Nikon D300 User Manual page 129

While nature photographers might want to use
since they have more time for processing images and
wringing the last drop of quality out of them, event or
journalist photographers may not have the time or interest in
processing images, so they'll often use JPEG.
Here are the pros and cons of using JPEG mode:
JPEG Positives
▪ Allows for maximum number of images on camera card
and in-computer hard drive storage.
▪ Allows for the fastest transfer from camera memory
buffer to memory card storage.
▪ Absolute compatibility with everything and everybody in
imaging.
▪ Uses the industry printing standard of 8 bits.
▪ High-quality, first-use images.
▪ No special software needed to use the image right out of
the camera (no post-processing).
▪ Immediate use on websites with minimal processing.
▪ Easy transfer across the Internet and as e-mail
attachments.
JPEG Negatives
▪ JPEG is a lossy format, which means that it permanently
throws away image data as you select higher levels of
compression (fine, normal, basic).
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NEF (RAW),