Digital Files
The most common file type. Usually the only file type available in consumer or point and shoot cameras. All editing software and computers can use it, cross platform. Although not the best possible option, jpeg files can provide all the information needed by the majority of users....... however..... many people set their cameras at a very low quality setting to enable them to store large numbers of shots on a memory card, the results are ok for small 6"x4" prints, but if a larger print is attempted the results will often be disappointing.
Now that flash memory is so cheap it is a false economy to use low quality settings on your camera to save space. Buy as large a capacity card as your camera will accept and use your camera at the highest quality setting, you never know when you may want a big enlargement.
A Common file type often provided as a loss-less alternative to jpegs in digital cameras, scanners etc. All editing software and computers can use them. File sizes can be large and slow to open in photo-editing programs.
Another common file type used to transfer images and/or text. Not available as an in-camera option, but frequently used in e-mail attachments for file exchange. Open source and cross platform, readable by many freely available programs.
Ideal file type if you have the Photoshop image editing software. Not usually available as an in-camera option. Uncompressed files, open quickly, industry standard, cross platform.
Available as an option in all high end and some other cameras. There is a different type of raw file for every brand of digital camera on the market eg:
.NEF- Nikon
.ORF- Olympus
.MRW- Minolta
.CRW- Canon
.RAF- Fuji
The way these files encode information is a closely guarded secret (see note below). They can only be opened with special (readily available) software such as Photoshop, Bibble, Capture One, etc. They are the digital equivalent of a negative and contain all the information that the sensor produces. The files are large and will require some understanding of digital manipulation if you are to work with them successfully. See here for working with raw files. Raw files are capable of producing the best possible results. See here for a comparison chart of raw converters.
Note :The secrecy surrounding the encoding of these file types creates a very real problem, a manufacturer may go out of business or could ( some would say inevitably will ) choose to discontinue support.
Either way, once support is dropped and subsequently a new computer operating system is introduced (which is actually a regular event in the Mac & PC world) anyone who has their images stored in that particular file format will have no way of accessing them.
Essentially a type of camera raw. Freely available and open source.
The DNG file type was introduced by Adobe Systems in a laudable attempt to offer an alternative to the secret raw formats used by camera manufacturers and to get over the problems out-lined above.
This format represents the only serious attempt so far, in addressing one of the problem of long-term digital file storage. Any file ( raw, jpeg, psd etc ) can be converted into a DNG file using freely available and open source software, there is no loss of quality and no risk of the format being discontinued in the future.
Some camera manufacturers have adopted it as an in-camera option.