Image Format Breakdown [Page 2 of 3]

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Image Format Breakdown
Bmp vs Jpg vs gif vs png comparison
By Red Squirrel

We'll compare the file sizes of the same photo to see which format is better to use for photos. The efficiency is based on the average file size of all 4 divided by the file size times 100. The bigger the percentage, the more efficient the format is for that particular dimension. The test images were not compressed.

test subject

This is the image used for all 3 dimensions tested

*800600 Photo**
Format	Size	Efficiency
BMP (24bit)	1402.88KB	63.10%
JPG (24bit uncompressed)	632.00KB	140.06%
GIF (256 colors)	400.00KB	221.30%
PNG (24bit)	1105.92KB	80.042%
Average size	885.2KB	100.00%

*400300 Photo**
Format	Size	Efficiency
BMP (24bit)	351KB	65.74%
JPG (24bit uncompressed)	184.00KB	125.41%
GIF (256 colors)	107.00KB	215.65%
PNG (24bit)	281.00KB	82.12%
Average size	230.75KB	100.00%

*150113 Photo**
Format	Size	Efficiency
BMP (24bit)	49.90KB	71.90%
JPG (24bit uncompressed)	42.70KB	84.03%
GIF (256 colors)	14.60KB	245.75%
PNG (24bit)	36.30KB	98.84%
Average size	35.88KB	100.00%

In conclusion to these stats, JPG is most likely the best format to go with for pictures. JPG can also be compressed to be even smaller, while only loosing a small noticeable amount of data (at about 80% quality). GIF and PNG are better for small photos then big ones. We'll now take a look at a less complex image to see if the most efficient file type is still JPG for images with few colors.

test subject

This is the image used for all 3 dimensions tested

*800600 Simple Image**
Format	Size	Efficiency
BMP (24bit)	1402.88KB	25.58%
JPG (24bit uncompressed)	15.20KB	2360.79%
GIF (11 colors)	5.16KB	6954.26%
PNG (24bit)	12.10KB	2965.62%
Average size	358.84KB	100.00%

*400300 Simple Image**
Format	Size	Efficiency
BMP (24bit)	351KB	26.19%
JPG (24bit uncompressed)	9.62KB	953.37%
GIF (11 colors)	2.36KB	3886.02%
PNG (24bit)	3.84KB	2388.28%
Average size	91.71KB	100.00%

*150113 Simple Image**
Format	Size	Efficiency
BMP (24bit)	50.3KB	30.28%
JPG (24bit uncompressed)	8.6KB	177.09%
GIF (11 colors)	0.97KB	1570.10%
PNG (24bit)	1.06KB	1436.79%
Average size	15.23KB	100.00%

These stats show that GIF and PNG is the best way to go for small and simple graphics, such layout images. You will notice how BMP is not efficient at all for large images, whether they are complicated or not, because there is no compression at all or any encoding that is based on complexity (such as GIF interlacing which goes by similar lines). GIF will most likely always be the most efficient, because even in high color photos, it will cut down the number of colors to 256 But the problem is quality, so uncompressed JPG which is not that far behind, is a better solution. So JPG is much better for photos while PNG is better for layout images. BMP is simply out of the question unless it is required such as if you need to import it in your compiler when compiling a GUI application. (most of the time BMP is the only possible way)

On the next page we'll take a look at JPG compression.

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10 Comments

Latest comments (newest first)

Posted by Red Squirrel on December 12nd 2005 (16:28)
Seems to work at my end. (typical tech support line)
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Posted by glennsharrock on December 12nd 2005 (06:28)
the image of the Squirrel seems to be missing (I would very much like to see the image in which the results were made)
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Posted by rovingcowboy on November 11th 2004 (15:50)
are you tired of me coming to this site red? you seem to not like it that i use I.E.
most the time.

even though everything you say don't work in ie seems to work in my copy of it?

i have not tryed transperent png's yet but everything else works.?

when it has not crashed that is
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Posted by Red Squirrel on November 11th 2004 (16:33)
JPEG 2000? Never heard of those. I can maybe do some research. Are they even supported by most browsers? It would definatly be nice to see IE support those but meanwhile... just screw IE.
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Posted by Red Squirrel on November 11th 2004 (16:41)
LOL I'll have to check if they have volume discounts.
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