An archival image is an image meant to have lasting utility.
Archival images are usually kept off-line on a cheaper storage medium such as CD-ROM or magnetic tape, in a secure environment.
Archival images are usually of a higher resolution and quality than the digital image delivered to the user on-screen.
The file format most often associated with archival images is Tag Image File Format (TIFF) as compared to on-screen viewing file formats, which are usually JPEGs and GIFs.
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