SUMMARY
Leigh & Raymond Photography compared RAW and JPEG files from the Leica D-Lux 8, Lumix S1R II, Lumix G9 II, and Nikon Z9 during a Grand Canyon sunset. While a severely underexposed shot of a raven in flight demonstrated a clear advantage for the RAW file in detail and color fidelity, other scenarios yielded surprising results. JPEGs from the Lumix G9 II and Nikon Z9 were recovered cleanly from heavy underexposure and white balance issues, respectively, without needing RAW. The Leica D-Lux 8 also showed nearly identical results between formats. The test suggests that in-camera settings and shooting discipline can significantly impact the need for RAW files.
TAKEAWAYS
RAW vs. JPEG tested at Grand Canyon sunset with four cameras.
JPEG files were surprisingly recoverable in several underexposed and white balance scenarios.
Only a severely underexposed raven image showed a clear advantage for RAW files.
In-camera settings and shooting discipline influence the need for RAW.