RAW files are the camera’s unprocessed output, and they carry more metadata than JPEGs. Along with the usual date, exposure and GPS, they store the body serial number, the lens, shutter counts, firmware, and one or more embedded JPEG previews that have their own metadata. Photographers who share RAW files with clients, retouchers or a marketplace give away all of it.
What a RAW file adds to the usual EXIF
| Item | What it says | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Body serial number | A number unique to your camera | Links every photo to one camera, even across accounts |
| Lens model and serial | Your lens and its number | Same, for the lens |
| Shutter count and firmware | How much the camera has been used | Profiles your equipment |
| Maker notes | Private data in the manufacturer’s format | Often the largest and least understood block |
| Embedded preview and thumbnail | One or more JPEGs inside the RAW | Carry their own EXIF and can show an uncropped version |
| Owner and copyright | Names set in the camera menu | Names you directly |
The formats
- CR2 (Canon), NEF (Nikon), ARW (Sony): proprietary RAW formats built on TIFF.
- DNG: Adobe’s open RAW format, also used by some phones.
- Other brands use similar structures.
How to clean a RAW file
RAW cleaning needs ExifTool, so it runs on our server. Use the RAW Photo Metadata Remover or the page for your format: CR2, NEF, ARW or DNG. The tool removes the metadata and keeps the sensor data, so the RAW file still opens in your editor and can be developed as before. Files are deleted a few minutes after cleaning.
Check what is left
Open the cleaned file in the File Metadata Viewer. Serial numbers, owner names and GPS should be gone; the sensor size and basic image dimensions remain because the file needs them.