Camera
Why Raw video might not be the game-changer you expect
| External recorders such as the Atomos Ninja V shown here can encode a Raw video stream into a formats such as Apple’s ProRes RAW. |
Raw video has become something of a talking point as more and more cameras have provided a way of capturing or outputting Raw video data streams. But, for a couple of reasons, Raw video doesn’t offer the same benefits that photographers are used to enjoying, when they shoot stills.
Raw video formatsThere are multiple types of Raw available and the experience of using each will differ somewhat, but the underlying benefits are broadly similar. RED and ARRI use their own Raw formats, currently only offered on their own cameras. But for non-pro work, it’s much more likely that you’ll encounter CinemaDNG, ProRes RAW or BRaw. Adobe’s CinemaDNG is an open system based on its stills DNG format, offered natively on the Sigma fp and some external recorders. Atomos has licensed Apple’s ProRes RAW format and BlackMagic Design has created its own BRaw format, both of which allow their external recorders to encode the Raw output streams from a variety of popular cameras. |
So, before you add it to your must-have list of features for your next camera (or your list of camera features for brand-loyal point-scoring arguments in the comments), let’s look at why you might not want to dive into Raw shooting just yet.
We’re going to focus on ProRes RAW in this article, since its adoption by Atomos means it’s the Raw video format available to the widest number of camera models, at present. But many of the points are applicable to other formats, to a greater or lesser degree.
1) There’s a lot of extra work to be done
The first time you look at a Raw video file, the first thing you’re likely to notice is how much processing your camera usually does when creating video. For a start, the video is likely to need some re-sizing: both the Panasonic S-series cameras and Sony’s a7S III output roughly 16:9 regions taken from the full width of their sensors, meaning 5.9K or 4.2K, respectively. The Nikon Z6 instead sub-samples its sensor, in order to output an unprocessed UHD signal. Unfortunately, this pixel skipping reduces resolution and introduces moiré, compared with the in-camera 5.9K-derived footage. It also results in noisier footage, because it’s not using all the available pixels.
Once downsized, there’s still a lot of work to be done. You’ll need to find a sharpening and noise reduction strategy that suits your camera’s output, which is likely to require a fair degree of experimentation with different settings and plugins, if you want results that look as clean or sharp as the camera’s own compressed footage. Then there’s the need to reduce and mask any moiré in the footage: something your camera is likely to be doing pretty well without you realizing it.
2) The software support isn’t especially polished
Beyond gaining finer control over the processing applied to your footage, perhaps the two strongest reasons for wanting to shoot Raw are that it should give you greater flexibility over tonal adjustments (ability to brighten footage, adjust curves and exploit dynamic range) and the ability to make big white balance adjustments without detrimental impact on the footage.
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| Even when they’re available, the Raw adjustment tools in Final Cut Pro are limited and duplicate the function (though not effect) of existing tools elsewhere in the interface. |
In the case of ProRes RAW, the tools available to make these adjustments aren’t always particularly polished, despite Apple controlling both the format and Final Cut Pro. Not all cameras appear to communicate enough information in their data streams, meaning the Raw adjustment controls for white balance and brightness (‘ISO’) are not available for some cameras.
For instance in Final Cut Pro these options, when available, are simple pull-downs in the ‘Info’ tab, rather than full tools in the video or color inspector tabs. And, because they’ve been added on later, when they are available their functions overlap with the existing brightness and white balance tools designed for use on gamma-encoded footage. The result is a rather inelegant duplication of options, which have different ways of working and differing effectiveness.
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| Raw output options are becoming increasingly common. This image shows the Sony a7S III which can output 4.2K Raw at up to 60p. |
Our best experiences so far have been with the likes of REDRaw, which can be adjusted using tools designed to match the camera.
3) There’s less potential for improvement.
The other important thing to recognize is that Raw video won’t give as much of an improvement over gamma-encoded, compressed footage as you’d experience when comparing JPEG files to Raw stills.
