Tiff Vs. Jpeg

[Greg McCary]

What's the benefit if any to processing with Tiff files? My work flow is RAW in LightRoom and the Jpeg in PS7. Other than Tiffs being much bigger do Tiffs make for better prints?

[gahspidy]

Well, the first benefit of Tiff over Jpeg is that Tiff is not a compressed format and does not discard any of the files information unlike Jpeg which is a lossy compression and even at the highst quality will degrade the file. It will still look and print quite well, but if you do any heavy editing the jpeg will eventually degrade to a poor condition. Especially if you open it up several times, each time you save you throw more and more info away. The file loses it's integrity.

I use RAW for all my work and if i can do all I need to do to an image in Lightroom, than it will stay a RAW file. However, if I decide to edit an image further in CS2 than I will have LightRoom make me a copy with the RAW adjustments in a 16 bit TIFF format. The 16 bit Tiff file will hold up quite well to editing and after saving, I can reopen it anytime for tweaking or further editing without any loss to the integrity of the file, unlike a JPEG.
I will convert to maximum quality Jpeg if i send a file out for printing for the sake of reducing the size of the file to be sent over the web. To do this, I will take the finished TIFF file, size it up to the dimensions I need, apply sharpening and then convert to max quality Jpeg. This will stay in a folder called OutPrints and will never be touched , tweaked or adjusted again.I can always use it to print that image but if I find I want to change something I will start over again with the TIFF and write over the old JPEG.
Hope this adds some food for thought.

[Greg McCary]

Thanks for the info Gary. I worked with Tiffs only once before, back when I shot the hayfields this summer. I did notice that it seemed when enlarged in processing there was more detail in the images. I wasn't sure if it was becuase they were Tiffs or not.

[learningdigital]

Ok I have a problem too. If I have a file shot in raw and saved as a tiff, how do I convert it ti jpeg. When I try to save as, jpeg is not an option. I am useing cs2. thanks
Glenn

[mjs1973]

Ok I have a problem too. If I have a file shot in raw and saved as a tiff, how do I convert it ti jpeg. When I try to save as, jpeg is not an option. I am useing cs2. thanks
Glenn

Change the file to 8 bit. Image>Mode>8bits/channel, then you should be able to save it as a jpeg.

[SmartWombat]

Another reason JPEG is only useful as the final output.
You go from 16 bits to 8 bits per colour in the file, that makes a huge difference to the colours you can display.