Digital booths
Choose RAW or JPEG for a digital photobooth capture
RAW preserves processing latitude; JPEG is ready to share and smaller.
A booth needs a dependable finished strip quickly, while an archival workflow may value later editing. The capture format should match that purpose and the device’s storage and processing limits.
Know what the file contains
RAW formats retain minimally processed sensor information and allow more adjustment later; a camera JPEG has already passed through processing and lossy compression. RAW files are usually larger, and they still need rendering before they become a finished strip image.
Evidence: Platform technical documentation
Test the whole pipeline
Capture one typical booth sequence in each supported format and measure storage, save time, export compatibility and colour consistency. Confirm that the editor can actually open the files. A RAW option is not useful if it interrupts the guest flow or produces inconsistent conversion.
Keep the deliverables clear
If you retain RAW masters, label them separately from guest-ready JPEG or PNG exports and keep an untouched copy. For quick sharing, a processed format may be the practical choice. Do not describe JPEG as unprocessed simply because the camera created it.
Evidence: Imaging software documentation
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- Apple Developer, Capturing Photos in RAW and Apple ProRAWPlatform technical documentation
- Adobe, Introduction to Camera RawImaging software documentation