As well as having more powerful adjustment software available for photography, the difference between the two filetypes used for stills is greater. For photos, the option is typically between 8-bit JPEGs and 12 or 14-bit Raw files, and these JPEGs are designed as final images. As such, they’ve typically had very aggressive S-shaped tone curves applied to them, to give a punchy final result. Looking at a typical JPEG tone curve, we found that around 174 (of 256) data values were committed to the four-stop range centered on middle grey. With just 32% of the available data values available for the other five stops of shadows and highlights, it should come as no surprise that there’s not much scope for adjusting the highlights or exploiting additional dynamic range from the shadows.
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| This JPEG tone curve, taken from a camera’s standard color mode, devotes around 68% of its values to the two stops on either side of middle grey. As you can imagine, trying to make significant adjustments to the highlights or shadows, squeezed into the remaining values, doesn’t work very well. |
But in video the next-best thing to Raw isn’t an 8-bit file with priority given to mid-tones; it’s more likely to be a 10-bit file in which roughly equal importance is given to every tone in the footage, specifically with the intention of preserving the ability to make adjustments. Apple doesn’t give enough information about the ProRes RAW format, meaning we can’t be sure what happens when the 16, 14 or 12-bit linear Raw readout from the camera is encoded into the 12-bits that ProRes RAW uses.
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| A Log curve (Sony’s S-Log3 in this instance) distributes the available values much more equally. This arrangement and the move from 8 to 10-bit precision maintains a great deal more editing flexibility than the JPEG represented above. Consequently, there’s less of a gain to be had by moving to Raw. |
This lack of disclosure makes it difficult to make exact comparisons, but the difference, in terms of how much of the original information is retained between a Log-encoded 10-bit signal and a (presumably) quasi-linear 12-bit capture, is going to be much, much smaller than the difference between JPEGs and Raw stills. This is also why Raw video, with a single 12-bit value for every pixel, isn’t unbearably large by comparison with gamma-encoded footage (which has to retain up to three 10-bit values per pixel, depending on the chroma sub-sampling and group-of-pictures compression scheme being used).
Changing ‘ISO’RED cameras don’t change in-camera amplification when you change the ISO setting, and just brighten the footage to match your choice of rendering in ‘post. Similarly, some Sony pro video cameras, such as the FX6 and FX9 include a ‘Cine EI’ (EI = Exposure Index) mode, which locks the cameras to one of the two gain steps of their dual gain sensors, again with the expectation that the output can be brightened later, as needed. In principle this should be possible with any ProRes RAW footage but the processing software would need to know how much gain had already been applied to the footage. We suspect the lack of communication about which ISO mode has been used (especially in Auto ISO mode, where in-camera amplification could change within a single clip) is part of the reason the ‘ISO’ adjustment option isn’t available for all cameras. In principle, once implemented, it would be possible to use the likes of the Z6 II, S1H or a7S III as an ‘EI’ camera, always shooting at a base ISO setting to allow the greatest possible adjustment, later. |
Importantly, this means ProRes RAW should still give you lots of flexibility in terms of white balance (so long as the color channels haven’t been rendered and ‘baked’ relative to one another), but you won’t gain the leaps in dynamic range and tonal adjustment that you get with processing Raw stills. In fact your dynamic range may fall if the Raw comes from noisier, sub-sampled output.
Other ‘Raw’ video formats appear to demosaic (resolve the color for each pixel) and chroma sub-sample before recording the file, which would reduce some of this white balance flexibility, too.
In summary
Raw video is clearly going to become more common. With cameras starting to include internal capture, and manufacturers recognizing the benefits of working with companies such as Atomos and BlackMagic Design to offer external capture, it’s only likely to become more accessible.
In turn, the usefulness of Raw video is likely to increase as adoption increases and software makers get better at providing and integrating the tools needed to make the most of it.
And working from Raw still gives you some degree of additional control over:
- Image processing and noise reduction
- Brightness, tonal distribution and dynamic range
- white-balance adjustments
However it’s not going to be as dramatic a difference as you see with stills. And, given there’s already a well-established approach for capturing high-DR, flexible footage and most editing software already provides the tools to make use of it, for now you may find a camera with well-processed 10-bit Log capture is a more practical way to shoot gradable footage.
| Image: GoPro |
While the word “Black” in GoPro camera names signifies it is the top-of-the-line model, it has, for some time, also referenced the color of the action cams. While there were silver and white GoPros at one point, the last six generations have all exclusively featured an all-black design. Now, the white color is back for a time, since the action camera giant has announced a limited edition white version of the GoPro Hero13 Black.
