The TIFF mode is probably one of the least used modes in the D700 because it drops storage capacity on an 8-gigabyte card to just a little over 200 images when using FX-format with Image size set to Large. Plus, it slows the image writing process to the CF card (Figure 5-14).

Personally, I would rather shoot in NEF (RAW) mode, since I can get almost double the number of images (at 12-bit color depth) on my CF card and they are 12 or 14 bits instead of the TIFF mode’s 8 bits.

However, since the TIFF mode creates images that do not have to be postprocessed later (but easily can be if desired), some people will use TIFF mode for initial shooting. TIFF is not a lossy compressed mode, although there is a conversion from 12- or 14-bit to 8-bit initially. The image loses 4 or 6 bits from each color channel during the conversion so there is color data loss, but—for non-fine-art printing—it is not enough to make a big difference in the image. Use TIFF mode if you do not want the lossy compression of a JPEG and you’d rather not adjust the images later in your computer.