By now, most photographers shoot in RAW to ensure the best quality of their final images. However, those who are just getting started with photography may still be unsure how to go about editing RAW files. So, it’s not surprising that many also want to know, are JPEGs still that bad today? Or have they become acceptable given the improvements in digital photography technology?

In the video above, travel and adventure photographer James Popsys mentioned that he often gets questions about the quality of JPEGs from the Fujifilm X-Pro3 and Ricoh GR IIIx. However, since owning both cameras, he has only shot RAW because he enjoys the editing process. So, to satisfy everyone’s curiosity, he shot with the film simulations of both cameras and shared the resulting JPEGs in the video above. So if you’re curious about what the results are like, you’ll most likely find the answers you need there.

Apart from the results, Popsys also shared his insights on what you’re essentially doing when you’re using these in-camera simulations. You’re doing the “editing” before you even begin shooting. Both cameras give you unlimited flexibility with how you want your final photos to look. You can also tweak the film simulation settings as you like.

However, shooting JPEGs doesn’t give you the latitude to bring back detail in the highlights and shadows. As such, you should make sure to dial in the exact, correct exposure to get the best results. So, he also talked about the challenges you’ll likely encounter with both cameras in this regard.

Have you shot in JPEG with any of the two cameras and their film simulations or presets? How do you find the image quality? Do you like the results? Share your insights with us in the comments below!