Questions tagged [file-format]
A file format is a particular way that information is encoded for storage in a computer file.
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What is RAW, technically?
From a technical perspective, what exactly is RAW and how does it differ from JPG or bitmap images? I'm not asking about the pros/cons versus another format, but rather what constitutes RAW format, ...
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What does an unprocessed RAW file look like?
I know people use fancy software like Lightroom or Darktable to post-process their RAW files. But what if I don't? What does the file look like, just, y'know, RAW?
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Aren't all digital images ultimately just pixel values between 0 - 255?
I have a few incredibly basic (stupid?) questions about images; specifically, image formats and pixel values.
Forgive me, I'm not a photographer. I'm just someone that works with images, and to me, ...
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Why don't most cameras support PNG format?
I prefer PNG format to JPG, because JPG uses lossy compression.
When I capture a screen in my PC or scan a picture or document in my scanner, I always save them as PNG format.
If a camera could ...
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What quality to choose when converting to JPG?
When you export a picture to JPG you can normally choose its quality in a 1-100 scale. I like to keep a good quality but it wouldn't make sense to keep a JPG that will be almost as big as the original ...
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Which cameras support DNG natively?
Not all cameras support DNG natively. That is, if you want to process DNG files they need to be converted from the camera's proprietary RAW format to DNG afterwards. So, which cameras support DNG ...
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Why don't cameras support JPEG 2000 format?
The original JPEG format was updated in 2000 to provide a variety of features including less artifacts, better compression and lossless compression. Why haven't cameras updated to use this new format?...
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Do I lose anything converting to DNG?
I'd like to convert all my ARW (Sony) files to DNG for several reasons, but the only thing keeping me back from doing it is the fear of losing useful metadata during the conversion. I know that the ...
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Is it better to store edited photos as PSD or TIFF files?
After editing/retouching a photo in Photoshop, if I want to store that file long term with the edits, what are the advantages/disadvantages of storing it in TIFF vs. PSD format?
There's a somewhat-...
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What are jpeg artifacts and what can be done about them?
I know JPEG is a "lossy" compression algorithm that discards information in order to save space. What is the visual impact of this? I've heard of "JPEG artifacts". What do these look like?
Are there ...
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Which is a better way to store your photos? RAW or TIFF?
I have read posts that alot of photographers are using RAW to store photos. But the problem I am having is that how do you people view the photos easily when you need them? In the beginning I have ...
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What, if anything, does "RAW" stand for?
I understand that RAW files contain data straight from the sensor, that they're used as input to the production process that results in a final image, and that RAW isn't really one format but a ...
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How do I make sure my RAW files are readable in the future?
I've recently started to use RAW with Lightroom. I'd like opinions on how I should make sure my images are readable (not necessarily editable) a few years hence. Heck, let's say a decade some decades.
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Is TIFF really of higher quality than PNG-24?
I've been doing some research to try to figure out why more people do not store high-resolution image files as PNG-24. PNG has exactly-reversible, lossless compression, it is a net-friendly format so ...
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Should I use JPG or TIFF for high-quality prints?
I am putting together a photo book. I shot all the photos in RAW. The prints will be 300pi on 13x11 inch glossy paper. I am laying out the pages in InDesign, which doesn't allow me to import and place ...
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