Re: To: John TF ... re: TIFF/PSD files
John TF wrote:
Thanks for the additional insights on your setup and workflow. Much appreciated.
I’m intrigued that TIFF plays a role for you. How does that work? Do you, perhaps, convert JPEG (from the camera) to TIFF (though that would seem upside down, at least traditionally). If so, why and to what end? Or do you use TIFF as an alternative to PSD? Etc.
The images straight from the camera in JPEG form are quite pristine. There's very few artifacts and certainly no dithering. I treat the JPEG originals as a template or negative, in much the same way folks who shoot RAW treat their RAW files as templates or negatives.
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If I edit an image it will be in Lightroom that I do any initial tweaking. I can't save it off as a JPEG without degrading the image so I'll save it as a TIFF (which is a lossless file, just like RAW). Of course, the difference between RAW and TIFF files is that RAW is technically not an 'image file' until it is converted to one.... and yet TIF/TIFF files are indeed Image Files - and can therefore be opened and viewed by any computer (without a need for decoding software). If someone sent me a RAW file from another brand of Camera, I wouldn't likely be able to open or convert it without the correct driver. When I import the TIFF into Photoshop for editing, cropping, noise reduction and/or resizing, I can then save off the final as a JPEG with a high enough level of quality that there's no visible image degradation. I can then trash the TIFF and retain both the original JPEG (Template) and the final reduced/edited JPEG for posting online or archiving.
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However, sometimes I may wish to save a full sized image for future tweaks or for printing. In those instances I'll tend to save a PSD (Photoshop Document) which contains layers. If I'm happy with my earlier edits but Know that I might need to print or send a full sized image for printing, I'll save the image as a single-layer TIFF.
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The weakest point is the quality of the original file. Here's SIX JPEGS that are straight out of the camera (see below). They are unedited other than the processing inside the camera. All my JPEG images from the camera are like this and I still have room to edit them and save them off. The only time a risk of image degradation comes into play is when choosing a Quality Level for saving the edited JPEGs for online posting. The quality of modern JPEGS from the camera are why I don't have a need for RAW. Check out the sharpness in that first image.
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unedited image - straight from camera - no resizing or editing or cropping.
unedited image - straight from camera - no resizing or editing or cropping.
unedited image - straight from camera - no resizing or editing or cropping.
unedited image - straight from camera - no resizing or editing or cropping.
unedited image - straight from camera - no resizing or editing or cropping.
unedited image - straight from camera - no resizing or editing or cropping.