What is the best image file format for photographs intended for online use?

The JPG file format is the best choice for photographs intended for online use due to its ability to compress images significantly without a noticeable loss in quality. This compression is highly beneficial for web usage, as it reduces the file size, leading to faster loading times and a more efficient use of bandwidth. JPG supports a wide range of colors and is particularly effective for photographs with gradients and detailed imagery, making it suitable for capturing the subtleties of real-life images.

Additionally, JPG is universally supported across all browsers and devices, ensuring compatibility for viewers accessing the images online. Its popularity among photographers and web designers is largely due to its balance between quality and file size, which is critical for maintaining performance on the web.

In contrast, options like GIF are limited to a smaller color palette of 256 colors, making them less ideal for photographic images. BMP files are uncompressed and therefore result in large file sizes, leading to slow loading times. TIFF files, while high quality, are typically used for printing and archival purposes rather than online applications because they tend to be much larger in size and aren’t supported by all web browsers.