How big is a RAW file?

Canon describes RAW images as raw data from the image sensor, recorded to the card digitally. On the four cameras above, the largest RAW setting takes about 1 to 1.14 MB per megapixel: 26.1 MB for the 24 million pixels of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II, up to 51.6 MB for the 45.4 million of the Nikon Z8.

The size comes from pixel count times bit depth. 14 bits is 1.75 bytes, so 45.4 million pixels at 14 bits each come to about 79.5 MB before any compression. Nikon lists 85.1 MB for an uncompressed 14-bit RAW from the Z 7, which records the same 45.4 million pixels, and 55.8 MB with lossless compression.

Next to a fine full-size JPEG from the same camera, a RAW is about 2.7 to 3.4 times larger on these four cameras. Apple says iPhone ProRAW files are 10 to 12 times larger than HEIF or JPEG files: about 25 MB at 12 MP and about 75 MB at 48 MP.

Canon's C-RAW produces RAW images with smaller file sizes than RAW: 13.2 MB instead of 26.1 MB on the EOS R6 Mark II, and 21.9 MB instead of 45.4 MB on the EOS R5, about half.

Nikon's settings, in descending order by file size, are Lossless compression, High efficiency* (marked with a star in Nikon's menus) and High efficiency. Nikon says High efficiency* produces pictures that compare favorably in quality to Lossless compression and are higher in quality than High efficiency. On the Z8 that is 32.6 MB instead of 51.6 MB.

shoots.page takes RAW files including DNG, CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF, ORF and RW2. Each one gets a 480 px thumbnail and a 2000 px JPEG preview, and a full-size sRGB JPEG at quality 92 is made in the background. Only the RAW's own size counts toward your storage; the previews and the full-size JPEG are free. That makes about 80 RAW files at 25 MB in the free 2 GB, or 4,000 in 100 GB on Pro for USD 9 a month.

When a client downloads the original of a RAW photo, they get that full-size JPEG, which opens on any phone or computer. Until it is ready they get the 2000 px JPEG. The RAW itself only reaches clients if you turn on the RAW switch, which is off by default and appears when a gallery has RAW photos. It lets them download each RAW one by one or as a RAW ZIP. Your own downloads in the app always give you the RAW. RAW delivery and sending RAW files to clients go into more detail.

Two limits apply. A file over 1 GiB or over 100 megapixels fails processing and has to be removed before you publish: a full-size 4:3 photo from the 102-megapixel Fujifilm GFX100 II is 11648 x 8736 pixels, about 101.8 million, so it is over the line, and a smaller export is the way to deliver it. And if a camera's RAW format isn't supported yet, the original still uploads but shows a message instead of a preview, and has to be removed before you publish.

Canon: EOS R6 Mark II specifications, EOS R6 Mark II image quality and EOS R5 specifications. Nikon: Z6III memory card capacity, Z8 memory card capacity, Z8 RAW recording and Z 7 and Z 6 memory card capacity. Apple Support: About Apple ProRAW. Fujifilm: GFX100 II specifications. Checked 29 October 2026.