Definition: File formats in a digital camera are the types of formatting used to store digital image files. Each of the three primary types of formatting offers a few different benefits and drawbacks.
- JPEG, short for Joint Photographic Expert Group, is the most commonly used format for digital images, especially for beginner photographers. JPEG, pronounced jay-peg, is a form of compression that reduces the file size significantly, allowing you to fit more photos on a memory card.
- RAW is the file format that's closest to film-quality, requiring a lot of storage space. The digital camera does not compress or process a RAW file.
- TIFF, short for Tagged Image File Format, uses a slight compression to reduce the file size.
Beginner-level digital cameras usually limit photographers to the JPEG file format. More advanced models allow you to choose between the three formats, and some shoot in more than one mode at one time, such as JPEG and RAW.
Also Known As: image formats
