Real raw

There are many camera manufacturers who advertise their cameras as being capable of shooting raw. Whilst this is true, in part, it's not the whole truth. AXIOM cameras have always been developed with giving their users the ability to shoot Real RAW in mind. So, what's the difference?

'Real RAW' is the actual, unmodified, non-compromised data which has been captured with a camera's sensor. 'Synthetic raw', if you like, is where the camera manufacturer applies numerous modifications to the data captured by a sensor before it reaches the storage medium. These include:

• Applying colour science - Because all conversions are implemented on discrete values, i.e. finite precision, colour space modifications that make images 'look nice' will add potentially unwanted noise and artefacts across the raw image. In effect, this is similar to what's called 'lossy compression'.
• Bad pixel removal - By and large, film-makers would appreciate bad-pixel removal, but manipulation of raw data in this way doesn't help with astronomical, industrial or microscopic applications etc. In the aforementioned scenarios a user needs to know what pixels are bad and to have the ability to ensure that interpolation over the neighbouring values hasn't been encountered.
• 3D LUT.
• White balance.
• Noise reduction.

In essence, and because all image compensations and modifications can be more accurately and comprehensively applied in post-production, users should have the freedom to determine how data is modified themselves. All current raw shooting (synthetic raw) cameras provide users with what the manufacturer thinks is good, and therefore, the modifications applied to data are impossible to 'work back' from.

External reading:

• On bad pixel removal - | Star Eater Issue