File Formats for Archiving Photos

[garyc]

Came across an interesting link for the US Library of Congress on what file formats are desirable for archiving. In other words the types of files you are likely to be able to access in future.

http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/content/still_preferences.shtml

TLDR:

If you have a digital camera then you will stand the best chance of accessing your photos in future if you store them in JPEG or DNG RAW format.

 

[grok]

jpg for compatibility, raw for fidelity.

 

[bwana]

Came across an interesting link for the US Library of Congress on what file formats are desirable for archiving. In other words the types of files you are likely to be able to access in future.

http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/content/still_preferences.shtml

TLDR:

If you have a digital camera then you will stand the best chance of accessing your photos in future if you store them in JPEG or DNG RAW format.

From their order of preference they seem to list TIFF in its various guises followed by JPEG 2000 as the top two formats and unless I'm misreading the page DNG RAW is listed as a "Less desirable file formats"

95% of my work is shot in jpg anyway

 

[garyc]

In general TIFF is the most desirable format for image preservation. This is not only the library of Congress, but just about everyone else as well. I didn't mention this format since cameras don't do it.

They mention RAW as a less desirable format, while DNG is listed in the column to the right as a suggested alternative. The DNG format is an extension of TIFF and ISO is working towards including it in the upcoming TIFF standards.

And yeah, I think most people are going to jpg only as cameras get better at making them

 

[bwana]

In general TIFF is the most desirable format for image preservation. This is not only the library of Congress, but just about everyone else as well. I didn't mention this format since cameras don't do it.

They mention RAW as a less desirable format, while DNG is listed in the column to the right as a suggested alternative. The DNG format is an extension of TIFF and ISO is working towards including it in the upcoming TIFF standards.

And yeah, I think most people are going to jpg only as cameras get better at making them

Thanks - now I get it.

 

[$m@Rt@$$]

Shoot in RAW, and then export in jpeg as high as Aperture can go