Photoshop supports a wide variety of file formats, each with its own strengths and purposes. Here are some of the most common ones you'll encounter:
Photoshop's Native Formats :
- PSD (Photoshop Document): This is Photoshop's native file format and the most comprehensive. It preserves all your layers, adjustments, effects, and other editing information. PSD files are ideal for working files and archiving.
- PSB (Photoshop Big): This is similar to PSD but supports much larger file sizes (over 2GB). Use this for very large images or complex projects.
Common Image Formats :
- JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): A widely used format for photos and images with continuous tones. JPEG uses lossy compression, which means some image data is discarded to reduce file size. It's great for web use and sharing, but not ideal for images you plan to edit extensively.
- TIFF (Tagged Image File Format): A flexible and versatile format that supports both lossy and lossless compression. TIFF is often used for professional printing and archiving due to its high image quality.
- PNG (Portable Network Graphics): A lossless format that's popular for web use. PNG supports transparency and is ideal for images with sharp lines, text, and graphics.
- GIF (Graphics Interchange Format): A format commonly used for animated images and images with limited color palettes. GIF supports transparency but uses lossy compression for images with many colors.
Other Supported Formats :
- RAW: Camera raw files contain unprocessed image data captured by a digital camera. They offer maximum flexibility for editing but require specialized software to open and process.
- PDF (Portable Document Format): A versatile format for documents and images that can be viewed consistently across different platforms. Photoshop can open and edit PDF files.
- EPS (Encapsulated PostScript): A format used for vector graphics and images. EPS files can be scaled without losing quality.
- BMP (Bitmap): A standard image format for Windows. BMP files are uncompressed, resulting in large file sizes.
Choosing the Right Format :
The best file format for you will depend on your specific needs and how you plan to use the image.
- For editing and archiving: PSD or PSB
- For web use: JPEG or PNG
- For printing: TIFF
- For vector graphics: EPS
