When we take photos with the iPhone, we can do so in the ProRAW format. This is a format that allows us, for example, to capture images with a resolution of 48 MP, and that's just the beginning of what ProRAW can offer us. Let's clarify some concepts to understand what ProRAW is and how to use the Pro Raw photographic format on our iPhone.
RAW: a great photographic advantage in capture and post-production
The concept of digital photography has evolved significantly since its beginnings. When capturing an image, what we do is expose the camera sensor to ambient light through a lens. This process hasn't changed much from the days of analog photography, but the way we process that information has evolved.
Traditionally, cameras, including those on the iPhone, automatically adjust aspects such as white balance, exposure, and orientation to deliver an image in standard formats like JPEG or PNG. However, these automated adjustments don't always align with our artistic vision.
This is where the RAW format comes into play. This format captures all the sensor information unprocessed, allowing us to make adjustments in post-production with much more flexibility and precision. Thanks to the ability to modify parameters such as lighting or color without the limitations of an already processed file with less information, we achieve superior quality and complete customization of our images.
Apple's innovation: ProRAW
ProRAW represents Apple's answer to the need for a RAW format that adapts to the hardware limitations of phones. Unlike a professional camera, the iPhone has inherent size and optical capacity limitations. Just think about the sizes of lenses in professional cameras to understand the huge difference.
This difference is compensated for by what we call computational photography, where computer models manage to offer us outstanding photographic quality using hardware with certain limitations. So, if all the photos coming out of an iPhone's camera have to be processed by the system, how can a RAW file be obtained?
In response to that question, Apple has developed ProRAW, which integrates minimal processing to the pure information captured by the sensor. This preprocessing includes combining data from multiple lenses and adjustments based on depth information from LiDAR, resulting in a file as rich in data as a traditional RAW and ready for detailed editing.
How to activate and use ProRAW in our photos
The purpose of shooting in ProRAW, then, is to prepare us for a post-production session. In this context, the format is invaluable both for large-scale photographic projects and for situations where we seek a specific effect that we cannot achieve with the camera's default settings.
Here, ProRAW provides us the necessary flexibility to reach the exact vision we have for our images. And all we have to do to start is activate the format. Just go to the Camera settings from the Settings app, enter Formats, and enable Apple ProRAW. Then, before capturing an image with the Camera app, we simply tap the RAW button to use this format.
The image will be saved in the photo library as usual. Then, we can edit it directly in the Photos app or using professional editing software like Adobe Photoshop or Affinity Photo, for example. Here, we will achieve maximum flexibility with any editing and will be able to give our images the exact look we are looking for.
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