What’s the distinction between the RAW, HEIF a JPG picture format?
Initially, it is the compression. Each, the JPEG and HEIF picture format use a lossy compression to scale back the file dimension of the picture. A RAW file can also be compressed, however utilizing a lossless compression. So all of the picture information from the digicam sensor is preserved.
Second, in the event you save your images in JPEG or HEIF format, the iPhone digicam system will apply some software program magic to your images to enhance general sharpness, distinction, saturation and to scale back noise.
Initially, such automated submit processing would not occur in the event you select to save lots of your picture as a RAW picture. However then Apple launched Apple ProRAW.
In comparison with the basic RAW format, which doesn’t apply any software program processing to the picture, Apple ProRAW applies some picture processing like good HDR, deep fusion and even night time mode whereas nonetheless retaining a variety of the advantages of the unique RAW format, particularly relating to adjusting publicity, coloration or white steadiness.
So, which means there are two totally different RAW file codecs on iPhone: the basic RAW file format and AppleProRAW.
The RAW file format and extension
Each, the basic RAW format and Apple ProRAW might be saved within the Digital Damaging format that Adobe developed. You’ll be able to shortly establish such a RAW file by the file extension DNG. However you may’t distinguish from the file extension if its a basic RAW picture or an Apple ProRAW picture.
Please beware that, technically, any picture will be saved as a DNG. So simply because the extension of a picture file is .dng doesn’t suggest it is a RAW file!
RAW recordsdata in DNG format are bigger then JPEG or HEIF images. A basic RAW picture shot on any iPhone is normally round 12 megabytes. That dimension comes from the 12 megapixel picture decision of the picture sensor at a coloration depth of 8 bit.
Apple ProRAW recordsdata can turn into fairly big as a result of they not solely comprise the picture information because the sensor sees it but in addition extra data originating from good HDR, low gentle mode or deep fusion. Additional, Apple ProRAW images have a coloration depth of 12 bit as a substitute of 8 bit.
Checking the Apple ProRAW recordsdata on my iPhone I see that the typical dimension of a ProRAW picture is between 20 and 25 megabytes. Images shot utilizing night time mode are usually bigger than images shot in the course of the daytime.
My largest Apple ProRAW picture is nearly 30 megabytes!
RAW Images require submit processing
RAW images aren’t meant for sharing however for processing. So, earlier than you share a RAW picture, you may must digitally develop it utilizing a RAW editor. And here’s a pitfall: DNG recordsdata may additionally comprise a JPEG model of the RAW picture that is used as a preview.
So, ff you open a RAW picture with a photograph modifying app that is not able to dealing with RAW images, the app could use the embedded JPG preview, and you may edit the preview as a substitute of the RAW picture.
It is also value noting that an iPhone RAW picture might look worse than a corresponding JPEG file at first sight. And that is as a result of the digicam doesn’t apply any automated changes to the RAW picture. Here is a screenshot of Adobe Lightroom Cellular as an example that.
The primary picture is an unedited RAW picture, whereas the second is a screenshot of the identical image with some changes utilized.
