A Guide to Image Format

Learn about the most popular image format types and how they're best used.

BMP: Bitmap images are the basic Windows image format. Microsoft Paint, the drawing program bundled with Windows, saves files in BMP format by default. BMP files are uncompressed images, so they take up a lot of space and are really only useful for saving things locally to your computer.

EPS: Favored by the professional print community, EPS is another file type that's great in high-resolution printing applications. The EPS format is used by professional printers, newspapers and publishers to work with files that contain graphics and text. If you're sending a file out for professional printing, they may request an EPS file. Note that EPS is not a native image format; rather, it is created from the existing image. EPS will preserve the quality of embedded images, but it cannot enhance or improve a poor original.

GIF: GIF images are often used in Web design. GIF images only support 8-bit color, so they are typically used in simple Web design applications such as navigation buttons and stylistic elements. GIF images can also store animation data, and can be a useful way to bring your logo to life. GIF files are much smaller than other formats and best limited to the Web-safe palette of 216 colors.

JPG: JPG images are a lossy format, meaning you lose image data when you save a compressed version of a JPG file. Many photo editing suites give you control over how much you want to compress a JPG image, so you can experiment to find a good balance between file size and image quality. JPG supports unlimited colors, making it the best format to save photos for use on the Web. Because of the compression and image data loss, printed JPG photos often don't look as good as their Web counterparts.

PNG: PNG is like a more advanced GIF format. PNG supports 24-bit color and transparency, which gives you more control and creativity with your images. As a more advanced version of the GIF format, the PNG format is most useful in Web design.

PSD: PSD is a proprietary file type used by Adobe Photoshop. PSD images are extremely large and contain all the raw file details of your projects in progress, including layers and color profiles. Photoshop users often save ongoing projects in PSD, as it enables them to easily make changes, and then save the final product as a more usable file-type. Note that PSD files often can't be sent from one Photoshop user to another if they have embedded image profiles or fonts that aren't shared by all users.

RAW: RAW images are a file type used in high-end digital cameras. RAW images are uncompressed and will take up large amounts of space on a hard drive. They may also contain data on the camera settings when the image was taken. RAW is the choice for professional photographers, as it captures higher resolution pictures than any other file format. RAW format cannot be printed or shared directly, so you'll need photo editing software with RAW support to create finished images.TIFF: TIFF is a lossless image format, but it also offers an uncompressed option so you don't have to change any image data whatsoever. TIFF's 24-bit color support combined with compressed and uncompressed file options make it a popular choice in print media applications. TIFF photos may be too large to reasonably use on the Web, but they are a great choice for high-resolution photo printing.