photo and camera file formats

PICT CLASSIC MAC QuickDrawFile
SWF SHOCKWAVE FLASH Support

Compiled by MCSE
Microsoft Certified
Systems Engineer

2D vector formats (misc. 2D vector formats)

AI (Adobe Illustrator)
CDR (CorelDRAW)
GEM metafiles; a Graphics Layout Engine
HPGL for Hewlett-Packard plotters and some printers
HVIF (Haiku Vector Icon Format)
NAPLPS (North American Presentation Protocol)
ODG (Open Document Graphics)
POV-Ray markup language
PSTricks and PGF/TikZ creates graphics in TeX.
ReGIS used by DEC computer terminals
VML (Vector Markup Language)
WMF/EMF (Windows Metafile / Enhanced Metafile)
XPS (XML Paper Specification)
XAML User language for vector graphic images

Graphic File Formats - Conversions and Containers

DNG (Digital Negative Graphics) Adobe's standard RAW converter; Converts (compressed) 16 bit RAW from any

camera to 8 bit TIFF for compatible printing. -COPY LINK--> https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/adobe-dng-

converter.html Adobe recommends DNG to convert RAW to TIFF files, and convert to 8bit in order for a printer to print.

GIMP* - GHIMP or GNU Image Manipulation Program; a free open-source raster graphics editor for image retouch,
draws, conversions to formats specialized.

Exif (Exchangeable image format) a standard like JFIF and TIFF; incorporated into JPEG, writes in cameras.

tandardizes exchange of images with image metadata between digital camera editing and image viewing.

HEIF (High Efficiency Image File) compressed image container, standard: MPEG-H Part 12 (ISO/IEC 23008-12).

HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) intra-coded media specifically stored in HEIF container (MPEG-H part-2).

It's the new successor to Advanced Video Coding (AVC, "H.264") compression for Blu-ray. (MPEG-4 Part 10)

BPG (Better Portable Graphics) a new format, replaces JPEG format when quality or file size is an issue.

Its main advantages are higher compression ratio. Files are much smaller than JPEG for similar quality.

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) an open standard created and developed by the WWW Consortium to address the

need for a versatile, scriptable and all-purpose vector format for the web. SVG format doesn't have a compression.

But due to the textual nature of XML, an SVG graphic can be compressed utilizing programs, for example, Gzip.

SVG has scripting potential, a key component in interactive web pages that look and act like real applications.

Gerber (aka Extended Gerber) developed by Gerber Systems Corp., now Ucamco, is a 2D bi-level image format.

The de facto standard utilized by printed circuit boards (PCB). Its software is for high-precision 2D bi-level imaging.

CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile) (superceded by SVG and DXF) for 2D vector graphics, raster graphics, and text.

It provides graphics data interchange for computer representation of 2D graphical information independent from any

particular application, system, platform, or device for technical illustration and very technical design principals.

.flt - stands for FiLTer; a file extension used in Adobe Illustrator, PageMaker; a plugin container; not directly viewable

Gzip - a file format and app. used for file compression/decompression, developed by Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler

as free software for file compressions used in early Unix computer platform systems. The G stands for GNU;

GNU - a coding standard with a set of rules and guidelines for writing programs in C language for the GNU system;

Written by Richard Stallman and staff, the standard is part of the GNU project from the GNU website and free-ware.

PIX - PIX file association 3 (alias PIX image) is a Bitmap image created in the proprietary Alias PIX format; contains a

header followed by pixels that are run-length encoded in packets; originally used by Alias 3D software, such as Power

Animater, but is not commonly used anymore. PIX files can open in Windows. The PIX file association 1 (Geomatic

Database files) and PIX association 2 (CAD Raw Image files) can be seen on the web at this URL; copy this link:

https://fileinfo.com/extension/pix - copy this link into your browser's URL linking. PIX file is for Windows computers.

XIP - Analogous to a .ZIP file which can be digitally signed for integrity - .XIP file format was introduced in OS X 10.9,
along with Apple's release of Swift Programming Language for Apple computers. This does not appear in a PC.

PPM portable pixmap; PBM portable pixmap; PGM portable graymap; PBM portable bitmap.

PAL Phase Alternating Line - a color encoding system for analogue television used in broadcast TV systems;

WebP a new open image format that uses both lossless and lossy compression; designed by Google

to reduce image f

ile size to speed up website page loading: Its purpose is to supersede J

PEG

as the primary

format for

Google

photos on the web.

WebP

is based on

VP8's

intra-frame coding,

formerly

based on

VP7 Encoded video format developed by On2 Technologies; designed to encode video quickly and decode video
in fewer cycles than other compressions, optimized for playback on low-power devices; Created from WebP.

