Image File Size Estimator
Estimate RAW, JPEG, TIFF, and HEIF file sizes based on your camera's megapixel count. Plan storage needs for any shooting scenario.
Calculator results are estimates based on simplified optical formulas. Actual results vary by lens, camera, and shooting conditions. Use these as starting points, not precise measurements.
Why File Size Varies by Scene
Even for the same camera and format, file sizes vary by 30–50% depending on scene complexity. A photograph of a clear blue sky has minimal fine detail — the compression algorithm can represent large uniform areas very efficiently. A photo of dense foliage, fabric texture, or a crowd scene has far more fine detail and will produce a significantly larger file.
File Size by Format Summary
For a 24 megapixel camera, here's a rough breakdown of typical file sizes:
- Uncompressed RAW: 36–48 MB — full sensor data, nothing discarded
- Lossless compressed RAW: 18–30 MB — same quality, smaller file
- JPEG High: 8–15 MB — excellent for sharing, some data loss
- JPEG Medium: 4–8 MB — typical for web and casual sharing
- HEIF/HEIC: 5–12 MB — better quality per byte than JPEG
- 16-bit TIFF: 72–96 MB — professional editing, no compression
Storage Planning for Common Shooting Scenarios
| Scenario | Typical Photos | Recommended Card Size |
|---|---|---|
| Half-day portrait session (24MP RAW) | 200–400 | 32–64 GB |
| Full day wedding (24MP RAW) | 600–2,000 | 128–256 GB |
| Week travel (24MP RAW) | 1,000–3,000 | 256 GB+ |
| Wildlife burst day (45MP RAW) | 500–1,500 | 128–256 GB |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do RAW file sizes vary so much?
RAW file size depends on your camera's compression method. Uncompressed RAW stores every pixel's full data, creating the largest files. Lossless compressed RAW (used by most modern cameras) reduces file size by 40–60% without any image quality loss. Lossy compressed RAW (used in some Sony cameras) compresses further with minimal practical quality impact.
Why are JPEG files so much smaller than RAW?
JPEG applies two types of compression: first converting to a color space that reduces color data (since human eyes are less sensitive to fine color detail than brightness detail), then applying lossy DCT compression. The result is dramatically smaller files at the cost of some image information that cannot be recovered.
What makes HEIF/HEIC different from JPEG?
HEIF uses more modern compression algorithms (HEVC/H.265) that achieve similar visual quality to JPEG at about half the file size. It also supports HDR, wide color gamuts, and up to 16-bit depth. The trade-off is limited software compatibility compared to the universally supported JPEG.