A file type is a standard way of storing information on a computer so it can be read or displayed by a program. You can usually figure out the file type by looking at the last three letters of the file name. These letters are referred to as the file name extension. Different programs use different extensions when saving files.
Common graphics file types include JPEG (.jpg), TIFF (.tif), and bitmap (.bmp). In addition, some digital cameras can save pictures in RAW format, which is uncompressed and has not had effects like white balance or sharpening applied.
Most of the time, JPEG (.jpg) is the best file type, since it creates high-quality pictures with small file sizes by compressing the data. It’s great for storing and sharing your pictures. If you need a very high level of visual quality (for example, if you’re printing 8-by-10-inch enlargements), you should save in TIFF (.tif) format or save your JPEG picture at the very lowest compression level available.
JPEGs automatically compress your pictures when you save them, which reduces the visual quality by a small amount. If you use a high compression level, the image quality can be poor.
Some programs, including most web browsers, cannot display pictures in TIFF format.
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TIFF pictures can be very large (many times larger than the same picture saved as a JPEG). As a result, TIFF pictures consume hard disk space far more quickly than JPEGs.
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All but the smallest TIFF pictures are too large to send through e‑mail.
You’ll rarely need to use a file type other than JPEG or TIFF. The bitmap format (.bmp) is an older standard that creates needlessly large files. This wastes disk space and makes it difficult to send these pictures in e‑mail. GIF and PNG are commonly used on webpages, but you’ll find that JPEG works just as well. RAW files, on the other hand, can be created by many digital cameras as a high-quality alternative to JPEG. Many professional photographers choose to work with RAW files because it results in the best possible picture quality.
It depends. Software that can display RAW pictures might be available as an update to Windows. Each time you start Photo Gallery, Windows checks to see if these updates are available. If they are, you will be given an opportunity to install them. If you have the appropriate software installed, Photo Gallery can open and display some kinds of RAW pictures. If you edit a RAW picture, Photo Gallery will save your modified picture as a JPEG and leave the original RAW picture unchanged.
Every camera manufacturer uses its own unique file type for its highest-quality camera setting, yet refers to the file as RAW. Nikon RAW files end with .nef, for example, while Canon uses .crw and .cr2, depending upon the camera. Collectively, however, all of these files are referred to as RAW.
JPEG pictures are an imperfect copy of the original image displayed in the camera’s viewfinder. If you take pictures at your camera’s highest quality level, however, it can be hard to tell the difference. Every time you resave a picture in JPEG format, the visual quality is reduced slightly, as if you are making a photocopy of a photocopy. How much quality is lost depends upon how much the image has been compressed. Usually, this reduction in quality is difficult to see, but if you repeatedly make changes to the same picture and save it with an intermediate quality level, you might eventually notice a loss of sharpness and color accuracy. For the absolute best visual quality, save your JPEG pictures at the highest possible quality level or work in TIFF format.
A JPEG picture saved at high quality (left) and low quality (right)
Photo Gallery is intended to show and edit digital pictures from cameras and scanners, so some older file types that are not commonly used for digital pictures today will not appear in Photo Gallery. If you have picture files with .gif extensions, for example, they will not appear in Photo Gallery and can't be edited using the Fix pane. If you want to see these pictures in Photo Gallery, you should change their file type to a format that Photo Gallery can display (JPEG is recommended).
Photo Gallery can show many kinds of picture and video files, but not all of these files can be imported from your camera, edited, or tagged. The following table shows what you can do with every type of file that can be shown by Photo Gallery.
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Import indicates whether a file type can be transferred from your camera using Import Pictures and Videos.
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Fix indicates whether a file type can be edited using Photo Gallery.
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Tags indicates if you can add tags and other file properties (such as ratings). If yes, you can do this anywhere in Windows. Otherwise, you can only do this in Photo Gallery.
Note that additional types of files, such as RAW, might also appear in Photo Gallery if you install the appropriate update.
You can save a copy of your picture as a TIFF, JPEG, or another file type by using Paint.
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Open Paint by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, and then clicking Paint.
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Click the File menu, and then click Open.
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Choose the picture you want to change, and then click Open.
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Click the File menu, and then click Save As.
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Click the Save as type list, and then click the type of file you want to use.
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Click Save.
JPEG
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JPEG
A common type of file used by digital cameras and computers to store digital pictures. JPEG is popular because it stores high-quality pictures in relatively small files.
Program
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Program
A set of instructions that a computer uses to perform a specific task, such as word processing, accounting, or data management. Also called an application.
Photo Gallery
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Photo Gallery
A photo organizer used to view, manage, and edit digital pictures.
Compress
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Compress
To reduce the size of a file so that it takes up less storage space and is easier to send in e‑mail.
Tag
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Tag
A custom file property that you create to help find and organize your files.
File name extension
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File name extension
A set of characters added to the end of a file name that identifies the file type or format.
White balance
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White balance
A setting that compensates for the color of light in which a picture was taken. A correct white balance setting makes colors look natural, while an incorrect white balance can result in pictures that have exaggerated colors.
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