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JPG vs RAW on the GoPro HERO9, HERO8, HERO7, HERO6, & HERO5 Black

On the GoPro HERO(, HERO8, HERO7 Black, HERO6, and HERO5 Black, you can choose between two image formats for still photos: JPG and RAW (.gpr). Here's a quick overview of what the difference is and when to use which.

GoPro JPG vs RAW (GPR)

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 4 months ago // Categories: Photos
Tags: GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO6 Black, GoPro HERO7 Black, GoPro HERO8 Black, GoPro HERO9 Black

Save $220 on GoPro HERO9 Bundle

GoPro is running a deal on the new HERO9 Black, their newest and best camera. It's a bundle that includes the HERO9 Black, a 1-year subscription to GoPro, a free extra battery, and a 64GB SD card. It's all for $349.98.

On the recent GoPro flagship models (specifically, the HERO9 Black, HERO8 Black, HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, and HERO5 Black models), you can choose between two image formats when taking pictures: JPG and RAW. Here’s a quick overview of what the difference is and when to use which.

JPG

JPG (or JPEG) is by far the most common image format used today. It has a lot going for it. It’s very widely compatible, it can keep very good image quality, and it can be used to drastically reduce file size and therefore make the files easier to share.

All GoPros (and nearly all other digital cameras, for that matter) can save photos as JPGs. It’s the simplest option, and it’s also the most convenient. You can share JPGs right out of the camera, and when you send it someone or upload to an online service, you can be confident that they’ll be able to view or work with it.

All of the various still image modes on the HERO6 and HERO5 models–including burst mode and continuous mode–can produce JPG images.

RAW (.gpr)

There’s also another option for file format when shooting photos with these cameras. It’s a RAW file with a file extension of .gpr. That file extension is used explicitly for GoPro’s implementation of RAW, which is based on Adobe’s widely used DNG format.

The advantage of shooting in the GPR format is that you can get better image quality (potentially, at least). It records all of the information that the sensor sees, and that gives you more latitude when it comes to processing for controlling aspects such as white balance and for recovering more detail in the shadows and highlights.

The biggest disadvantage of using GPR is that you really need to do the extra step of processing them in some kind of image editing app that can work with RAW files. If you try to share a GPR file to someone else or upload to most online services, they won’t know what to do with it. So you’ll need to import the .gpr files into an image editing app that can work with RAW files.

Unfortunately, most RAW processing software has been very slow to add support for .gpr files. GoPro recommends newer versions of Lightroom, Photoshop, or Adobe Camera Raw. They’re paid apps–and not inexpensive, at that–but there is a free workaround: convert the .gpr files to .dng files first. I’ve put together more information on this here.

Once you’ve processed the RAW file you can then export it as a processed JPG or another format that’s more suitable for sharing.

There is, however, an important safety net feature built into these cameras when shooting with the RAW format. That is that when you shoot RAW it also saves a JPG version at the same time. So even if you’re not able to work directly with the RAW version, you have a JPG there as a fallback. You won’t get the advantages that come with working with RAW, but you will still have access to your photos.

Limitations of Shooting in RAW on GoPros

There are limitations when it comes to using the .gpr RAW photo format–it’s not available in all of the cameras’ still photo modes. GoPro has been making it available for more shooting modes on each successive model, but it’s still not available for the fastest time lapse or nightlapse modes or for any of the features that require

Specifically:

  • On cameras before the HERO8 Black, it’s not available when you’re shooting in burst mode or continuous mode. (It is available in the timelapse photo mode except for the shortest intervals.)
  • It’s not available when you change the FOV to anything other than wide or SuperWide. So for the Linear and Narrow FOVs, for example, the only option is JPG.
  • It’s not available when you’re using the WDR (HERO5 Black) or SuperPhoto/HDR (HERO9/HERO8/HERO7/HERO6 Black) modes.

There is one other consideration when shooting in the RAW format, and that is that it takes longer to write each file to the SD card, meaning that the camera is unresponsive for longer after you take a photo. This is something that bugs me, especially since other cameras seem to have found a way to solve it, but it’s just something you have to live with when shooting RAW.

Which to Use?

I routinely shoot in RAW on all my cameras (when it’s available), including my GoPros. But I’m also in the habit of downloading the images and processing them in something like Lightroom. That extra step is just a standard part of my workflow.

Few RAW processing apps can work with .gpr files. The simplest option is to use Lightroom, which has built-in support in recent versions. But if you don’t use Lightroom, here’s a free workaround.

One other time that the RAW format can come in handy is when shooting time-lapse photos. Even if you’re using the camera’s automatic exposure settings (that is, you’re not overriding some of them in the Protune options), the ability to synchronize the white balance across the whole sequence can be useful. Of course, you could also just manually lock the white balance at a specific setting before shooting and still use JPG, but having the RAW files gives you that little bit more flexibility later.

If you want the simplest, most convenient option and aren’t interested in significant processing of the images, you can just use the JPG format. And that’s the format that’s set by default.

Things Worth Knowing

The availability of using the RAW image file format for specific shooting modes depends on which specific model you’re using. For instance, the HERO8 Black is the first model to make RAW files available when shooting in Burst mode.

More GoPro Tips & Tricks:

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By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on October 5, 2020

Categories: Photos
Tags: GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO6 Black, GoPro HERO7 Black, GoPro HERO8 Black, GoPro HERO9 Black

I may earn a commission for purchases using links on this page. Learn more.

