Is RAW Worth the Effort? 12-Bit RAW vs. 10-Bit XAVC S-I Codecs Compared on the Sony FX3

The question isn't why you should use ProRes RAW, but instead, when. In 2024, many cameras support outputting a RAW signal (like my Sony FX3), the question is when you should use it in an artful manner.

In this short video, I compare clips from multiple shoots, each captured in XAVC S-I (Sony's H.264 intra-frame compressed internal codec) to ProRes RAW recorded externally from my Ninja Ultra. The results might surprise you.

Both are equally great codecs, but RAW wins out in difficult situations.

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Camera: Sony FX3
Lens: Sony 24-70mm GMaster II
Filter: Nisi 1-5 VND
Recorder: Atomos Ninja Ultra
Software: Final Cut Pro X
Color: Sony SLog3.Gamut3/ProRes Raw/Fictive Flame Grade
Directed, Shot, and Graded by: Nicholas Young