JPG is a digital image format which contains compressed image data , the small file size of JPG images allows storing of thousands of images in small memory space. JPG images are also widely used for printing and editing purposes.

A raw file is the most common file format for uncompressed images captured by digital cameras and scanners. Raw files are generally large in size because it contains minimally processed image data with lossless quality. It contains the direct image data from the camera sensors with no loss of quality and alteration. Basically, this file format is used to store the fullest details of the captured images so that they can be edited with users taste and preference. RAW files can’t be printed or edited with basic bitmap graphics software. For RAW files After Shot Pro is one of the best software available.

Comparing & Contrast

A raw file is a file containing all of the information recorded by your camera’s sensor during exposure. In contrast, a JPEG file is a file that has been compressed by your camera, and does not contain all of the information recorded by your camera’s sensor during exposure. We can easily access (in order to open, view and print) a JPEG file through any image viewing/editing or multimedia program. On the other hand, RAW is a proprietary format whose access is limited to the type of camera, manufacturer of the camera from which the photograph has been taken. Therefore, the raw file can only be accessed by camera-specific software and programs. RAW file store all the information as captured by the optical instrument. As against, JPEG discards some part of the information from the file. A JPEG file can contain 256 levels of brightness whereas RAW file can hold 4096 to 16,384 levels of brightness. There is no compression performed over a RAW file. In contrast, the JPEG format compresses the image file to some certain level.