Image Formats: RAW or JPEG

All digital SLRs support raw, and many are capable of recording images in raw and JPEG at the same time. Which format is best?

RAW Format:

For pure image quality, you can't beat raw. The raw format is simply a recording of the light values as seen by each pixel when the image is captured on the camera sensor.

Advantages: There are no modifications made to the data, and it's stored in the full bit depth supported by the camera (typically 12 bits) for the maximum color information.

Disadvantages: You can't just take a raw file from your camera and print a photo. There is some pre-processing required first to render the unprocessed sensor data to a useable file format, such as a JPEG or TIFF.

JPEG Format:

JPEG is the most useable file format around for photos.

Advantages: Every online photo lab, Wal-Mart, kiosk, and other photo-printing location supports JPEG photos directly. If your images are taken in JPEG, then you can take the memory card out of your camera, pop it into their machine, and it spits out all the photos you want with minimal effort.

Disadvantages: When you shoot with JPEG, you start out by throwing away image information. dSLR cameras, in raw mode, are capable of recording in 12-bit color; that's 4,096 color values per pixel. Shooting in JPEG mode reduces that to 8-bit color or 256 color values per pixel.