What File Format Should You Use for Archiving Family Photos?

Why File Format Matters

When old family photos are digitized, the file format determines how much detail is preserved, how large the files are, and how well they hold up over time. The difference between a good choice and a poor one isn't always obvious until years later.

TIFF — Best for Archival Storage

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is the standard for archival photo preservation. It uses no lossy compression — every pixel captured in the original scan is retained exactly as recorded.

  • No quality loss, ever
  • Widely supported by professional software and print services
  • Ideal for large-format printing
  • The right choice for photographs you want to preserve indefinitely

The only drawback is file size. A high-resolution TIFF can run 50-100MB per image. For a large collection, storage planning matters — our guide to digitizing large photo collections covers that side of the process.

PNG — A Reasonable Alternative

PNG uses lossless compression, meaning no quality is lost when the file is saved. Files are significantly smaller than TIFF while still retaining full detail. A practical choice when storage space is a genuine constraint.

JPEG — For Sharing Only

JPEG uses lossy compression. Every time a JPEG is saved, a small amount of quality is lost — and that loss accumulates. JPEG is appropriate for sharing photos by email or viewing on a phone. It should never be the only copy of an irreplaceable photograph.

DNG — For Digital Camera Files

DNG is Adobe's open standard for RAW camera files. If you're archiving photographs taken with a digital camera rather than scanned from prints, DNG is the right archival format.

What We Recommend

For digitized family photographs, TIFF as the master file and JPEG for shared or web-use copies. At Romero Imaging, all digitization and restoration work is delivered as high-resolution TIFF files — the standard recommended for long-term archival preservation.

Learn more about our digitization services, or reach out with questions about your collection.

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