While some may simply prefer white for aesthetic reasons, it also has some practical use. If your GoPro falls somewhere, white is generally more noticeable than black, making it easier to locate. Of course, the opposite is true for snow sports, but against grass, rock and other surfaces, white will stand out.
The GoPro Hero13 Black in Polar White is exactly the same as the black version but with a white exterior. The durable action camera offers 5.3K60 video, HyperSmooth 6.0 stabilization and a Type 1/1.9 (6.3 x 5.5mm) CMOS sensor. It uses GoPro’s long-lasting Enduro battery, providing 1.5 hours of continuous recording in 5K 30p or 4K 30p.
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| Photo: GoPro |
Like the black color, the Hero13 Black in Polar White is compatible with the new interchangeable HB-Series Lenses. These lens mods use auto detection, so you don’t have to change settings when attaching a new lens. Options include an Ultra Wide Lens Mod, Macro Lens Mod and a set of four ND filters. Additionally, the Anamorphic Lens Mod, which results in cinematic-looking 21:9 ultra-wide footage, is also available for purchase as of today. It’s been a bit of a wait for that lens, as it was initially announced in September last year.
The limited edition Polar White model is available for purchase today on GoPro’s website for $400, the same price as the original version of the GoPro Hero13 Black. If you already own the Hero13 Black but like the idea of having a white camera, you can purchase a white silicon sleeve with a lanyard to reskin your camera. That sleeve is also available in blue and black.
Buy now:
Press release:
Introducing the Limited Edition Polar White Color of the Award-Winning GoPro HERO13 Black
Best-In-Class 5.3K Video, HyperSmooth 6.0 Video Stabilization and Interchangeable HB-
Series Lenses Compatibility in a Crisp New Color
SAN MATEO, Calif., March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO) announced its flagship HERO13 Black camera is available in a limited edition Polar White colorway. Available today for $399.99.
Now customers can elevate their adventures and capture every moment in style. The striking new color brings a fresh look to GoPro’s flagship camera, which features best-in-class 5.3K60 video, HyperSmooth 6.0 video stabilization, legendary GoPro durability, magnetic mounting and the powerful Enduro battery.
The camera is compatible with the all-new, interchangeable HB-Series Lenses with Auto Detection. These lenses make it easy to expand the range of creative shots you can capture with HERO13 Black:
- The industry’s widest-angle, most stable, immersive POV shots with the $99.99 MSRP Ultra Wide Lens Mod
- Close-focus shots with the $129.99 MSRP Macro Lens Mod
- Easy-to-achieve motion blur using the $69.99 MSRP ND Filter 4-Pack
- Hollywood-looking cinematic 21:9 ultra wide-angle shots using the $129.99 MSRP Anamorphic Lens Mod
Combining HERO13 Black in Polar White with a GoPro Premium ($24.99 first year for new subscribers and $49.99/year thereafter) or Premium+ ($99.99/year) Subscription adds the ability to auto-upload your footage to the cloud, receive automatic highlight videos via the GoPro Quik App, save up to 30% on accessory purchases at GoPro.com, no-questions-asked damaged camera replacements and more.
HERO13 Black in Polar White is available now at retailers globally and at GoPro.com.
March Editors’ photo challenge: Water
The theme for our March Editors’ photo challenge was ‘Water’. We asked you to show us the essence of water in its many forms.
DPReview photographers rose to the occasion as usual, flooding us with stunning submissions. We were awash in incredible photos – many more than we can present here. Our top picks on the following pages are presented in random order.
Want to participate in some other photo challenges? Visit our Challenges page to see currently open or upcoming challenges or to vote in a recently closed challenge.
The underside of water
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Photographer: Thorgnyr
Photographer’s description: Often during winter, Lake Thingvallarvatn freezes. The view of the ice from below can be spectacular, especially during the thaw period; the ice has broken into flakes and then froze again. This was the case when this picture was taken. I started taking pictures without the diver but felt the scale was missing. So I got my buddy to pose for me.
Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Frost
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Photographer: JTF MKE
Photographer’s description: On a cold winter day, there was frost on a bathroom window. Taken using a tripod in the morning with angled early sunlight. Patterns were entirely random, created by lots of humidity and the hand of Mother Nature.
Equipment: Olympus E-510 (EVOLT E-510) + Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro
Surf paddle out for life, and a good friend
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Photographer: sundot
Photographer’s description: Surf Paddle out as we do in Hawaii when someone passes with a connection to the ocean. Friends gather for one last shout-out to send a farewell. The skies cleared, and the ocean lit up for the sendoff.
Equipment: DJI Mavic
Throwing up walls
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Photographer: owenleve
Photographer’s description: Former Olympian/US Ski Team athlete Daron Rahlves waterskiing on Bocca Reservoir in Truckee, California. “Throwing Up Walls” refers to the “wall” of water produced from each turn.
Equipment: DJI Mavic
Only four drops
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Photographer: froggy42
Photographer’s description: This picture of a water sculpture consists of only four drops of water falling in specific fractions of a second, one after the other, onto a water surface. They generate this sculpture that exists only for a fraction of a second. Our eyes are not fast enough to see the sculpture. To take this picture, a flash had to be used to achieve a very short exposure time. To achieve the correct time intervals, I used a Miops Waterdrop Kit.
Equipment: Fujifilm X-T2 + Fujifilm XF 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Water fields
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Photographer: 75RobinH
Photographer’s description: Red seaweed cultivation on the east coast of Zanzibar. During low tide, the “seaweed women” with their multi-colored dresses (kanga) enter these water fields similar to small gardens to tend their plantations. The seaweed is fixed to sticks connected by strings. About every two weeks, they harvest it and spread it out to dry. The seaweed is used in the production of cosmetics (soaps, creams, oils etc.), partly produced locally; most is exported. This demanding work is not only a source of income but is also very important for the social life, dignity and development of the women of Zanzibar. The warming of the ocean is seriously endangering these crops.
Equipment: Sony SLT-A58 + Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II
Steam to water to ice: In a millisecond
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Photographer: joemellor
Photographer’s description: I’d been thinking about this fun stunt throughout our ski holiday in Norway. It needed a low sun and a very low temperature. Most of the week was cloudy and too warm. The perfect opportunity arose, but the sunny location was a several-minute walk (run) from a source of hot water. With a single vacuum flask of boiling water, there was only one opportunity to get this right. I begged my subject to stand absolutely still in front of the sun as he threw the water as I didn’t want the sun directly on the lens. Fortunately, my camera takes 20 frames per second, and I was able to select the best from around eight shots showing the development of this arc of steam/water/ice. We then returned to our cabin’s warmth and were delighted with our first-time success!
Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII
Strangers
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Photographer: 3rkaer
Photographer’s description: We all come from the water. We are mostly made of it, but at the same time, we are all strangers to each other in this crazy world.
Equipment: Leica SL2-S
Misty morning in Grand Teton
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Photographer: Stan Petersen
Photographer’s description: This was shot in Grand Teton National Park in early October 2006. The crowds were gone for the season, and this place along String Lake was quiet, except for the bugling of bull elk on both sides. Mists were moving along the lake, and Mount Moran started to show through as the pre-dawn magenta light hit the top.
Equipment: Canon EOS 350D (EOS Digital Rebel XT / EOS Kiss Digital N) + Canon EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6
Under
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Photographer: Cliff Connell
Photographer’s description: On one of the last hot days in autumn 2011, just before our southern Australian Easter swell kicked in, I had just finished a long session of surfing some pretty big, clean waves when I decided to get back in to capture some in-water shots of the rest of the crew. Most of the shots I got that morning were pretty average, except for this one of a young guy duck diving under the closed-out section of a 5-6 foot wave. It made my day!
Equipment: Canon EOS 20D + Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC LD
Iceland highlands
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Photographer: GreenFirePhotography
Photographer’s description: Photographing Iceland felt like being inside a fairy tale at times. This image always draws a critical eyebrow or two. People throw around A.I. However, that’s just how amazing Iceland looks.
