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	Introduction
	JPEG
	TIFF
	RAW
»	Conclusions

CONCLUSIONS

If you get nothing else from this article, remember this...by letting your camera process the images in ANY way, it is modifying or throwing away image data. There is only a finite amount of data for each image that can be stored on your camera, and later on the computer. With JPEG or TIFF mode, your camera is optimizing the image according to the assumptions recorded in its memory. Data is being thrown away permanently, in varying amounts. 

Nikon D2H

If you want to keep ALL the image data that was recorded in the image, you must store your originals in RAW format. Otherwise you will never again be able to access that original data to change how it looks. RAW format is the closest thing to a film negative or a transparency that your digital camera can make.

That is important if you would like to use the image later for modification. If you are a photographer that is concerned with maximum quality you should probably use RAW mode, and store your images in RAW format. Later, when you have the urge to make another masterpiece out of the original RAW image file, you will have ALL of your original data intact for the highest quality.

Now, to qualify this a bit, the TIFF mode is surely a very capable mode, since only a very small amount of the image data is gone. So you could use TIFF mode to make or remake a great image, and have an image format that is compatible with any image processor out there, or any computer program that is modern. And, a JPEG image is very capable also. When modified only once, is beautiful to behold. JPEG images can only be diddled with to a degree, or your image will degrade. It is a widely compatible image format, since most digital "consumer" cameras default to it and pro cameras have the mode available. 

Another consideration in digital imaging is short-term storage on the image card in your camera, or longer-term storage on your computer. The JPEG mode will definitely allow you to store more images. For instance, on my Nikon® D100, with a one-gigabyte IBM® Microdrive, I can store about 330 images in JPEG FINE mode, in RAW mode that drops to 107 images, and in TIFF mode, surprisingly, it drops to only 54 images. Due to how TIFF images store color information, they are nearly twice the size to store, as are RAW images. And the RAW mode contains more data for later use!

As this article is being written, and is mentioned briefly above, no RAW mode standard yet exists. Each camera manufacturer has proprietary RAW formats. The software that pulls the image off of the camera is proprietary and will not work with another camera maker's images in RAW format. So this might be a drawback if you need maximum compatibility with the rest of the printing industry.  But, with the new Photoshop CS this problem is going away.  Most image shops will be using Photoshop, since it is the industry standard graphics program.

So, if you want maximum compatibility and maximum reusable quality, use TIFF mode. If you need maximum storage, and excellent initial image quality, use JPEG mode. If you want maximum quality period, use RAW mode.

Many do as I do, and shoot in RAW mode, store the image in RAW mode, and later make TIFF or JPEG images from the RAW images. I can do that over and over without losing my image quality. In fact, JPEG or TIFF images that have been converted on your computer from a RAW image are noticeably higher quality.

Why not go out and make a bunch of digital images today. Whatever mode you use will give you an excellent image later.  You can experiment with the various formats and see which YOU like best.  Digital photography makes this easy.  Now that you have made the investment in digital camera equipment, you can shoot and shoot until you are satisfied, at no extra cost! 

Most cameras will allow you to change formats at any time, and will store all the formats on the same camera image card, so, go and experiment a bit.

Keep on capturing time…