RAW or JPEG, which one is the right format? This is a common question for aspiring photographers and hobbyists alike. It’s a simple question with a simple answer and that answer is, it depends. Each has its pros and cons so it really comes down to your individual needs.

Who should shoot JPEG?

If you don’t want to be bothered with post-processing your photos and you’re satisfied with the quality, then jpegs will be fine for you. Even if you are comfortable with post processing, it’s sometimes just not worth it. If you’re taking snapshots of your child's birthday party, you’re probably not trying to create fine art. So just shoot jpeg, add them to your photo album and be done with it.

Who should shoot RAW?

If you have a camera that is capable of shooting raw, such as a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, you probably spent a decent sum of money to buy it. You’re probably also interested in becoming a more serious photographer, or, at least being able to create more compelling photos of those important moments. Raw files contain a massive amount of image data and you’ll need to process those photos after you’re done shooting to create a final image. After you’re done processing the photo, it’s exported as a jpeg, the same kind of file you would get from just shooting jpeg in the first place. The difference is that when you shoot jpeg, your camera is processing the photo for you using whatever preinstalled algorithm the camera came with. You can still edit a photo shot as jpeg but you won’t have the same level of detail available as you would with a raw file. For example, a photo might be underexposed with some areas that are seen as black, or so dark that any details are lost. With a jpeg, those details are just gone and can’t be recovered. That same shot in raw can still have all of that shadow information available so that you can bring the details back to that dark area that are just gone in a jpeg. That’s just a basic example. With the amount of detail available in raw, including shadows, highlights, color, etc., you’re afforded a far greater deal of creative freedom to process your images the way you intended them to be seen.

My suggestion, if you’re just taking snapshots then shoot jpeg. But why are you lugging around a camera for snapshots when you could just use your phone?