RIFF - The Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF) is a generic file container for storing data tagged chunks,
primarily used to store multimedia, sound and video - created for WebP.

WebM - is an open media file format for video streams compressed with VP8 and VP9 (new) video codecs, and its
audio streams are compressed with Vorbis and Opus audio codecs and WebVTT text tracks. It's a codec container.

VP8 an open, royalty free video compression by Google, created by On2 Technologies, from VP7.

It can be multiplexed into the Matroska-based

container

format, WebM along with Vorbis and Opus audio.

VP7 is a TruMotion video codec used in Adobe Flash, Flash-Video and JavaFX lossy media codec files.

Vorbis is an audio coding format in its software referenced to encoder/decoder for audio

compression

Opus is an audio format developed to support Internet audio, mainly used in

streamin

g as a lossy format.

VP9 - open and royalty free video coding format developed by Google. VP9 is a successor to VP8 and competes
with MPEG's High Efficiency Video Coding used on Google's popular video platform, YouTube.

WebVTT is a format that provides captions or subtitles for video content, text video descriptions which displays
timed text tracks on video such as subtitles or captions, and adds text overlays onto video tape images.

Ogg Vorbis is an audio compression format, used to store and play digital music, but differs in that it is free,
open, unpatented. Ogg Vorbis is in the public domain, available for commercial or noncommercial usage.

Opus Audio Codec totally open, royalty-free, highly versatile audio codec. Opus is unmatched for interactive
speech and music transmission over the Internet; Also intended for storage and streaming applications.

JPG (JPEG) - "Joint Photographic Experts Group"

discards

all

redundant

white and black

pixel

invented

to fool

the

eye;

scaled

size

are

'muddy'

no edit

ing

, no print

ing

enlarging

blur

s pixel,

can

reduce size

email 72dpi, phone pics 24dpi

;

phone pic 1" shows on web

can not be enlarged

;

igh-res

compression is

0%; Low-res

;

PDF (definition) - "Portable Document Format"

Made for email

, media

format

document

file

not for photo or resume, meant for portab

le disc

;

compress

50%

omits

redundant

border

pixel

photos are

less

ualit

than TIFF

more than JPG

;

PDF-JPG - Saved as 2-parts, 2 pop-up windows.

This is s

aved as a

PDF

and

then

saved as a

JPG

This has 75% compression and cannot be edited.

PDF-ZIP - Saved as 2-parts, 2 pop-up windows.

This is s

aved as a

PDF

and

then

saves as a

ZIP

This has 80%

compression

. F

transferring files

PDF-NONE - Saved in 2 parts, 2 pop-up windows.

This is saved as a

PDF

and then

saves as "

ONE

It's saved

without

file compression

to be

edited

later

All of these (above)

have

an extra window that will

open while saving its PDF and that window asks if

the file should be saved with compression or NONE.

PDF without compression is TIF

, can be saved as TIF

Gif/GIFF - "Graphics Interchange File Format"

ill show

pixel

loss

rescale

on hi-res Website;

technicians

will

flatten

layer

ed graphic process;

professional

advertis

ing

graphics

display

;

PNG - Portable Network Graphics (pros use this)

originally

replace

GIF

, 90%

compress

values

;

retains

dimension, scalable,

stores layer values

meant

for first run graphic development;

will

not

support CMYK

alpha

RGB

Web

color channel

BMP - Bitmap Management Protocol;

origina

"device independent bitmap" (DIB) pixels

stores bitmap digital image for a graphics device;

two-dimensional imaging, stores metafile (WMF)

;

ompresses 99%, saves width, height resolution

;

PSD Photoshop Document saves edited image layers;

Common Photo File Formats

TIF/TIFF (Mac/PC) - "Tag Image File Format"

since all its pixels are accounted for, it is a large file;

this is why professionals want these files most often;

preferred

format for scanned imag

document

fax,

desktop publishing

medical imaging,

word process,

optical character recognition,

3D and

other

graphics

;

grayscale to RBG color,

can combine

TIFF

JPEG

;

usually

compressed, scalable

flexible

photo

pixel

for

edit

ing

, enlarg

ing

imag

ing

chang

ing

;

EPS - Encapsulated PostScript for Photoshop;
PostScript graphic language; print capabilities;
CPT - Photo Paint photo editor, not for Paint Shop Pro
PSP - Paint Shop Pro; a lesser expensive Photoshop

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120 Photo File Format-Extensions - Compiled by a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

3D vector formats (used in CAD/CAM/CAE)

