JPEG is the most common file format due to its good quality ad compression ratio for storing realistic images. This file format compresses in order to reduce the file size without loosing quality. The file size would be about 10 to 40 percent of the original photo. JPEG is recognized by programs for viewing photos since the photo is close to finished and is ready to be printed. But because JPEG compresses the file, it often looses data and quality, leaving a small margin for editing. Resulting in the more inferior file format compared to Raw.

On the other hand, Raw is not really a file format but simply a direct output from the sensor written into a file without processing or compression. A Raw photograph would be the size of the original photo in order to keep all original effects on the photograph. They can only be read by few programs meant for editing photos, resulting in the photo looking badly shot or with low contrast. But on the other hand, professionals prefer Raw because they don’t print the photos right away. Raw allows them to process it to make it look how they intended it too, giving the photography large margins for editing and enhancement. This is truly where Raw shines the brightest.