Understanding Different Image File Formats

Posted: February 09, 2021

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Image: Digital Photography School[/caption] Image files have long been a source of perplexity for photographers. Shooting your image in the right file format can have an impact on every aspect of your workflow. From the quality of the image to the ease of post-processing, choosing the right file format makes a difference. There are pros and cons for each type, and understanding them can help you choose the right one that will give you great images that are easy to work with. Kav Dadfar, a contributor to Digital Photography School, gives insight to the different formats.

Understanding all the Different Image File Formats

When you take a photograph, the camera is capturing data, which creates a digital image. But there are many different types of image file formats that can be retrieved and edited using post-processing software. The most commonly-used formats are:

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)
RAW
DNG (Digital Negative Format)
PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
BMP (Bitmap Image File)
PSD (Photoshop Document)

Choosing the right file format is important and can even be critical, depending on the level of quality – and the level of post-processing – that you require. Read the entire article, Understanding all the Different Image File Formats, on Digital Photography School.