AMF - Additive Manufacturing File Format
Asymptote - A language that lifts TeX to 3D.
.blend - a graphics blender
Collada COLLAbroative Design, ISO/PAS 17506
.dgn - graphics design system for IGDS and ISFF
.dwf - Design Web Format; for viewing, review, prints
.dwg - AutoCAD draw, stores 2D, 3D, data & metadata
.dxf - Drawing Exchange Format, AutoCAD data-share
eDrawings highly compressed 3D for email
.flt - FiLTer; used in Adobe Illustrator, PageMaker
HSF - HOOPS Stream File 3D Export Converter
IGES - Initial Graphics Exchange Specs for CAD
IMML - Immersive Media Markup Language
IPA - an iOS (only) archive ARM architecture app.
JT - 3D open CAD file format for sharing/collaboration
.MA (Maya ASCII format)
.MB (Maya Binary format)
.OBJ (Alias|Wavefront file format)
OpenGEX - Open Game Engine Exchange
PRC (PDB ext) eBook format, digital reading devices
STEP - 3D CAD interchangeable model, ISO 10303
SKP - 3D conceptual design software
STL - A stereo lithography format
U3D - Universal 3D file format
VRML - Virtual Reality Modeling Language
XAML - XML based user interface markup language
XGL - X Windows System protocol for Open GL
XVL - high compression for 3D lightweight graphics
xVRML - eXtensive Virtual Reality Modeling Language
X3D - XML based successor for (2001) VRML
.3D - native to autodesk studio DOS, 3D studio MAX
3DF - highly compressed replica of original 3D model
.3DM - allows accurate saves of CAD, CAM, CAE;
.3ds - Autodesk 3D Studio
3DXML - 3DVIA branded 3D proprietary XML container
X3D - Vector format used in 3D applications from Xara
OP-Atom, OP1b edtors for Avid Media Composer;

Digital Camera Formats including RAW

CR2/CRW2 - CANON - RAW only to Canon;

Shoot CR2 (RAW) or shoot low res. in JPG;

h res

CR2

converts to TIFF, PDF, CRW;

CRW in Photoshop is same as CR2 in Canon;

CRW is very limited

, u

tilize

images in TIFF only;

Software engineers in a common blog agree

that CR2, CRW, RAW are the same as TIFF;

RAW in 16 bit saves little space on a drive;

TIFF in 8 bit is bulky

but made for

ing

;

onvert 16 bit RAW to 8 bit TIFF

for printing

;

NEF - NIKON 16 bit RAW converts to 8 bit TIFF;
SR2/SRF - SONY RAW, ARW(alpha-RAW)
RAF - FUJIFILM RAW & JPEG same as JPG
ORF - OLYMPUS RAW Master-2 photo file format
RW2 - PANASONIC RAW native only to Panasonic
DNG - PENTAX RAW - DNG converts RAW in Adobe
DNG - CASIO - DNG converts RAW in Adobe
DCF - Digital Camera Format for ACDSee/XnView

RAW - RAW is a compressed file in a camera;

Printers

not

print compressed RAW files;

16 bit

camera

RAW file

compres

sed

50%.

16 bit

(

compressed

)

will not

print in its state;

You need to

convert

RAW files

to 8

bit

to prin

;

The p

rinter

will

convert

16 bit RAW to

8 bit

in Adobe

16 bit to 8 bit will pop-up when pressing "print".

TIFF

as an 8 bit

compressed

will

best

Audio-Video and Stereo Extensions and H.264

PCM Pulse Coded Modulation; samples audio signals;
standard in CD's, data coded LPCM (Linear PCM);
AVI Audio/Video Interleave format, utilizes
MOV Apple's QuickTime movie format container file;
AVCHD -high-definition video H.264 and Dolby AC-3
compression packaged into MPEG formats; Dolby AC3 is
compressed so that PCM is better; True HD, DTS, HD/MA,
Atmos, and DTS-X high quality stereo surround sound.
MP3, MP4, M4V, MTS; MPEG formats defined as

Movin

Picture Experts Group

Standard 1

Audio La

er 3

;

ompress

audio

strip

ping

out recorded sounds that

are near or

beyond the threshold of human hearing.

MKV Russia's "Matroska" - a multimedia standard for
audio, video, subtitle files in one file format, copies MPEG3;
MPO Multi Picture Object format: multiple JPEG images

for

Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA).

JPS Stereo image format consists of side-by-side images;
compresses the file like JPEG photo formatting;
PNS Portable Network Stereo format side-by-side images

PNS

takes on the

format,

Portable

Network Graphic

MXF - Video/Audio Standard for Sony and Panasonic;