# Outdoors > Photography and Video >  Question re digital terminolagy

## Huk

Can someone tell me what RAW means when they talk about a camera being to shoot in that  cheers Huk

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## Gerbs

Well, you know how some cameras save files as JPG or JPEG etc, and thats how most pictures on the internet are saved?
RAW is the data straight from the camera sensor. It contains a LOT more information (and takes up a LOT more room!) than a JPG file does.
Because of this its easier to retouch a photo - make it brighter, make colours more vivid etc - using the RAW photo because there is heaps more data to work with.
Different cameras sometimes call it something different - my Nikon saves RAW as a .NEF file.

Translation - for the average guy who just wants to take a photo, don't worry about RAW. If you start getting into cameras as a hobby or interest, then RAW is good.
If you're out hunting and want to get a quick snap, or take a photo of that monster kingi on the back of your boat? Ordinary JPG will work just fine. (which is what most digital cameras save as)

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## Huk

Thanks Gerbs that was a very good descrip for a novice point n shoot just read it on a camera review cheers

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## BobGibson

A lot of people are not aware that every time you save a jpeg image it gets compressed a little more and so digital data is lost.
Over time this results in a degraded image. If you do it often enough you can see it in the highlight and shadow areas of the pic.
If you want to publish of make large prints its best to do all you editing to a copy of your RAW image. Then you will always have the original file to work with if it all goes pear shaped.
Sure RAW images are large but they do contain all the digital information recorded by the camera.
Also not all RAW image files are the same format. So some editing software may not handle RAW image files from some cameras.

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## Gibo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ITLNzPoEqs

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