BigTIFF

File Format
Name	BigTIFF
Ontology	Electronic File Formats Graphics BigTIFF
Extension(s)	.tif .tiff
LoCFDD	fdd000328

Overview

BigTIFF is a TIFF-like image file format, which supports larger files and data structures than does TIFF. It is logically almost identical to TIFF, though it is not compatible with it.

Identification

Files begin with 49 49 2B 00 08 00 00 00 (little-endian BigTIFF), or 4D 4D 00 2B 00 08 00 00 (big-endian BigTIFF).

Software

• LibTIFF, starting with version 4.
• Fork of libtiff, apparently unofficial fork of libtiff which originated with Aperio, now part of Leica Biosystems.

Sample files

• ftp://ftp.graphicsmagick.org/pub/tiff-samples/
• http://awaresystems.be/imaging/tiff/bigtiff/BigTIFFSamples.zip

External links

• AWare Systems BigTIFF page
• BigTIFF Proposal