some excerpts from the article:
"There are several other steps that the image goes through before it is recorded:
- The white balance setting is applied
- Colorimetric interpretation algorithms are applied
- Gamma correction is applied
- Noise reduction is applied
- Antialiasing filters are applied
- Image sharpening (compensating for antialiasing) is applied
- Image compression algorithm is applied
- Color dissemination (dictated by compression algorithm) is applied
When you shoot in raw mode, you bypass all of these functions and simply record the raw data from the sensor. You’ll use specialized software in post to essentially set these image processing values yourself, providing greater control and flexibility over the look."
(...)
"Some people get confused between raw interpolation and color dissemination. Keep in mind that raw records only one-third of the color information needed to create the final image. Each “pixel” (photosite) has information on only one color; the other two colors have to be interpolated to complete the picture. You cannot have 4:4:4 and raw; these are mutually exclusive terms. If the image has been debayered and the color information has been interpolated—meaning it is no longer raw—then your camera and/or record format can choose to represent all of the interpolated (and captured) color information (4:4:4) or discard some (4:2:2, 4:1:1. 4:2:0, etc.)."
http://www.creativeplanetnetwork.co...al-what-does-it-mean-record-raw-imagery/59526
"There are several other steps that the image goes through before it is recorded:
- The white balance setting is applied
- Colorimetric interpretation algorithms are applied
- Gamma correction is applied
- Noise reduction is applied
- Antialiasing filters are applied
- Image sharpening (compensating for antialiasing) is applied
- Image compression algorithm is applied
- Color dissemination (dictated by compression algorithm) is applied
When you shoot in raw mode, you bypass all of these functions and simply record the raw data from the sensor. You’ll use specialized software in post to essentially set these image processing values yourself, providing greater control and flexibility over the look."
(...)
"Some people get confused between raw interpolation and color dissemination. Keep in mind that raw records only one-third of the color information needed to create the final image. Each “pixel” (photosite) has information on only one color; the other two colors have to be interpolated to complete the picture. You cannot have 4:4:4 and raw; these are mutually exclusive terms. If the image has been debayered and the color information has been interpolated—meaning it is no longer raw—then your camera and/or record format can choose to represent all of the interpolated (and captured) color information (4:4:4) or discard some (4:2:2, 4:1:1. 4:2:0, etc.)."
http://www.creativeplanetnetwork.co...al-what-does-it-mean-record-raw-imagery/59526