What Is TIFF File | Pros and Cons of TIFF File?

You must have seen different image file formats including jpg, jpeg, png, BMP, etc. with your photos taken or shared. They may be raster images or vector images. The tiff is just another image file format.

In this article, we’ll explain what is TIFF file and what are its advantages over traditional image file formats. Generally speaking, TIFF files allow for more details, hence they are better suited for editing. 

What is TIFF File?

The tiff file is an image extension or format that is useful in getting high-resolution images. Tiff is the abbreviation of Tagged Image File Format. It is mainly a raster image extension but can also be used for vector images. As the format is capable of producing both lossy and lossless compression, it can be used extensively in editing applications.

The tiff format was originally created and developed by the Aldus Corp. and later it was taken over by Adobe. The graphic designers find it really comfortable to work with the tiff file on the Adobe Photoshop platform as the format is capable of saving high-quality photos. The other popular software to work with the tiff files is Corel Draw and Paint Shop.

Application Area of TIFF File

Tiff format is mainly used in the area of-

• Graphic design.
• Editing.
• Printing.
• Faxing.
• Desktop publication.

Which Programs Can be Used to Open TIFF Files?

If you are a Windows user, then you must have opened the jpg or png photos with the ‘Microsoft Photos’ program. The tiff files can also be opened with this program; small editing like cropping and drawing can also be carried out using Microsoft Photos. ‘Microsoft Paint’ is another option to do the task.

On the other hand, if you are an IOS user, then you can use the usual ‘Apple Photos’ or ‘Apple Preview’ to open the Tiff files.

Adobe graphics suites like- Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop Elements, etc. can be used to open and edit the tiff files on both the Windows and IOS platforms. In the case of tiff files, you can save the images after editing is done keeping the same resolution as before.

What are the Pros of TIFF Files?

• The tiff format can hold onto high-quality jpg images.

• The tiff format can produce lossless compression which makes it ideal for image editing.

• The tiff format can be used across different platforms, software, and programs.

• The tiff format supports both the 8-bit and 16-bit colors.

• The tiff format is capable of transferring data across platforms without losing any resolution.

What are the Cons of TIFF Files?

• The main disadvantage of using the tiff file format is the size of the file that it produces. As the image remains original without losing any data and even enhances the image, the file size gets bigger.

• The tiff format is not good for the web platform.

• The tiff file requires too much time to send and download images because of its largeness.

TIFF vs JPG

The jpg or jpeg extensions can be used in more application areas than the tiff format. This is the reason why the tiff format is often converted to jpg or jpeg formats. On the other hand, the jpg format loses some data when the image is compressed; in the case of the tiff format, the image remains intact and the best quality image is produced.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Is TIFF or PDF better?

For distribution purposes, PDF files are better, since they tend to be smaller. However, for storing documents, TIFF files are the way to go, since they are lossless and can retain much more data.

Why is TIFF better for printing?

Because of the amount of data TIFF files can retain, they provide much more quality and clarity while printing. However, you need to keep in mind that not all shops offer TIFF printing due to their large file size, so ask beforehand.

Conclusion

The Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) is pretty much popular among professional graphic designers, photo editors, and photographers. We all want high-resolution pictures, right? But you can get nothing without paying a price. The tiff format, having a major problem of big file size, can give some trouble to your storage space and to your valuable time while sending the data. Besides these one or two disadvantages, the tiff format is worth using in image editing.