RAW photos are known for their high level of picture details. They offer a great degree of potential to produce higher quality images, as they contain all the detailed information captured by the sensor of your smartphone or digital camera. They are widely used for photo editing and improving the overall quality of the photos.
Where Are RAW Photo Files Used?
Think of RAW photos as your digital negatives in their original, purest form. Because RAW photos contain the deepest amount of picture details, they provide image editors and professional photographers more flexibility while editing the photos.
They are also considered a non-destructive image format. This is because unlike other formats, modifying the exposure or color balance of a RAW photo does not permanently alter the original data. It is easier to recover from common mistakes such as incorrect shadow adjustments, brightness and color settings, as the original data is preserved in the RAW photos. This makes RAW photos a good choice for those who are still learning photo editing, hobbyist photographers, or those who want to have more control over the post-processed output.
Keep in mind RAW photos are not meant to be used for direct photo printing, or sharing photos on the web.
Examples of Popular RAW Photo Formats
RAW files come in a variety of formats, as they are created by different companies for use in digital cameras and smartphones. Some of these formats are proprietary, while others are open-source. Keep in mind there is not a single standard format for RAW photos.
Some of the popular RAW photo formats include:
- DNG: This is an open-source, non-proprietary RAW file format. It was originally developed by Adobe. It is used by an increasing number of people on a wide variety of digital cameras.
- RAF: This file format is used on Fujifilm digital cameras to take high-quality photos. You can open it using Adobe Photoshop Express.
- CR2: CR2 is an abbreviation of Canon Raw Version 2. This file format is developed by Canon for its digital cameras. Many applications including PaintShop Pro support opening it.
- ORF: ORF file format is primarily used on Olympus digital cameras. The headers of the ORF files contain numerous image properties such as image brightness, saturation, contrast and color temperature.
- NEF: This file format is used by the popular Nikon brand for its cameras.
- ARW: This is a proprietary file format for Sony digital cameras. Normally, you don’t need special third-party apps to open ARW files. Windows Photos and Windows Live Photo Gallery are able to open it.
- SRW: This is another popular RAW file format for Samsung digital cameras. A long range of third-party applications including Adobe AffectEffects, Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom support it.
Windows 11 RAW Photos Deduplication
Why is RAW Photos Duplication a Bigger Concern?
Typically, RAW photos are larger in size compared to other image formats. This is because RAW photos are captured by the sensor of your smartphone or digital camera. As unprocessed photos, RAW photos contain all sorts of descriptive metadata added by the camera sensor.
In contrast, other photo formats are optimized to take less storage. For example: when you convert a RAW photo file to another format (such as a JPEG), it removes a lot of image data, which is why your processed file takes a smaller size in comparison to the RAW image.
Identify & Delete Duplicate RAW Files
Method 1: Using the Photos App
- Open the Photos app. If the Photos app was previously uninstalled, you may re-download it from the Microsoft Store.
- Click on the Folders tab.
- Select the folder you want to scan for duplicates.
- Click on the Sort by icon.
- Choose the Name criteria.
- Your RAW images will be sorted by their names. It’s now easier to identify and remove duplicates.
Note: Not all RAW file formats are supported by the Photos app.
Method 2: Using the File Explorer
- Open the File Explorer, and navigate to the folder that contains your RAW photos.
- Click on the Sort icon, and select the Name criteria.
- Your photo files will now be sorted in an alphabetical manner.
- It’s now easier to identify and remove duplicate RAW photos.
