Raster Image File Formats
WHAT IS A RASTER IMAGE FILE?
A raster image file, also known as a bitmap image, is used to store image data in displayable format. It uses a dot-matrix-structure to store an image using a rectangular pixel grid, in which each pixel corresponds to one tiny piece of the image. Each pixel has its own color value and together, all the pixels combine to represent one image.
The higher the pixel count in a raster image file, the better the quality of the image. Raster graphics are dependent on image resolution (density of pixels), which means that they can only scale to their largest original resolution without losing quality (known as becoming "pixelated"). Thus, a higher resolution image is better for displaying on a larger screen.
In addition, most raster image file formats use lossy compression in order to keep the storage size down.
HOW ARE RASTER IMAGE FILES USED?
Raster image file formats are the most popular way of storing image files. These file formats, including PNG, GIF, and JPG, are the default standard of displaying images on the World Wide Web, and are used in every smartphone and digital camera in existence.
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What Are Popular Raster Image Files Extensions?
| JPG The JPG or JPEG Image format is an open format that uses lossy compression to store image data. JPG is further divided into two formats - JPG/Exif, commonly used in digital photography; and JPG/JFIF, commonly used for web-related applications. It supports a maximum image size of 4 gigabits (for a 1:1 aspect ratio). | |
| DIB The DIB or Device Independent Binary File format is used by Windows as a bitmapped graphics file for representing color formats. It is capable of storing an image independent of the display device. Similar to a BMP file, it has a different header. It can store an image in an uncompressed as well as compressed format. | |
| GIF The GIF or Graphics Interchange Format is commonly used for storing animated raster graphics. The GIF file itself represents a logical area which can contain zero or more images. GIF uses a lossless data compression algorithm and can reduce the size of the file without losing the quality. | |
| PNG The PNG or Portable Network Graphics file format is an open format, created as a successor to GIF, and is one of the most widely used raster graphics file formats in use today. PNG uses lossless data compression and supports palette-based images, grayscale images, and full-color non-palette-based RGB/RGBA images. | |
| BMP The BMP or Bitmap Image File format is used to store bitmap digital images independent of the display device, and can store 2D digital images in monochrome as well as color. |
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