A DSLR can capture images in various file formats.
Although most compact digital cameras allow you to shoot with only one image type (JPG), digital SLR (DSLR) cameras offer two or more options that typically include JPEG, RAW and TIFF. The type of file format you choose depends on how you plan to use the photo, how much editing you want to do, the quality desired, and the camera or memory card storage space available.
JPEG
The JPEG and JPG acronyms are used interchangeably and stand for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the international committee that created the standard for this type of image.
The JPEG format, the default setting on most DSLRs, delivers a compressed version of the photo taken. During compression, the camera removes information from the image, which can make a noticeable difference in the quality of a large print. You can, however, adjust the compression levels within the constraints of the DSLR, allowing you to choose between higher and lower quality. A 5-megapixel DSLR set to high resolution (low compression) can produce excellent quality 8 x10 prints, while a lower quality setting is fine for email.
Even when you don't want a large print, the JPEG image format has another disadvantage: The image retains the effects of the settings you used to shoot the picture. Although you can edit JPEGs, you can only do so much to correct a photo gone wrong. Also, each time you edit a JPEG, some image degradation occurs.
RAW
The RAW format is almost exclusive to DSLRs. The camera does no processing whatsoever of a RAW image, making it the digital equivalent of a film negative and leaving all processing up to you and photo-editing software.
Although a DSLR's manual settings provide much creative control, shooting in RAW takes this a step further. Similarly, because RAW delivers more bits than the 8-bit JPEG, you can alter the brightness of highlights and shadows much more significantly than with a JPEG file.
Because the camera does not compress photos shot in this lossless format, the images use more storage space and take longer to capture. Another disadvantage is that RAW files, which must be converted to TIFF or JPEG files before printing or emailing, use proprietary software. If you have enough memory though on your card, however, you can save in both RAW and JPEG and get the best of both worlds.
The debate over which is better, JPEG or RAW, rages on many professional photography forums. The answer comes down to weighing the factors that are most important to you.
TIFF
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) is a standard image file format that you can use across multiple platforms. Not all DSLRs offer this format. TIFF offers a high quality than JPEG, but the files are very large. As with RAW, TIFF images take longer to capture and take up more space on the camera than do JPEGS.
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