File types

Learn about the various file types in photography and how they are used to edit, display, and preserve...

File types in photography

In photography, we use various file types to store our images. Each file type has specific attributes and purposes that will affect how you edit, display, and preserve your images. Understanding the different file types such as RAW, JPEG, and PNG are important for knowing the quality and size of the file before editing.

Knowing the different types of RAW files for each brand such as CR2 for Canon, NEF for Nikon, and ARW for Sony is good to know as well.

If you use an Adobe product such as Lightroom or Photoshop, then it's also important to know about TIFF and XMP files.

Each of these file types plays an important role whether you are capturing and editing high-quality images or trying to efficiently store them. Knowing your specific needs and what each file type is best for is an important step in mastering the editing process.