RAW, Log, Rec.709? What Do They Mean – and Why Should You Care as a Business Owner?

If you’ve ever had a video made for your business, or even considered it, there’s a good chance you’ve heard phrases like:

• "We’ll shoot this in Log for more dynamic range."
• "We’ll grade the RAW footage in post."
• "We’ll export everything in Rec.709."

And if you’re sitting there nodding politely but thinking, “I have no idea what that means…” you’re not alone.

The world of video production is packed with technical jargon. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to be a filmmaker to understand the fundamentals. And once you do, it’ll help you ask the right questions, make better decisions and get more value out of your video investment.

So let’s break down three common terms you’ll hear in video production: RAW, Log and Rec.709.

Why this matters to your business

Before we go deep, let’s be clear on one thing:

These terms affect how your video looks, how flexible it is in post-production and how long it takes (or costs) to get it looking its best.

So even though they might sound technical, they impact real-world things like:

• Your brand colours looking correct
• Whether skin tones look natural (especially if you are on camera)
• The time and budget needed to edit the video
• Whether the video feels cinematic or a bit flat
• The quality of your content across different platforms

What is RAW video?

Let’s start with the highest-quality, most flexible format: RAW.

The technical bit:

RAW is uncompressed and unprocessed data from the camera sensor. Think of it as a digital negative, similar to how old film cameras worked.

• No baked-in contrast or colour
• Preserves maximum detail in highlights and shadows
• Files are huge, sometimes 5–10x bigger than standard video files
• Requires powerful computers and specialised software to edit
• Allows full control over white balance, exposure and colour correction after filming

What this means for business owners:

RAW is the closest thing you’ll get to having total creative freedom in post-production. It’s the format most used in cinema or high-end ads. But with great power comes great responsibility (and bigger file sizes).

If your brand is investing in a flagship ad campaign, a cinematic documentary, or evergreen content that needs to look flawless for years to come, RAW is a great option.

But for most day-to-day marketing content (podcasts, social clips, explainer videos), RAW is probably overkill.

What is Log video?

Next up is Log short for logarithmic.

The technical bit:

Log footage is compressed but in a clever way. It captures a wide dynamic range by flattening the image meaning shadows and highlights are preserved, but it looks washed out before editing.

Common Log formats include:

• Sony S-Log
• Canon C-Log
• Panasonic V-Log

Log footage requires colour grading, but not as much as RAW. It’s a good middle ground: smaller file sizes, faster workflows and still a lot of creative flexibility.

What this means for business owners:

Most of the content we shoot at Two Krakens especially interviews, brand videos and testimonials is filmed in Log.

Why?

Because it gives us the ability to:

• Match your brand colours perfectly
• Fix lighting issues
• Get consistent results across multiple cameras

You still get that polished, cinematic feel but without the time and resource demands of a full RAW workflow. It’s the smart choice for professional marketing content that needs to look great and be delivered on time.

What is Rec.709?

Finally, we’ve got the one most people are familiar with even if they don’t realise it.

The technical bit:

Rec.709 (short for ITU-R Recommendation BT.709) is the colour standard used for HDTV. Basically, it’s how your TV, phone and YouTube videos display colour.

• Images look colourful, high-contrast, and “done”
• Easy to edit or use straight out of camera
• Minimal flexibility what you shoot is mostly what you get
• Standard for web and social media content

What this means for business owners:

If you want quick-turnaround content that looks clean and vibrant straight out of the camera Rec.709 is perfect.

This is ideal for:

• Event coverage
• Short-form social videos
• Internal comms videos
• Behind-the-scenes or day-in-the-life content

The trade-off? You lose some flexibility. If your lighting was off or someone’s face is too bright or dark, there’s only so much that can be done in post.

Still confused? Think of it like this…

Let’s compare it to baking:

Which format is right for your content?

It depends on your goals, turnaround time and how polished the final result needs to be.

Here’s a quick decision guide:

Visual example (before & after)

Imagine this:

• RAW: looks flat and grey in preview, but can be colour graded to look like a movie
• Log: looks washed out at first, but is easily shaped into a polished final image
• Rec.709: looks good straight away, but you can’t change much if it’s wrong

Why this really matters: Trust.

Yes, this sounds like techy stuff.

But in the world of branding and trust, how your video looks matters more than you think.

• Poor colour = lack of professionalism
• Bad lighting = distracting from your message
• Inconsistent visuals = broken brand trust

Choosing the right format isn’t just a production decision. It’s a strategic one.

At Two Krakens, we don’t just show up with a camera. We plan, shoot, edit, colour and deliver content that feels right, sounds right and earns trust with your audience every time.

Need help choosing?

If you're not sure whether your content should be shot in RAW, Log or Rec.709, don't worry. That’s our job.

But if you do want to understand it better, we’ll walk you through the choices, show you side-by-side footage, and help you get exactly what you need without overcomplicating anything.

Want us to handle it all?

We’re Two Krakens, a trust-focused video and content studio helping businesses in the West Midlands and beyond create standout content that builds credibility, sparks action and actually gets watched.

Whether you need a one-off shoot or a long-term video partner, we’ll make the process easy, creative and worth every penny.

Got a video idea in mind?
Let’s talk. We'll help you figure out if it needs RAW power, Log flexibility, or good old Rec.709 speed.