Should I film in RAW?
Short Answer:
Film in RAW when you need the maximum possible latitude in colour grading and the project justifies the workflow — premium commercials, films with demanding grades, or difficult lighting. RAW records the sensor's full data, giving huge flexibility, but the files are very large and slow to work with. For most business video, a high-quality log or compressed format is the better balance.
Overview
RAW captures the most image data a camera can record, preserving the greatest flexibility for exposure and colour in post. That power comes with major storage and processing costs, so it is reserved for work where the grade really matters.
Detailed Explanation
RAW: pros and cons
Maximum latitude: recover highlights and shadows and grade aggressively.
Best colour: the fullest data for a precise, high-end look.
Big files: RAW consumes storage rapidly and needs fast media.
Heavier post: editing hardware must be powerful to handle it smoothly.
Overkill for routine work: fast-turnaround content rarely needs it.
For premium projects the flexibility is invaluable; for typical corporate or social video, a good log profile in a compressed codec captures plenty of grading range without the RAW overhead.
Example
A commercial with a stylised grade and tricky mixed lighting benefits from RAW's latitude, while a same-week internal video is better served by a compressed log format that keeps files manageable and post fast.