For high-quality A2 prints, should I use TIFF or JPEG?
Asked 3/22/2013
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I want to make a high-quality A2 print on a good printer or through a print lab. Is it possible to print from a TIFF instead of a JPEG, and will TIFF give better results?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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File format doesn't matter as much as quality level. To achieve the best quality print, you want a lossless image format that has an embedded color profile that matches the environment you did any editing in and that can be reproduced by the printer being used for printing. This will ensure that the image maintains the highest possible quality and color accuracy throughout the process from editing to printing. Tiff supports higher quality levels than Jpg, so as long as it is supported by the printer, then uncompressed TIFF is preferable.
Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11392
13y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—if your printer or print lab supports it, TIFF is often the better choice for high-quality A2 printing. TIFF can be lossless or uncompressed, so it preserves image data better than JPEG, which always uses lossy compression. That can help maintain maximum detail and color accuracy, especially if the file has an embedded color profile that matches your editing and printing workflow.
That said, file format is only part of the story. A high-quality JPEG at low compression can still print very well, and at normal A2 viewing distances the difference may be small. Resolution and color management matter just as much.
Use TIFF when you control the workflow yourself, are printing from software like Photoshop, or are sending files to a professional lab that accepts TIFF. Use JPEG when the service requires it—many quick-print kiosks and consumer labs only accept sRGB JPEGs.
So: TIFF is preferable for maximum quality when supported, but a good JPEG can still produce an excellent A2 print.
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