Tiff Image File Format Header. Tiff is a flexible adaptable file format for handling images and data within a single file by including the header tags size definition image data arrangement applied image compression defining the image s geometry. This document describes tiff a tag based file format for storing and interchang ing raster images.
You should use a tiff if. A tiff file is organized into an image file header an image file directory and a bitmap data with the previous two being considered mandatory. Tiff is a flexible adaptable file format for handling images and data within a single file by including the header tags size definition image data arrangement applied image compression defining the image s geometry.
The format supports lossless compression in which no image data is lost during the compression process.
The file begins with an 8 byte image file header that points to an image file directly ifd. Tiff files declare and describe their content by means of tags in the header and in image file directories ifds within the file. A tiff file for example can be a container holding jpeg lossy and packbits lossless compressed images. Most image editing software or applications are capable of working with tiff files.