GoPro News & Deals

New Smart Remote GoPro will be announcing the new Smart Remote for the HERO9 Black on December 17, 2020. The HERO9 Black isn’t compatible with the previous version of the Smart Remote.

HERO8 Black firmware v2.0 now available. Enables webcam mode; enables Display Mod compatibility; expands HyperSmooth 2.0 High and Boost availability to more video settings; general bug fixes. Update through the mobile app or manually.

GoPro Launches New Live Streaming Service for GoPro PLUS. GoPro has launched their own live-streaming platform for PLUS subscribers. It’s a pretty bare-bones offering for now, with livestreams shared with a dedicated URL. This is alongside their efforts to make the HERO8 Black useful as a webcam when connected to a computer (via USB plug-in-play, not requiring the Media Mod accessory with HDMI out). New firmware adds that functionality for Mac users, and the Windows version is in Beta.

New GoPro Zeus Mini Video Light. GoPro has released released a new video LED light designed to complement their GoPro cameras. It’s tiny, waterproof, and has a built-in magnetic swiveling clip. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters), has four levels of brightness, and includes a diffuser to cool the color temperature to 5000K. GoPro claims that the built-in battery lasts up to 6 hours (presumably at the lowest brightness setting, although they don’t specify). It’s available now and priced at $69.99.

DJI Osmo Action firmware update adds live streaming. DJI has released a firmware update for the Osmo Action (v. 01.08.00.10) that adds live streaming support, so you can upload directly to platforms like Facebook and YouTube (it goes through the DJI Mimo mobile app). They’ve also improved the in-camera video stabilization. You can find the new firmware here.

New Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO8 Black from Isotta. Isotta, an Italian brand specializing in underwater housings, has announced a new high-quality underwater housing for the HERO8 Black. It’s an aluminum housing depth-rated to 650 feet (200 meters), has a one-handed open/close switch, double o-rings, and can be used with filters. There’s also a dual-handled tray to go along with it. And like all their housings, it’s in their distinctive red. Priced at $450, it’s only for those who need a highly specialized piece of underwater kit. It’s available for preorder from underwater specialists Backscatter.

Light Mod Now Shipping The Light Mod, one of the three new GoPro accessories, is now shipping. It’s a standalone light that is waterproof, rechargeable and compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was originally announced along with the HERO8 Black, but it hasn’t been available until now. It’s priced at $49.99, and you can find them at GoPro.com.

GoPro MAX Now Shipping. The new 360° camera, the MAX, is now shipping.

GoPro HERO8 Black and Max Unveiled. The new GoPro cameras and accessories have been unveiled. I have a rundown of the highlights of the HERO8 Black here.

DJI Osmo Action vs GoPro HERO7 Black. I’ve posted my detailed hands-on comparison of the Osmo Action and the HERO7 Black. There’s a lot similar between the models, but once you start digging down into the details there are differences that can help in choosing between them. And each has strengths the other doesn’t have. You can find my review here.

GoPro HyperSmooth vs DJI RockSteady. The new DJI Osmo Action also has built-in electronic stabilization to smooth out video. They’re calling it RockSteady (GoPro has HyperSmooth). I’ve been out testing them side-by-side. You can see the results here.

GoPro Deals page. I’ve put together a dedicated page on GoPro deals. So if you’re looking for cheap GoPro deals, check it out.

DJI Osmo action 4K Camera. Best known for their camera drones, DJI has released a new 4K action cam that’s taking direct aim at the GoPro HERO7 Black. It shoots up to 4K60 video and 12MP stills, includes electronic stabilization, has high-dynamic range video at 4K30, voice commands, a touchscreen on the back and another smaller live view screen on the front, and is waterproof down to 36 feet (11 meters). It’s priced at $349, and they’re now available at B&H Photo.

Comments

  1. David says

    February 22, 2019 at 10:28 am

    Fair point. It’s not that the idea hadn’t occurred to me–it’s that there’s no direct way to display them here in a way that seems to add much value. I can’t embed a RAW file directly–the browser won’t know what to do with it–and seeing a zeroed-out unprocessed RAW file side-by-side with a processed JPG doesn’t really tell you much about image quality and can actually be counterproductive because when you look at it the RAW version will look horrible. Even a direct download link to the RAW file is going to depend entirely on what app the user renders it with (and there aren’t many apps that can open the GoPro RAW files, anyway). So the only way to compare them visually is to process the RAW version to a JPG first. And in that case, it’s not even an apples-to-oranges comparison–it’s an apples-to-a-lemon-that’s-derived-from-an-orange comparison. But a couple of areas it would be useful is to demonstrate how much more detail can be recovered in the highlights and shadows and the better control over sharpening–I’ll try to add something about those.

    Reply
  2. Jason says

    February 21, 2019 at 5:50 pm

    If you’re researching RAW vs jpg quality, you’re of course going to want to see comparison images but here there aren’t any so I’m not sure what use this is. All it really tells me is which modes I can’t use RAW in.

    Reply
  3. Murilo says

    September 10, 2018 at 8:38 pm

    Hi, I have Affinity, Adobe DNG converter, Nikon NX2 and none of these applications open Gopro RAW files. I do not have Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. What can I do? Thanks

    Reply
    • David says

      September 11, 2018 at 10:29 am

      The current version of Adobe DNG Converter can convert .gpr files.

      Reply
  4. Paul S. says

    April 30, 2018 at 11:57 am

    Thanks

    Reply

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About Me

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

I’ve owned and used every GoPro since the HD HERO and particularly like finding new and different ways to use them to capture photos, video, and time-lapse.

You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com.

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