The increased file size of ProRAW images compared to JPEGs stems from fundamental differences in how image data is captured, processed, and stored. A JPEG file is an image that has undergone significant in-camera processing and lossy compression. Lossy compression means that permanent information is discarded to reduce file size. JPEGs typically store 8 bits of color information per color channel, meaning 256 distinct tonal values for red, green, and blue. During capture, the camera applies fixed settings for white balance, sharpening, noise reduction, and tone mapping directly to the image data, baking these adjustments into the final file. This results in a smaller file size because much of the original sensor data is discarded, and the remaining data is aggressively compressed. This process also limits post-processing flexibility because many decisions have been made irreversibly by the camera, making it difficult to recover details in blown-out highlights or deep shadows, or to make significant color shifts without introducing visual....
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