TIFF v RAW

TIFF files may be more easily edited in some photo editing software. But there is a trade off when using TIFF files. From what I have read TIFF files lose some information with each edit. RAW keeps more image data.
These links may help:
http://www.betterphoto.com/article.asp?id=44
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/digital-discussion-q...
http://photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00aZtn

You can't shoot TIFFs in camera. In Camera you cam shoot RAWs or Jpgs. Raws are the proprietary file types for each maker. Canon uses cr2, cr1, etc. I think Nikon uses nef files. These are the files that are images and numbers as the camera saw them. Most software can not read these files. Things like Windows Image Viewer, Irfan View, most viewing programs will not be able to read the RAW file type.

You need RAW files when you process you images in programs like photoshop and correl. What RAW does for you is gives you the ability to control the color to photos. With Jpegs imagine laying a color film on top of an image. This degrades the quality some. With RAWs when you change the white balance, or color cast, at the image level itself. You don't lay a color on top, you change the numbers that the computer sees to change the color, the image itself changes.

TIFFs are the highest quality file tpe you can save to that allows most viewing programs to see them. The idea for TIFFs is mostly when you need to send files for printing and you need just the absolute best money can buy. The files are HUGE and truthfully, worthless to not only most people who shoot, but probably about 85% of pros as well.

Hi - I would be surprised if your camera offered TIFF files as a shooting option.
I think your options are raw & jpeg.

I find TIFF files useful once(don't use any compression) I decide to keep an image and am going to
edit it with the intent on printing. The reason: jpeg files lose a very small
amount of data every time you open & close the file(lossy compression).
Not noticeable to the eye(at least initially), but nevertheless it occurs and I find it discomforting.

Like jpeg, TIFF files can be used with almost any image editing software out there.

As Bark pointed out the file size is very large. But, storage space is so cheap these days
that is not a concern (to me anyway). 1tb port hdd are less than $100.

So, I would say use TIFF if the small increase in file quality is worth the large
file size these image files need. I do, and feel a little better when I print.