A RAW image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of a digital camera, image scanner, or motion picture film scanner. RAW files are named so because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be printed or edited with a bitmap graphics editor. Typically, the image is captured in a linear color space, which is different from the sRGB color space commonly used for display. These files contain the 'raw' data as captured by the sensor, along with camera metadata such as ISO settings, shutter speed, aperture, white balance, and lens information. This allows for greater control over post-processing, enabling photographers to adjust parameters like exposure, white balance, and color grading without permanently altering the original data. RAW files offer significantly more dynamic range and color depth compared to processed image formats like JPEG, resulting in higher quality images and greater flexibility in editing. Because they are unprocessed, RAW files are typically larger than JPEGs and require specialized software to open and edit.