In short
You'll mostly see this term in photo sharing and backup apps, usually as the alternative to options like "Standard quality" or "Storage saver". In Google Photos, for example, original quality means photos are "stored in the same resolution that you took them with no change to their quality" (Google Photos Help). Keep in mind that original quality doesn't make a photo better than the camera captured it. It simply makes sure nothing is lost afterwards.
Photo: Adi Goldstein / Unsplash
Example
After the wedding, the couple wants to frame a big group photo. In original quality, faces stay recognisable even in the back row, while a resized chat version quickly loses sharpness when it's enlarged. Cropping later, say just the couple out of the group shot, also only works if there's enough image data.
What to watch out for
- Some apps ask about quality when you share or back up. Pick the original or HD option on purpose.
- Original files are bigger and take up more storage, both on the phone and in the cloud.
- If you're planning prints or a photo book, save the originals before any retention period runs out.
With Filmriss
According to the features page, Filmriss delivers photos exactly as the camera took them, not resized and not recompressed.
