Adam Kos It was with the iPhone 12 Pro generation that Apple "finally" made it possible to shoot RAW photos to a DNG file in the native Camera app. Finally, it is in quotation marks because this function really only has its place in the Pro models of iPhones, and is completely unnecessary for the average user. Why?
Many regular users may think that if they shoot in RAW, their photos will be better. So they buy an iPhone 12, 13, 14 Pro, turn on Apple ProRAW (Settings -> Camera -> Formats) and then get disillusioned with two things.
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1. Storage Claims
RAW photos eat up a lot of storage space because they contain a really huge amount of data. Such photos are not compressed to JPEG or HEIF, they are a DNG file that contains all available information as captured by the camera's sensor. A 12 MPx photo is thus easily 25 MB, a 48 MPx photo normally reaches 75 MB, but it is not a problem to exceed even 100 MB. A normal JPEG is between 3 and 6 MB, while HEIF is half that for the same photo. So RAW is completely unsuitable for snapshots, and if you turn it on and shoot with it, you can very quickly run out of storage - either on the device or in iCloud.
2. Necessity of editing
The advantage of RAW is that it carries just the right amount of data, thanks to which you can play with the photo to your heart's content in the subsequent editing process. You can tune fine details, which JPEG or HEIF won't allow you, because the compressed data is somehow already compressed and thus destroyed. This advantage is, of course, also a disadvantage. RAW photography is not pleasing without additional editing, it is pale, without color, contrast and sharpness. By the way, check out the comparison below. The first photo is RAW, the second JPEG (the images are reduced for the needs of the website, you can download and compare them <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1932/8043/files/200721_ODSTOUPENI_BEZ_UDANI_DUVODU__EN.pdf?v=1595428404" data-gt-href-en="https://en.notsofunnyany.com/">here</a>).
Since the "smart" Apple does not allow shooting in 48 MPx other than in RAW, thinking about buying an iPhone 14 Pro with regard to taking regular 48 MPx photos is misguided - that is, when considering taking photos with the native Camera application, third-party applications can do it, but you may not suit. If you are going to take photos at 12 MPx, you will find only one better machine on the market in the form of the Honor Magic4 Ultimate (according to DXOMark). However, if you do not have professional interests, and if you do not really want to delve further into RAW, you can easily forget about the secrets of this format together with shooting up to 48 MPx and it does not have to bother you in any way.
Gallery
For many, it is easier to take a photo and not worry about it, at most edit it in Photos with a magic wand. Paradoxically, this is often enough, and a layman doesn't really know the difference between this and an hour of work on a RAW photo. It's definitely nice that Apple has included this format, it doesn't even matter that it only provides it in Pro models. Those who want one automatically look for iPhones with the Pro moniker, those who would then like to penetrate its secrets should first find out what it is actually about.
- You can buy the iPhone 14 Pro Max for example at Mobile Emergency (you can also take advantage of the Buy, sell, sell, pay off action, in which you can get an iPhone 14 from 98 CZK per month)
