Photoshop Files and Formats
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You might find yourself wondering what image file formats Photoshop will open or save in. What are the advantages or disadvantages of each?
Simply put, Photoshop has the ability to open and save a variety of graphic files. Let's take a look at the more popular ones.
Note: When you open an image file other than a Photoshop one, that image will default to the background layer.
.psd, .pdd, .eps
These are Photoshop files. This format saves all of the information found in all of the layers. This format works best if you are going to continue to work with a picture. A downside can be that the file size may be quite large. You should save your work in the most recent Photoshop format available. An example would be is you have Photoshop CS and are sent a Photoshop 7 file, you would want to save it as a Photoshop CS file to maintain any elements that may not be supported in Photoshop 7.
2) .jpg, .jpeg .jpe
This format compresses images to a point that information such as details and color subtleties are lost. You can select how much you want to compress the image. Good format for use on the web with small file sizes and millions of colors.
3) tif, .tiff
Common in use with early scanners. Will produce high quality images, but very large files. Not for use on the web.
.gif
Pronounced both "Gif" and "Jif", this file is one of the most popular for web graphics as it loads quickly. 8 bit format (256 colours max.). It has possibilities for transparent colour and animation.
5) .png
This is a new format for use on the web that is intended to replace both gif and jpeg with its ability to compress, have millions of colors, and support transparencies. It compresses differently from jpeg, and has advanced possibilities, such as alpha channel (opaque or partly transparent colors). The only problem is that Internet Explorer does not support this format. In 8 bit (256 colors) mode it compresses better than gif.
.bmp
Used by Microsoft Windows applications, this has good quality and a large file size. Not for use on the web.
7) .wmf - Windows MetaFile
Windows MetaFile. Useful for clipart, and can be used to make large area, small sized background files.
8) .pcx
This older format is for general purpose and is basically obsolete now. Not for use on the web.
9) .psp
Internal format for Paint Shop Pro, useful if you want to swap files between these two applications.
.pcd
This format is used with photo developing, but most photo processors will save your photos as jpegs if needed.
11) .pdf
Adobe's file system that permits electronic cross platform sharing of documents.
So what's the best format for web graphics: gif or jpeg?
The general rule of thumb is to use gifs for diagrams, line drawings, illustrations, and images that contain large areas of flat colour, and jpegs for photographs and images with continuous colour tones. The jpeg format has a very good compression rate, but compression reduces the quality of the image, so it's best to experiment with the tools in Image Ready until you have the optimal quality/file size. The gif format, on the other hand, has a smaller file size - but a limited range of colours.
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