Users can adjust the degree of compression/image quality on their digital camera. However, as degree of compression is reduced and image quality increases, the number of images the camera or memory card is able to store decreases. It is simply a trade off between image quality and storage capacity.

Choosing the JPG file format is often a good choice for color and grayscale photographs whether putting images on the web, viewing them on screen, or producing regular sized prints.

Users new to digital cameras need to understand that images recorded on the camera can be saved to computer in the same or a different format. However, an image originally recorded in JPEG will never have better quality than that in which it was originally recorded. Thus, if a user records an image with high compression on their digital camera, they can not reduce the compression or save as an uncompressed TIF file on their computer expecting to obtain better image quality.

Each time a JPEG file is opened, edited, and re-saved it loses data, and therefore image quality is lost as well. Thus, users should make every attempt to save original copies on their computer so that the image does not become progressively worse with repeated editing.

• TIF: The TIF file format can save images without compression and therefore no loss of image quality. This format can be used with both Macintosh and Windows based computers. Choosing to use the TIF file format is wise when enlarging images as there is a greater need for high image quality in these situations.