This document summarizes several common file formats for images and graphics, including their purposes, advantages, and disadvantages. JPEG is a commonly used format for sharing photos on the internet due to its small file size, though it is "lossy" and image quality degrades each time it is saved. TIFF files have higher quality than JPEGs since they are lossless, but take up more storage. PNGs are also lossless and useful for images with clipped backgrounds. GIFs are best for small animations due to their highly compressed file size but have low quality. RAW files store the full, unprocessed image data from a camera sensor but take up more space. PSD files support layers and editing in Photoshop

1. +
File Formats
What their purpose is, their advantages,
disadvantages with examples

2. +
JPEG
JPEG is a lossy compressable file format for images. The lossy
term is because the more the file is saved it slowly looses image
quality and size due to its small size.
JPEG is a commonly used file format on the internet to share
photos as it is a common, small file format that is used primarily
to share photos when its main function isn't about the quality of
the image.
The advantage of JPEG is that it is a small file size that is used
commonly to share images that do not require the best quality
The disadvantage of the JPEG format is that it is lossy, meaning
that the more you save it the more quality is lost.

3. +
TIFF
TIFF is a large file format that is used for images and features a
lossless compression file format during compression. TIFF’s
reasoning for its large file format is that its bit depth is 16-bit per
channel, compared to JPEG being only an 8-bit.
TIFF’s use includes being a great option for coming back to an
image and saving over and over. Say you are manipulating the
image over time it doesn’t lose quality.
The advantages of TIFF is that it is a high quality file due to its larger
bit depth than JPEG and it is also lossless.
However the trade off for this is that it is a large file size which leads
to less storage and less TIFF files to store in comparison to JPEG for
example.

4. +
PNG
PNG’s are bitmap files that are much smaller than JPEG file sizes.
They are clipped so that background are removed and are very
useful for photo manipulation. PNG is not lossy when compressed.
This means that when compressed and then saved and opened.
There is no loss of quality and it is the same file size
PNG’s are used frequently on stock image websites so that the main
subject of the image is clipped and doesn’t require photo
manipulation to remove the background.
Advantages of PNGs is that it is lossless during compression and it
can have clipped backgrounds
Disadvantages however include the fact that you cant put multiple
images on one file and that it is not the best quality file format for
images.

5. +
GIF
GIF is a format that can store animated or singular images whilst
using only a small amount of storage space. They compress images
to a maximum 8-bit colour depth which is bad for images or
animations where quality matters.
GIFs are mostly used to show multiple image animations as they are
much smaller than video file sizes, but GIFS have no audio.
The advantages of GIFs is that they are a small file size suitable for
mutiple image animations
However they are very lossy and low quality, and musnt be used in
instances where you require high quality or audio for the animations

6. +
RAW
RAW files are files that are created using a camera, they are
basically the full image as seen by the sensor. They allow you to
process the image yourself rather than the camera compress the file
so that you cannot edit it past a few basic changes.
Camera RAW is used so that in post, you can edit lots of different
components, even as deep as the exposure.
The advantages of RAW is that it gives you complete control over
what the image will turn out, which goes past what you can do on the
day with the settings of the camera and lens
However the disadvantage is that you cant take as many photos on
the card if the file size was JPEG due to it being a larger file, also it
can clog up the writing of the image to the card, as the write speed
may not be fast enough to keep up with fast bursts of shots of a
RAW files as it can do with a JPEG file

7. +
PSD
Photoshop documents are layered formats that can be fully
manipulated in Adobe Photoshop. They can be saved as the image
that it currently is, or in Photoshop different elements can be moved
around and then changed. It allows for full creative control of the
image.
This file is used by Adobe Photoshop as its default file save for
manipulation of images
The advantages of PSD’s is that it allows for movement of images
and changes within the layering of image stacking
However the disadvantage is that the file can only be opened on
adobe products and will struggle to open at full file size on others
and their file size is large due to their preservation of different layers.

8. +
AI
Adobe Illustrator files are creative files that allow for manipulation
and use on Adobe illustrator.
This is used mainly by graphic designers and animators to create
and develop graphical content

9. +
Rasterizing
Rastered images are images composed from pixels on the screen.
This can be composed from either millions or billions depending on
the resolution of the images.
This is used a lot and is usually a common standard for the standard
of resolution of the file
The advantage of rasterizing files is that it is easy to distinguish
singular pixels and get locations of images for tiny manipulations
But the disadvantage of this is that due to their being pixels
attributed to everywhere, when the image is zoomed in the pixel size
zooms in with it and creates a blur and distortion on the image.

10. +
Vectorizing
Vector files are files that use hundreds of thousands of different tiny
lines and curves to create an image.
The use of vector images are primarily used on any hard edged
graphics, where if it were pixels it would show a harsh distortion. On
the edges of the curve.
The advantages of vector files is that data is shown in its original
resoliution without any worry of losing quality on any hard edges
where pixels may distort colour changes.
The disadvangtages of this is that vector files cannot be used to
store images where pixel by pixel there is a difference as it will be
hard for the curve to change when there is a colour change
frequently. Moreover making a vector file takes longer than a pixel
due to the algorithm for the changing of colour on the line.