting JPEG will always look exactly like the RAW image.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dpreview.com


Is it OK to edit JPEG in Lightroom?

You can safely say that editing JPGs in Lightroom reduce image quality is not an issue because the application is made to safeguard quality while effective editing happens.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on repairit.wondershare.com


Is Lightroom good for JPEG?

Lightroom doesn't work on the original JPEG file. But saves all the editing and applies them at the time of final display and export of the image. This way, the editor doesn't save your file multiple times, which could have degraded the JPEG image quality.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on stellarinfo.com


Is it better to edit raw photos in Lightroom or Photoshop?

On a high level, Lightroom is the best tool to manage and process the thousands of photos that live on your devices. Photoshop specializes in greater control to achieve more expansive edits that will help you make a few images look flawless.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on adobe.com


Should I always shoot in RAW?

The RAW format is ideal if you are shooting with the intent of editing the images later. Shots where you are trying to capture a lot of detail or color, and images where you want to tweak light and shadow, should be shot in RAW.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on format.com


Should you shoot a wedding in RAW?

To state it simply, the benefits to using RAW for an occasional wedding photographer outweigh the negatives, but it is truly a personal preference. Many professionals choose JPG, but many times that is for the benefits enjoyed post shoot, and those won't really apply to someone shooting 1 or 2 weddings.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on photo.stackexchange.com


Do pros shoot RAW?

While professional photographers will almost always shoot RAW over JPEG, there are times when the convenience of shooting JPEG might be more important than the creative control of shooting RAW.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on news.smugmug.com


Does converting RAW to JPEG lose quality?

When converting from raw to jpg you lose options for further image manipulation. This is not quite the same as image quality. You can make a black & white jpg from a raw file, it will have full resolution but there is no way to make the jpg color again.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on photo.stackexchange.com


Why do my RAW files look grainy?

Differences in the sharpening and noise reduction between that the camera uses and that a RAW image editor uses could create a small difference in the appearance of an image.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on photo.stackexchange.com


Why do RAW images look different?

RAW development is relatively complicated, and above all it's not clear-cut. Each program uses different processes, and so they all give different results. Likewise every camera has its own color profile and gives slightly different outputs.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on learn.zoner.com


What quality should I export in Lightroom?

The Resolution Lightroom export setting for high-resolution results should be 300 pixels per inch, and Output Sharpening will be based on the intended print format and the printer being used.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on shootdotedit.com


What format should I export photos from Lightroom?

Image Format: TIFF or JPEG. TIFF will have no compression artifacts and allows 16-bit export, so it is best for critical images. But for simple printing applications, or for sending high-megapixel images online, JPEG will drastically reduce your file size with generally minimal image quality loss.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on photographylife.com


What quality should I export JPEGs in Lightroom?

So, when you're exporting images for your clients, you can set your quality slider to as low as 77 without sacrificing any quality (or just going for an even 80 to makes things easier on yourself). If you're uploading your images to your website or using them for graphics, you can even export your JPEGs at 65-70.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on slrlounge.com


Can you use RAW images in Lightroom?

You can import your RAW files right into Lightroom and a photo editing company, like ShootDotEdit, can edit them from start to finish.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on shootdotedit.com


Why are my photos blurry in Lightroom?

Poor Focus. Focus is one of the top reasons why photos look blurry in Lightroom. There are many causes why poor focus takes place, like moving before focusing. Additionally, if you do not focus on your composition's main subject, pictures turn out blurry.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on repairit.wondershare.com


How do you fix image quality in Lightroom?

Increasing image quality using Super Resolution.
  1. Open your image in Lightroom.
  2. Choose Photo > Enhance.
  3. Select Super Resolution.
  4. Click Enhance. Lightroom will increase your image resolution and save it as a new DNG file. Any previous edits you've made to your new high-resolution photo will be included.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on adobe.com


How do you make a RAW picture look good?

RAW files are always flat and dull-looking before post-processing. RAW photo editing is necessary to balance the light and color to get your photos looking lifelike.
...
RAW photo editing from scratch
  1. Monotone images.
  2. Add a sepia look.
  3. Saturate or Desaturate.
  4. Colorize, Posterize and Solarize.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on digital-photography-school.com


Why RAW photos are not sharp?

But it's not exactly “sharp.” That's because the RAW file is raw. It hasn't had any sharpening applied. While it may be particularly evident in this image, this principle applies to every RAW image you shoot. Your images simply aren't sharp enough straight out of the camera; they must have sharpness applied.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dpmag.com


Why do professional photographers use RAW?

Professional photographers and serious enthusiasts capture still images as raw files whenever possible. The reason is simple: raw files provide more image data and give photographers much greater control over white balance, saturation, sharpening and contrast in their images.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on photoreview.com.au
Previous question
What does Rolex stand for?