Moving to Native PSD and PDF

As the major page-layout applications increasingly support native PSDs and PDFs, is there any compelling reason to continue using old-fashioned TIFFs and EPSs? It may seem adventurous to use such new-fangled files, but workflow is changing. The demarcation between photo-compositing and page layout is blurring, and designers demand more power and flexibility from software. RIPs are more robust than ever, networks are faster, and hard drives are huge. It’s still important to know the imaging challenges posed by using native files (such as transparency), and wise to communicate with your print service provider before you embark on the all-native path. You’re still at the mercy of their equipment and processes, and if they’re lagging a bit behind the latest software developments, you’ll have to be governed by their capabilities.