Most digital SLR cameras can capture photos in RAW format. This gives you much more control when editing the photos, like adjusting contrast, exposure and white balance.

But not all cameras save the same RAW data. The main difference between them is bit depth. Most beginner cameras like Canon EAOS 100D save the data in 12 bit, more advanced ones 14 bit, and most high-end cameras 16 bit. Now what is the advantage of a higher bit depth?

For viewing on a computer screen or printing, 8bit is more than enough. Ordinary jpg images have the same bit depth. But when editing RAW images in a tool like Lightroom or Adobe Camera RAW, often more data is needed. E.g. when increasing exposure to get more details in dark areas, a higher bit depth can provide these details much better, as they would not be included in a lower bit depth.

So if you like to extensively edit your photos, it is good to have a camera which can provide a hight bit depth. So get informed before you invest the money!