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Home / Photo Guide / Chapter 7
7/11
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✓
Pixel and
✓Pixel Quality
✓CCD vs
✓Sensor Formats
✓Image Processing
✓The Science
7RAW vs
8Data Flow
9Optics and
10Advanced Exposure
11Underwater Photography
Chapter 7 - pratique

RAW vs JPEG in Underwater Photography: Which Format to Choose?

RAW or JPEG for diving? Why RAW is essential underwater. Advantages, disadvantages and a guide for the underwater photographer.

RAW vs JPEG in Underwater Photography: Which Format to Choose?

The RAW format: the digital negative

RAW contains all the raw data from the sensor, without processing. It offers 12 to 16 bits per channel, adjustable white balance, extended dynamic range for capturing shadows and highlights, and non-destructive processing.

The JPEG format: ready to use

An image processed by the ISP (Image Signal Processor) and compressed with lossy compression. Small, universal, and immediate. However, every piece of information removed is permanently lost.

CriterionRAWJPEG
DataRaw, un-processedProcessed and compressed
Color depth12-16 bits8 bits
File size25-80 MB5-15 MB

🧪 Outils interactifs

❓ Frequently asked questions

Pourquoi le RAW est-il indispensable en photo sous-marine ?

L'eau impose des corrections majeures (balance blancs, ombres, couleur). Le RAW 12-16 bits permet ces ajustements sans degradation. Le JPEG 8 bits ne le permet pas.

Le RAW prend-il beaucoup de place ?

25 a 80 Mo par fichier. Une carte 64 Go couvre 3-4 plongees en RAW 24 MP (environ 200 photos par plongee).

Peut-on faire RAW + JPEG ?

Oui. Le JPEG sert d'apercu rapide et partage, le RAW pour le traitement final. Excellent compromis pour debuter.

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White balance
Adjustable without loss
Fixed
Shadow recoveryExcellent (+3 EV)Very limited
Underwater VerdictESSENTIALOnly for supplementary use

Why RAW is non-negotiable underwater

Water imposes systematic corrections: shifted white balance, frequent underexposure, and loss of contrast. Only RAW offers the necessary flexibility. Attempting to recover lost reds in JPEG generates noise and irreversible posterization.

In underwater photography, not shooting in RAW is like diving without a dive computer: it's possible, but you lose all your safety margin.