Thursday, July 18, 2013

JPEG Vs TIFF - What Format You Should Scan Your Film As

Did you know that when scanning your negatives, slides and photos that you have a choice what output it comes out in?  There are many file format types to scan your film at, so it's important to know the difference.  The most common file outputs for digitizing your old film at are JPEG and TIFF.

JPEG and TIFF file formats are both considered to be standard file formats that can be read in Windows, Macintosh, and Linux systems.

TIFF files are very large in file size when compared to JPEGs and are commonly used in professional print design.  They require more data space to store the images, so before selecting to have your film scanned as a TIFF file, you will want to make sure that your computer and hard drive can handle the size.

JPEG files are "compressed" images, meaning that the information contained in the file is more efficiently stored, reducing the amount of space the image takes up.  While JPEG image files are becoming the most common format for storage, repeated editing and saving of the JPEG will reduce the quality of the said image.  While it will reduce the image quality, it is pretty much impossible to notice the difference with the naked eye.  Check out this video showing just how slight the difference can be.


When converting your film to digital, you will want to make sure you choose the best file output for you.  There is no cost difference specifically associated with choosing TIFF or JPEG, however, choosing TIFF will most likely cause you to need more DVD's or CD's to store your memories on, resulting in an increased cost.  If wanting the most pure scan, then TIFF would be the best option for you- just make sure you have the space for it!

Larsen Digital Services can take all your old format film and convert it to a digital form.  With many scanning options such as JPEG and TIFF for images, and SD and HD for videos, the choice is truly yours.  Having been in business since 1995, and being continually trained and educated on the latest technology and trends, Larsen Digital provides the most professional service along with the best quality.

0 comments:

Post a Comment