Shooting in RAW on smartphones: try it yourself
This is the practical for the lesson. Work through it in order. Nothing here is a test of memory. Keep the lesson open if you need it and check the instructions as often as you like.
Aim
You should know whether RAW gives you a useful advantage for your own editing rather than using it simply because it sounds more advanced.
What you need
Your own camera or phone, enough battery power to complete the exercise, and a memory card or free storage space where your equipment requires it. You do not need to buy anything specially for this practical.
Do this step by step
- Check whether your phone has RAW, ProRAW or DNG capture.
- Photograph a scene with both bright and dark areas in the normal mode.
- Make a RAW version from the same position.
- Open both in software that supports the RAW file.
- Adjust exposure and white balance on both and notice how far each can be changed before quality breaks down.
- Compare file sizes.
What should happen
You should know whether RAW gives you a useful advantage for your own editing rather than using it simply because it sounds more advanced.
If it does not work
Stop rather than changing lots of things at once. Check that the camera is switched on, the battery has charge and the card or storage is available. Then return to the last step that definitely worked. If a named control is missing, your camera may use a different name or menu location. Check the manual for your exact model. Never force a card, battery, lens, door or control.
Before you finish
Explain out loud, or in one sentence on paper, what you changed and what happened. If you can explain the result in your own words, you have understood the exercise. If you cannot, repeat the part that was unclear.