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RAW vs Log: what is the difference?
CinemaKit · Updated:
RAW and Log describe different things. RAW concerns how far sensor data has been processed into an image. Log is a tonal encoding curve used to distribute image values for a grading workflow. A processed video can be Log, and RAW footage can be developed into a Log working image.
| Question | Bayer RAW workflow | Processed Log video |
|---|---|---|
| What is stored? | Sensor measurements and metadata | Color image encoded with a Log curve |
| Demosaicing | Performed during development | Already applied to the recorded image |
| White balance | Revisited in RAW development | Applied during capture; later correction has different limits |
| Files | Depend on RAW format and compression | Depend on codec, bitrate and bit depth |
What can you change later?
With Bayer RAW, demosaicing and RAW white-balance development remain part of post-production. A recorded ProRes or HEVC image has already been reconstructed into color pixels; a Log curve can preserve useful tonal precision, but it does not remove those processing decisions. Both workflows support grading, yet they offer different starting points. Neither can recover light the sensor failed to record.
Choose for the edit, not the flat preview
Choose RAW when revisiting development decisions is worth the storage and processing work. Choose a supported Log video workflow when file handling and immediate editing matter more. Test the color transform your editor expects: treating Log footage as a finished display image can make it look washed out, while applying an unsuitable LUT can distort color and contrast.
CinemaKit workflows
CinemaKit starts from Bayer sensor capture and provides RAW recording, playback and grading. Optional Log monitoring is a viewing choice rather than evidence of a different RAW container. On iPhone, graded video can export to ProRes or HEVC; Android exports HEVC or H.264. CinemaKit Studio lets you continue the RAW development workflow on a computer.
Technical references
Related pages
What is RAW video?
Learn how Bayer RAW video differs from processed video, what you can change in post, and the storage trade-offs when recording on a phone.
RAW color grading on your phone and in Studio
Grade CinemaKit footage with exposure, white balance, curves and 3D LUTs, then export for your iPhone, Android or desktop workflow.
Getting started with CinemaKit
Your first CinemaKit RAW workflow: choose a supported camera, record a test take, review, transfer and export on phone or in Studio.