Image File Formats JPG, PNG, TIFF, GIF and RAW 🖼 DIY in 5 Ep 165

Опубликовано 11 февраля 2022, 21:30

Is it jpeg? Or a jpg? Is it pronounced GIF or JIF? What’s raw? We’re going to go over the various types of image file formats used today such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF and RAW, what their differences are and why you might choose one over another.

Image types: Raster vs Vector
There are two primary types of image files: raster images (also known as bitmap) are pixel-based graphics that exist at one resolution, and vector images, which are geometry-based graphics where the resolution can be more fluid. Raster images may distort or degrade in quality when you alter them from their original resolution and for this reason are typically found when talking about photos, digital art and web graphics. Vector images are usually used for logos, icons and fonts because they are not resolution dependent. For the purposes of today’s video, we’ll focus on raster images, since those are the file formats, you're most likely to come across. Raster images can be either lossy or lossless. As you can probably guess from the name, lossless files lose none of the original data from the image. These files tend to be rather large in size to accommodate. Lossy files are typically smaller and will use clever tricks to pare down the image, making it easier to load where say internet speed might be an issue.

JPEG
JPEG is probably the most common image file type and chances are good you’ve heard of it before. It is a lossy, raster format that’s ideal for low resolution, medium quality images for websites, social media, and sharing. Most digital cameras and smartphones save images as JPEG and most applications support this file type. JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the tech team that developed it and if you see JPG instead of JPEG, don’t worry, they are the same. JPEGs are great for a wide variety of situations since they are the most flexible type of file format when it comes to editing and compression. They are not good for graphics that require transparency, or if you need a layered editable image.

PNG
If you do need transparency in your image, you may want to use PNG. PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics and is lossless with higher color depths, making it a good choice for more complex images. PNG is great for static images, logos and print with transparent backgrounds, and can even offer varying degrees of transparency, not just on or off. PNG files sizes can be very small, especially if they use simple colors and shapes. Don’t use PNG if you have a very complex image or photo, because the lossless nature of PNG could lead to a very large file size or if you are printing since PNG is really optimized for the screen.

TIFF
Similar to PNG is TIFF or Tagged Image File Format, another lossless raster format. TIFF files are one of the highest quality graphic formats available and are commonly used by professionals in publishing, graphics and the print industry. High quality scans are normally saved as TIFF files as well. The downside of TIFF files is that they require more storage space, not used for browser images where download speed are an issue. But for print or publish commercial or professional work, TIFF is what you need.

GIF
Rhyming but not at all the same, the gif or “jif” is a lossless raster format that stands for Graphics Interchange Format. On the pronunciation thing, while graphics starts with “guh” the person who created the file format says jif. However you decide to pronounce it, GIFs are a very commonly used web image format usually showing some type of animation like animated banners or memes. Even though they are lossless, they can still be exported in relatively small file sizes making them ideal for web use. Plus, they have the ability, like a PNG, to have transparency. They do not however, have a wide range of color options, so very colorful images will look flatter if converted to a GIF and I wouldn’t recommend them for printing for the same reason.

RAW
Finally, the RAW image file type is often used by photographers because it includes all the unprocessed data captured by a digital camera. There are many types of RAW formats from Canon (CRW), Nikon (NEF ) and Adobe (DNG). This is the highest quality image possible for editing and understandably comes with a hefty file size as a result. While ideal for photographers and photo editors, you wouldn’t want to use RAW image files for websites or printing since most printers won’t accept that file format.

To break it down and oversimplify a bit, JPEGs are great for general image sharing, TIFF is great for printing or commercial applications, PNG is best for transparency, GIF is good for animations and RAW is best for photographers and photo editors. If you have any questions on this overview or would like to know about other image file formats not listed in this video, feel free to comment below and someone from the Kingston community will do their best to get you an answer.

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