Here’s a look at the main differences between each format and the best use cases.
Overall Findings
The most significant difference between the three formats is the amount of information each keeps.
JPEG: Smaller Files for Easy Sharing
Most common image format.
Takes up less space than RAW and TIFF.
Best for sharing on social media.
Loses information during compression.
Editing images in JPEG sacrifices quality.
The Joint Photographic Experts Group image format uses lossy compression.
This compression format removespixelsthat the compression algorithm deems unimportant, thereby saving storage space.
Thefirmwareorsoftwareinside the camera computes the compression level when the camera saves the photo.
This procedure saves space on the memory card.
Despite JPEG’s compression features, the removed pixels aren’t usually noticed.
Plus, you’re free to control the amount of compression.
Another disadvantage is that editing the same JPEG several times continues to degrade its quality.
Smartphone cameras also record in JPEG format most of the time.
More advanced cameras, such as DSLRs, also shoot in JPEG.
RAW: Closer to Film Quality
Close to film quality.
Doesn’t compress/process image before saving.
More control when post-processing an image.
Starting to appear in smartphones.
Requires lots of storage space.
Not compatible with all image editing/viewing software.
Depending on your camera manufacturer, RAW may be called something else, such asNEF(Nikon) orDNG.
Few beginner-level cameras allow RAW format file storage.
However, some smartphone cameras are starting to offer RAW along with JPEG.
Also, it’s possible for you to’t open RAW files with some image editing and viewing software.
TIFF: A Lossless File Format
Doesn’t lose information during compression.
Supported by various editing programs.
Not widely available in DSLRs.
Uses the most storage space out of the three formats.
Files are too large for the web.
Tagged Image File Format is a compression format that doesn’t lose information about the photo’s data.
It’s a lossless file format.
Files in this format are larger than JPEG and RAW files, and few cameras create images in TIFF.
TIFF is more of a standard format in graphics publishing and medical imaging than it is with digital photography.
However, there are instances where professional photographers have a project that requires it.
