Answer
Should I shoot RAW or JPEG?
RAW for serious editing and recoverable highlights/shadows. JPEG for fast sharing and limited storage. Most modern cameras shoot both simultaneously — turn that on and decide later.
RAW
Uncompressed sensor data. Huge files (25-100 MB). Maximum editing latitude — recover blown highlights, lift deep shadows, change white balance after the fact. Requires processing in Lightroom, Capture One, or similar.
JPEG
Camera-processed and compressed. Small files (5-15 MB). Looks great straight out of camera, especially Fujifilm's film simulations. Limited editing room before banding and color shifts appear.
When to shoot RAW
- Weddings, events, paid work
- Tricky lighting (sunsets, mixed indoor light)
- Landscape and any high-dynamic-range scene
- Any image you might print large
When JPEG is fine
- Casual social sharing
- Sports/burst shooting where buffer matters
- Travel where storage and import time are constraints
The hybrid approach
Shoot RAW + JPEG. Use JPEG for instant sharing, keep RAW for the keepers. Modern cards make the storage hit irrelevant.
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