Wednesday, the software giant Microsoft have released a new camera codec package, which supports more than 100 RAW photo file formats. So, once installing this support a user will get the benefit of previewing RAW image files from within Windows Live Photo Gallery 2011 and Windows Explorer.

In short RAW image file format are such kind of format which is much more similar like negative of the film based camera. That’s why like the film negative these digital negatives are also needed to be processed before preparing for use.

RAW file, the name, partially suggests that all of the information within a same file, where a similar compress file format like JPEG loses a lot of valuable information at the time of reducing the file size.

Lots of professional photographers in these days always prefer to shoot in RAW file mode, because it always offers many advantages than a compressed format file. Some of the benefit of it are sharpening features and noise reduction, which often can be created by the unwanted effects.

Apart from that the other benefits of it are hue and saturation, fine-tune, white balance, which always provides the camera a decision of which is the best image.

With sequence to the fact Brad Weed, the Group Program Manager of Microsoft Windows Live, have stated “This new updates will unlock the entire power of every images on your computer, with the help of which your PC will completely be able to viewing, editing and organizing memories whether this has taken by a point-and-shoot camera, cell phone cameras and higher end DSLR.”

Where, Viewing and editing of RAW files are indicating that you have to use a third party application like Fast Picture Viewer or Adobe Photoshop to perform your job.

This downloadable version is available at 32- bit or 64- bit versions and you can download it directly from the Microsoft’s website.