ProRes RAW
Also known as: Apple ProRes RAW, raw video
An Apple format that stores raw sensor data with ProRes-style compression, so white balance, exposure and color can be set flexibly in post.
Updated
What it means
Most video formats bake in decisions at the moment of recording: white balance, sharpening, the tone curve and color processing. ProRes RAW instead stores the data close to what the sensor captured, before those decisions, and applies efficient compression so the files stay manageable.
That gives far more room in post. Editors can change white balance and exposure much further than with a standard file before artifacts appear. It is used on professional cameras and some high-end drones, and it is a different idea from simply recording unedited raw footage.
How it works in practice
ProRes RAW needs supported software and a reasonably powerful computer. When you import it, you choose how the raw data is interpreted, often converting to a log or standard color space before grading. Many workflows then grade it like log footage.
It shines for scenes with tricky light, mixed color temperatures or a lot of dynamic range, such as a sunset aerial or a dim interior. For everyday riding clips, the extra flexibility is rarely worth the storage and processing it demands. A well-exposed 10-bit clip in a log profile gets you most of the way for a fraction of the data.
What to watch out for
Raw is not finished. A raw clip that nobody grades looks flat or strange, and an inexperienced grade can look worse than the camera standard profile. Use it only if someone will actually process the footage properly, with proper grading tools and a calibrated screen.
Files are large, need fast storage, and not every app can read them. Before a shoot, check that your editing software supports the exact format and camera, and plan where the files will live. Sharing raw files directly with others is rarely practical, so export a graded, compressed version for anything you send onward. Keep the raw masters on a separate drive, because they are the only copy that still holds all the original sensor data.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip does not read raw formats or apply grades. Grade and export your ProRes RAW clips to H.264 or HEVC in MP4 or MOV first, then upload those files, and the AI uses them for your highlight.