Have you ever wondered when you should use a JPG instead of a PNG? Or perchance you're just trying to figure out which program opens an INDD.

Unless you're a graphic designer past training (like me), chances are you've never needed to sympathise things like what separates a TIF from a PDF or a PSD. While the large variety of image formats may seem overwhelming, at that place is a method to the madness.

Nosotros've put together a useful outline to aid you empathize the difference between each file format, and when they are advisable to use.

Download the free stock photos you've been searching for here, no attribution  required.

Vector vs. Raster

First things showtime: What is the difference between vector and raster?

Raster Image Files

Raster images are synthetic past a serial of pixels, or individual blocks, to course an image. JPEG, GIF, and PNG are all raster image extensions. Every photo you notice online or in impress is a raster paradigm. Pixels accept a divers proportion based on their resolution (high or low), and when the pixels are stretched to make full space they were non originally intended to fit, they become distorted, resulting in blurry or unclear images.

In guild to retain pixel quality, you cannot resize raster images without compromising their resolution. As a result, it is important to remember to salve raster files at the exact dimensions needed for the awarding.

Vector Image Files

Vector images are far more flexible. They are constructed using proportional formulas rather than pixels. EPS, AI and PDF are perfect for creating graphics that require frequent resizing. Your logo and brand graphics should have been created as a vector, and yous should always take a master file on mitt. The real beauty of vectors lies in their power to be sized as small every bit a postage stamp stamp, or big enough to fit on an 18-wheeler!

If you're not sure whether you have a vector version of your logo, here's a little fob for y'all: Telephone call the company that printed your business concern cards or the vendor that embroidered your logo on a shirt. Often they'll have a vector file of your logo that they tin send to y'all for your records.

Loftier Resolution vs. Low Resolution

Take you heard your designer talk about DPI or PPI? DPI stands for "dots per inch" and PPI translates to "pixels per inch." These units of mensurate are essential for determining if the density of pixels in an image is appropriate for the awarding you are using.

The biggest thing to note when determining what DPI or PPI you crave is if you are using an paradigm for impress or spider web. Websites display images at 72dpi, which is depression resolution; however images at this resolution wait really crisp on the web. This is not the instance for print. Best practices for printing an image will require it to be no less than 300dpi.

Don't try to flim-flam the system. A lot of magic can happen in Photoshop, only creating pixels out of thin air isn't ane of them. Pulling an image off of the web and trying to get it to fit the dimensions of your print project just won't work. You will end upwardly with a pixelated paradigm that appears stretched and distorted.

i. JPEG (or JPG) - Joint Photographic Experts Group

JPEGs might be the most common file type you run across on the web, and more than than probable the kind of prototype that is in your company's MS Word version of its letterhead. JPEGs are known for their "lossy" pinch, significant that the quality of the epitome decreases every bit the file size decreases.

JPEG image file icon

Y'all tin apply JPEGs for projects on the web, in Microsoft Office documents, or for projects that require press at a high resolution. Paying attention to the resolution and file size with JPEGs is essential in gild to produce a nice-looking project.

JPG vs JPEG

In that location is no difference betwixt the .jpg and .jpeg filename extensions. Regardless of how you proper noun your file, it is nevertheless the same format and will behave the same way.

The only reason that the two extensions exist for the same format is considering .jpeg was shortened to .jpg to accommodate the three-character limit in early versions of Windows. While in that location is no such requirement today, .jpg remains the standard and default on many paradigm software programs.

2. PNG - Portable Network Graphics

PNGs are amazing for interactive documents such as web pages merely are not suitable for impress. While PNGs are "lossless," meaning y'all can edit them and non lose quality, they are still low resolution.

PNG image file icon

The reason PNGs are used in most web projects is that you can save your prototype with more colors on a transparent background. This makes for a much sharper, web-quality image.

3. GIF - Graphics Interchange Format

GIFs are most mutual in their animated form, which are all the rage on Tumblr pages and in imprint ads. It seems similar every twenty-four hours we see popular civilisation GIF references from Giphy in the comments of social media posts. In their more basic form, GIFs are formed from up to 256 colors in the RGB colorspace. Due to the express number of colors, the file size is drastically reduced.

GIF image file icon

This is a common file type for web projects where an image needs to load very apace, as opposed to i that needs to retain a higher level of quality.

4. TIFF - Tagged Image File

A TIF is a large raster file that doesn't lose quality. This file type is known for using "lossless pinch," meaning the original epitome information is maintained regardless of how oftentimes you might copy, re-save, or shrink the original file.

