These days, there are many different file formats you can choose when saving a digital photograph.   Yet, choosing the right format can be stressful if you are serious about your photos.  Each format is great in its own way, but some formats are definitely better suited for a specific job you might have.

Compression

When choosing a file format, the biggest factor you should take into consideration is compression.  In short, compression is the method used by a digital camera or scanner to process a digital photo down to a specific file size.

In the realm of photo compression, there are two basic methods:  Lossless and Lossy.  They work exactly how they sound; Lossless looses almost no image quality, whereas Lossy does.  The basic thing to remember with compression is this: the greater the compression, the smaller the file size.  However, the greater the compression, the worse the image quality will be.  So deciding on file size, at the expense of quality, can be a tough decision, when choosing which method to use.

File Types

Here is a basic run down of the common digital photo file types, along with their best uses.

JPEG – This is by far, the most common file type out there for digital photos.  It does use a lossy compression method to process the image.  However when creating the file, most programs/cameras/scanners allow you to set the amount of image degradation.  Of course the higher the image quality, the larger the file size.

“When Should I Use This?” JPEG’s are the go to file type for sharing and cataloging photos.  For this reason, most cameras (especially point and shoots) come with this as their default file type.  The size to loss ratio is usually a perfectly acceptable for the casual photo taker.

TIFF and TIF – They are basically the same, but yes there is a difference.  TIFF’s can be both lossy (TIFF) and lossless (TIF), so may pros prefer this format over others.  It’s usually only available for use in higher end cameras, using the lossless compression method; of course huge memory cards are required.

“When Should I Use This?” Although TIFF can be both lossy and lossless, you will often find them in their lossless form.  Because of this, web sites and many applications are unable to process them, and therefore these file types are best used for printing.  If you’re planning on printing a photo larger than an 8 x 10 photo, TIF’s are usually the option to go with.

RAW – This file type always uses a lossless compression method.  One of the great qualities the RAW is the smaller file size, compared to the TIF.  Yet, the downside is no two camera brands handle these files in the same way.  This might not be a problem for the average person, who only uses one camera, but this just won’t stand for some pros and serious shutter bugs.

“When Should I Use This?” Due to the lossless quality and nonstandard structure, there aren’t many everyday uses for this file type.  Large format printing and high quality archiving are the best uses for this type, but many still prefer TIF’s.

Other Image Types

Although you probably won’t run into these file types that often in digital photography, you will find them on the web quite a bit.  Here’s some info on two worth mentioning.

GIF – One of the first file types on the web.  The GIF can’t handle colors as well as other types, but it does provide a lossless compression method while keeping files sizes relatively small.  Other advantage: animated picture in one file!

PNG – Here is another versatile format that can be lossless and lossy depending on the user’s needs.  Because of this many of the older web browsers can’t handle this format, but today it is the go to file format for web comics and basically any image that involves text.

Comic via Digg

For more info I recommend listening to the How Stuff Works – Tech Stuff podcast on the issue.  They are great at explaining the different types in a way anyone can understand.

Top Photo By Enoch! Retouched by Picture Perfections

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