RAW file format: what it is and how to use it

RAW files are unprocessed camera sensor data: the digital negative with maximum editing latitude, in vendor-specific containers like ARW, NEF and CR3. Learn when to use it and what to choose instead.

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What is a RAW file?

A .raw file holds unprocessed camera sensor data, the Bayer-pattern photons before demosaic, white balance, sharpening or tone curves: the digital negative. Unlike .jpg it is not an image yet, and unlike .arw/.nef it often signals a generic or vendor-unspecific container, sometimes literally raw bytes with no metadata wrapper at all.

When should you use RAW?

  • Shooting photos: the capture format that preserves every stop of latitude.
  • Editing flexibility: exposure, white balance and color are decisions, not facts.
  • Archival masters: the sensor's honest record for re-processing later.

When is another format a better fit?

For a documented RAW standard use DNG; for vendor-specific captures the camera's own ARW/NEF/CR3 carry more context. For delivery, a developed JPG or TIFF; RAW is a source, never a product.

The short version: RAW is the undeveloped negative: the format you shoot and archive, then render into something viewable.

How to open a RAW file

On Windows

Double-click the file, or open it with Adobe Lightroom.

On macOS

darktable opens RAW files on macOS.

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Turn RAW files into another format, right in the browser.

Also opens in

  • Adobe Lightroom
  • darktable
  • RawTherapee
  • Capture One

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RAW technical details

Full name
Camera RAW image
Extensions
.raw
MIME type
image/x-adobe-dng, image/x-nikon-nef, image/x-sony-arw
Compression
Lossless or lossy
Developer
Camera vendors (various)

RAW questions, answered

How do I open a .raw file?

Camera RAWs open in Lightroom, Capture One and raw processors; generic .raw may need dimensions supplied. dexrr displays and converts raw files directly in your browser.

Can I convert RAW files online?

Yes, dexrr converts raw locally in your browser to jpg, png or tiff once the layout is known.

What is the difference between .raw and .arw/.nef?

ARW and NEF are vendor-documented raw containers; a bare .raw can be anything from a Sony/Nikon file to a headerless sensor dump, so the context decides.

Is RAW better than JPG?

For editing, decisively, since nothing is baked in. For sharing, the JPG is the developed version RAW exists to produce.

Is the RAW format outdated?

No, RAW capture is the professional standard; only its vendor-specific spellings (ARW, NEF, DNG) evolve.