RAW and TIFF explained
A camera RAW file is the sensor's unprocessed readout, plus the camera's settings as metadata. It is not really an image yet: it has to be developed, which is why the same RAW can produce very different-looking photos.
TIFF is a flexible container used in print, publishing and archiving. It can hold multiple pages, layers, and a variety of compression schemes including none at all, which is why TIFF files vary enormously in size.
- Where RAW files come from
- Interchangeable-lens cameras and phones shooting in professional mode.
- Where TIFF is used
- Scanners, professional photography workflows, and print production.