TIFF image file icon

Despite TIFF images' ability to recover their quality after manipulation, you should avoid using this file type on the web. Since it can take forever to load, it'll severely impact website functioning. TIFF files are also commonly used when saving photographs for print.

5. PSD - Photoshop Document

PSDs are files that are created and saved in Adobe Photoshop, the virtually pop graphics editing software ever. This type of file contains "layers" that make modifying the image much easier to handle. This is too the program that generates the raster file types mentioned above.

PSD image file icon with Adobe Photoshop logo

The largest disadvantage to PSDs is that Photoshop works with raster images every bit opposed to vector images.

6. PDF - Portable Document Format

PDFs were invented past Adobe with the goal of capturing and reviewing rich information from whatever awarding, on any calculator, with anyone, anywhere. I'd say they've been pretty successful so far.

PDF image file icon with Adobe Reader logo

If a designer saves your vector logo in PDF format, yous can view information technology without any design editing software (as long as you have downloaded the gratuitous Acrobat Reader software), and they have the ability to utilise this file to make further manipulations. This is by far the best universal tool for sharing graphics.

7. EPS - Encapsulated Postscript

EPS is a file in vector format that has been designed to produce loftier-resolution graphics for print. Near any kind of design software can create an EPS.

EPS image file icon

The EPS extension is more of a universal file type (much like the PDF) that can exist used to open up vector-based artwork in any design editor, non just the more than mutual Adobe products. This safeguards file transfers to designers that are non yet utilizing Adobe products, but may be using Corel Describe or Quark.

8. AI - Adobe Illustrator Document

AI is, by far, the prototype format most preferred past designers and the nearly reliable type of file format for using images in all types of projects from spider web to print, etc.

AI image file icon with Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard for creating artwork from scratch and therefore more than likely the program in which your logo was originally rendered. Illustrator produces vector artwork, the easiest type of file to manipulate. Information technology tin can too create all of the aforementioned file types. Pretty cool stuff! It is by far the all-time tool in any designer's arsenal.

9. INDD - Adobe InDesign Document

INDDs (InDesign Document) are files that are created and saved in Adobe InDesign. InDesign is commonly used to create larger publications, such as newspapers, magazines and eBooks.

INDD image file icon with Adobe Indesign logo

Files from both Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator tin be combined in InDesign to produce content rich designs that feature advanced typography, embedded graphics, folio content, formatting information and other sophisticated layout-related options.

x. RAW - Raw Image Formats

A RAW epitome is the to the lowest degree-processed image type on this listing -- it's frequently the beginning format a picture inherits when it's created. When you snap a photograph with your camera, it's saved immediately in a raw file format. Only when you upload your media to a new device and edit it using paradigm software is it saved using one of the epitome extensions explained above.

File icons for CR2, CRW, NEF, and PEF raw image formats

RAW images are valuable because they capture every element of a photo without processing and losing small visual details. Eventually, notwithstanding, you lot'll want to package them into a raster or vector file type and then they tin be transferred and resized for various purposes.

As you can meet from the icons above, there are multiple raw image files in which you can create images -- many of them native to certain cameras (and there are still dozens more formats not shown above). Here's a cursory description of those 4 raw files in a higher place:

  • CR2: This epitome extension stands for Catechism RAW ii, and was created past Canon for photos taken using its ain digital cameras. They're really based on the TIFF file type, making them inherently loftier in quality.
  • CRW: This image extension was also created by Catechism, preceding the existence of the CR2.
  • NEF: This prototype extension stands for Nikon Electric Format, and is a RAW file type created by (you guessed information technology) Nikon Cameras. These image files actually permit for extensive editing without changing file types, provided the editing takes place using a Nikon device or Nikon Photoshop plugin.
  • PEF: This image extension stands for Pentax Electronic Format, a RAW epitome file type created past Pentax Digital Cameras.

Working with images is a lot more than complicated than you'd think at start glance. Hopefully this guide has provided a ameliorate understanding of the standard file types and which are nearly advisable for your project.

Does this article make yous wonder which file types of your logo you lot accept on hand? Take a expect, and if you don't have an .EPS or .AI file stashed away, I would recommend contacting your designer.

As Fine art Director at Quintain Marketing, Jessie-Lee brings a unique blend of graphic pattern skills and marketing and social media knowledge. In addition to her design skills, Jessie-Lee has extensive experience in the design and implementation of social media strategies including blogging, and the use of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Editor's annotation: This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

New Call-to-action

New Call-to-action

Originally published Oct twenty, 2020 7:00:00 AM, updated Apr 27 2021