The Pyramidal File Format (PFF) delivers similar benefits to the Zoomify Image Format (ZIF): storage of high-resolution, zoomable images megabytes or gigabytes in size in one single file. PFF files have been in use by many Zoomify customers for many years - and while ZIF offers an extensible TIF-based architecture, Zoomify continues to support the authoring and viewing of PFF files for the convenience of customers with existing collections and storage preferences.

Special notes: PFF viewing is now possible with no need for any special server setup.* In addition, to support efficient workflow for web designers and developers, local viewing of PFF files is now supported.

Local viewing limitation: with ZIF local viewing, browser security restrictions require local viewing to first use a Browse dialog to select the PFF file to display and the Browse dialog will begin by presenting a working directory of the browser. (Unfortunately, this local viewing inefficiency cannot be streamlined using JavaScript in the Viewer.)

Conversion support: the Zoomify Converter can easily convert Zoomify Image Folders and PFF files to the ZIF format and vice versa. No decoding/re-encoding of JPEG tiles is required, so no decrease in quality occurs!

*Prior support for the PFF format required a Java 'servlet'.