Equipment: Hasselblad L2D-20c
Waterbrella!
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Photographer: Maureeneo
Photographer’s description: I took this photograph of a moment of pure joy – one of those instances where laughter and spontaneity take over. The sun was bright, the summer air thick with warmth, and cool water was the perfect antidote. But the community swimming pool wouldn’t be open for another hour, and my granddaughter couldn’t wait that long. So, she improvised a mini water park for herself, using an umbrella exactly the opposite way an umbrella should be used! I love the contrast between the black umbrella and the cascade of sparkling water. The way the droplets catch the light. The way her hair clings to her face. Here she is, soaked but carefree, reveling in the cascade she created. I think I captured that feeling: the giddy, unstoppable energy of being a kid, where even the simplest things can bring so much joy.
Equipment: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III
Calm summer evening
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Photographer: Lars Wara
Photographer’s description: Being on a lake when the water is dead calm, all quiet except a few birds and an occasional trout breaking the surface… Well, that’s pure therapy!
Equipment: Sony a6700 + Yonguo 11mm F1.8
Powerful wedge wave
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Photographer: vbuhay
Photographer’s description: The powerful waters of the “wedge” can be frightening for the average surfer. But for some of the strongest surfers, it is a challenge…
Equipment: Nikon D850 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
Atlantic sunset
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Photographer: bravoricardo
Photographer’s description: It was a beautiful afternoon at Praia das Milícias in São Miguel, Azores, so I decided to go for a swim with my water housing. After a couple of hours on the shore break trying different water angles, I managed to position myself inside this perfectly lit barreling wave, facing the sun setting behind São Roque church.
Equipment: Canon EOS-1D X
Window frost
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Photographer: Bram Floria
Photographer’s description: Waiting for the defroster to kick in, Spokane, WA, on January 26, 2025. On a bright, cold morning following a night of ice storms, the water came out to play as leaves of crystal.
Equipment: Google Pixel 6a
Divining rod
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Photographer: morelens
Photographer’s description: This is a lovely stream in upstate NY. Believe it or not, this location is on the far end of a cemetery. I was standing in the water to take this photo, and the water and the breeze cooled me off on this hot day – one of the many advantages of photography.
Equipment: Canon EOS R + Canon EF 17-40mm F4.0L USM
A gentle touch
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Photographer: wfoto
Photographer’s description: High-speed pictures of moving water will amaze you with the small details we cannot see in real life: every bubble in the foam, tiny sprinklets coming out of each crest, and the contact of the water with sand.
Equipment: Canon EOS 6D Mark II
Frisco Pier
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Photographer: Keith Hudspeth
Photographer’s description: The goal of this photo was to show the raw, destructive power of water. Frisco Pier was built in 1962 and stood strong until Hurricanes Isabel and Earl struck the Outer Banks in the early 2000s. I took this photo in 2016 before it was finally dismantled in late 2017.
Equipment: Nikon D750 + Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24mm F1.8G ED
Shower cap
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Photographer: Anne25
Photographer’s description: The subject burst a balloon full of water above his head. The balloon was hung from a support and burst using a spike on a stick. I wish I had taken a later shot capturing the look on his face due to the cold shock.
Equipment: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV + Canon EF 400mm F5.6 L
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Out-of-camera JPEG. 50mm equiv. crop.
F4 | 1/450 | ISO 80 |
This week, Fujifilm announced the GFX100RF, a 102MP medium format camera with a fixed 28mm equiv. F4 lens. The sensor will be familiar to those who’ve seen samples from the GFX100 S II or GFX100 II, but the lens is an interesting factor – the company says it put a lot of engineering work into it in order to make it as compact as it is.
You can get a feel for what kind of results it produces from the samples we took with our pre-production unit. We were lucky enough to get to test the camera out in a variety of locals; many of the pictures are from Prague, as Fujifilm flew us out for its X Summit and Fujikina event, but there are also images from London, Paris and, of course, Washington.
We’ve added some new photos taken since our initial review went up, including ones taken using a tripod to remove hand shake as a limiting factor on resolution.
Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing; we do so in good faith, so please don’t abuse it.
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