JPEG is a filetype for image files. This graphics format is capable of showing a huge amount of colors – 16.7 million of them, to be precise, making it perfect for storing complex and realistic images. Photos, real-world scenes, realistic artwork and high-detail paintaings are all good example of this. While it can store text or simple graphics as well, there are more suitable formats for that sort fo file.
Technipages Explains JPEG
Compared to other formats like the GIF, a JPEG may come up short at first glance. GIFs can store animations, PNGs can store transparency, while JPEGs can do neither. The color brilliance and low file size thanks to a very effective compression algorithm, however, make it an excellent choice for photos and similar images. There are two international standard bodies that deal with the format now, though it was originally developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group, where it got its name from – the acronym JPEG.
JPEGs use lossy compression as a compression method, meaning that every time a file is compressed and decompressed, a very small amount of data is lost. This isn’t actually visible to the naked eye, as the compression algorithm exploits a certain property of the human eye – small color changes are less noticable than changes in brightness – and thus similar patches of colour are where the data loss is deliberately centred in order to preserve the overall quality. Even at compression rates of 20:1, no visible degradation in quality occurs – lossless compression formats like GIFs cannot achieve compression ratest that high at all.
Common Uses of JPEG
- JPEGs are perfect for storing realistic and high-detail images in a small format.
- Compared to GIFs, the smaller file size makes JPEGs more attractive for large images.
- While JPEGs lack certain storage abilities – animations and transparency – the color variety they can store more than make up for that.
Common Misuses of JPEG
- JPEG is a video format.
