What is the benefit of shooting RAW compared to JPEG?

• A. RAW captures unprocessed sensor data with greater dynamic range and editing latitude.
• B. RAW files are always smaller than JPEGs.
• C. JPEG files allow more editing latitude.
• D. JPEG preserves more highlight detail than RAW.

Answer: (A)

Shooting in RAW preserves the unprocessed data straight from the sensor, giving you more tonal information and flexibility. RAW files typically capture more bits per channel and haven’t gone through in-camera processing like white balance, sharpening, or compression. That means you can recover more detail in both shadows and highlights, adjust white balance after the shot without introducing artifacts, and make broader, non-destructive edits to exposure, contrast, color, and noise reduction. JPEGs, by contrast, are processed and compressed in camera, with baked-in decisions about color and tone, which limits how much you can alter the image later without degrading quality. So the major advantage of RAW is the combination of greater dynamic range and editing latitude, enabling more reliable post-processing. The other statements don’t fit because RAW isn’t smaller, JPEG does not offer more editing latitude, and JPEG doesn’t preserve more highlight detail than RAW.