JPEG to others...

stickman.walks · Sep 29, 2011

For the 100 or so .jpeg photo files I have (unedited, untouched) - when ready to edit them, say for example in LR3 - could I / should I leave them as .jpeg once done or should I change them to .tif?

I know the issue with JPEG losing image quality every time you open it and make any changes to the file. So just curious if it would also lose anything by changing from .jpeg to .tif. Seems that first time I open, edit and save the jpeg - by nature of it being a jpeg - I am gonna lose something. But if changing to .tif, in and of itself does it alter the image in any negative way, at least then I can make future edits without losing anything.

So basically, leave a JPEG as a JPEG or convert to a TIF (size isn`t an issue for me).

Also - one last question - is it seamlessly better to keep all my edited RAW files as TIFs or PSDs or some other format. Just want the best quality, edited image where I lose nothing if wanting to go back to it to make an edit or change.

penfolderoldo · Sep 29, 2011

Personally, I save as RAW's or PSD's, do any editing and once i'm happy THEN save it as a JPEG. It's worth remembering that merely opening, viewing and closing JPEG's will NOT cause any degradation, but multiple openings and editings will.

Garbz · Sep 29, 2011

Depends on the re-editing value of your images. JPEG is very good for displaying the full range of colours normally displayable on an sRGB image (save for compression artifacts in dark blue gradients). Personally I start with RAW and when I'm done I save to JPEG, but then I'm not the re-editing type.

I'm sure Lightroom internally processes JPEGs at a higher bitdepth anyway, but if you are using programs like Photoshop where any conversion process is manual there's value in switching to 16bit colour while working IF AND ONLY IF you use layers in your workflow.

stickman.walks · Sep 29, 2011

but in the end game of things, with specific regard to my jpeg files - do i LOSE anything by changing them over to tifs?

i shoot raw (and save in raw folder), edit and save as tif (saving in master edited folder) and make a copy from tif to high quality jpeg (saving in edited folder) for using online, like tumblr.

just on the occasional urge to re-edit or make a small change to a jpeg, i don`t want to lose any quality - so was curious if i could change them over to tifs without any issue, since the first edit/save, i will lose something (whatever it is) anyway.