Different file formats in Photoshop

When even you work with Photoshop, the common thing you need to do is to save it in a file format. When we open a file in Photoshop whatever its file format, it is converted in to the Photoshop document and you work on it. So we will see the difference in various file formats in Photoshop. The most common file formats in Photoshop are PSD, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, EPS etc.

The PSD Format

The working files by default saved in PSD format when you hit the save option. When you work through a file means add layer, edit color, add mask and other lots of things and save it in psd format then when you open it you will got back your working layered file as a whole. Nothing will change. But if you save it in other versions of file format then all the layers will be merged into one and will create a flat version of non editable or limited editable image. One should keep his working file separate from the output file and in the future if any editing needed then edit on that working file instead of other versions of flatten files.

The JPEG Format

One of the most common file format for images is the JPEG file format. Actually it is a lossy compressed file format and commonly used for web, online image, email etc. To reduce the size of file JPEF file format throughout the un-important details from image which depends actually on the size and quality of the original raw image. So it is not wise to keep your work archive alive as a JPEG data. The other reason for this is, when you save as a JPEG file it will be compressed and some data will be lost. Again if you open this file save again then it will compressed again and quality will be degraded. Make changes in only psd files.

The GIF Format

Another common file format specially in web graphic is the GIF format. It is also a lossy format but the difference form JPEG is that the compression happen earlier as in order to save in GIF format the file need to be converted into 8 bit graphic, which means that it can only have 256 or less nos of color shed. This is the main reason that the GIF formats are not used in photographs but in web graphics, the areas of solid color like button, logos, levels, banner, backgrounds etc.

The PNG format

Another file format also used for interactive web content is the PNG file format. Also it is commonly used in flash, power point presentation. The most important features of the PNG file format is that it support the nice real quality transparency. JPEG format is also can be transparent but only one level of transparent, means that only one color can be pick to be invisible or can hide only one color. On the other hand PNG support true alpha channels, masks with 256 levels of opacity.

The EPS format

This file format is used for printing application. When you save a file in the EPS format you are actually pre-printing the file in the disk with a preview JPEG or TIFF file attached with it. The key point of it is that it can not be modified. This is the reason designer choose this file format to keep their design protected from accidental editing. When open a EPS file you actually not open it but open a preview file of it.

The TIFF format

TIFF is the other file format which is also used in the printing application. The difference between EPS and TIFF is that TIFF file format is more flexible then the EPS file format, say you can change the color values in the TIFF file fomat.