QuitExams

🔹 Introduction

Image representation schemes define how an image is stored, processed, compressed, and displayed in digital systems. Different file formats such as GIF, TIFF, BMP, JPEG, PNG, WebP store image data with varying structures, compression methods, color depths, and purposes.

Choosing the correct image representation scheme is essential for applications in photography, medical imaging, multimedia, printing, satellite imaging, and web development.

1️⃣ BMP (Bitmap Image File)

BMP is one of the oldest image formats. It stores images in a raw, uncompressed format, making the file size large but offering high-quality data.

📌 Features of BMP

• No compression → very large file size.
• Supports 1-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit images.
• Widely used in Windows OS.
• Simple format → easy to programmatically manipulate.

✔ Advantages:

• High quality (lossless).
• Good for storing raw pixel data.

✔ Disadvantages:

• Very large size.
• Not suitable for web or streaming.

2️⃣ GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)

GIF is a widely used format for simple graphics and animated images on the web.

📌 Features of GIF

• Uses lossless LZW compression.
• Supports only 256 colors.
• Supports simple animations.
• Best for icons, logos, banners.

✔ Advantages:

• Small file size.
• Supports transparency.
• Ideal for web animations.

✔ Disadvantages:

• Limited to 256 colors.
• Not suitable for photographs.

3️⃣ TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

TIFF is a high-quality, flexible format used mainly in professional imaging, printing, scanning, and medical applications.

📌 Features of TIFF

• Supports lossless and lossy compression.
• Supports multiple pages in one file (ideal for scanned documents).
• High bit-depth (up to 48-bit color).
• Used in DTP (Desktop Publishing).

✔ Advantages:

• Very high quality (ideal for printing & medical imaging).
• Flexible metadata support.
• Multiple layers/pages.

✔ Disadvantages:

• Large file size.
• Not browser-friendly.

4️⃣ JPEG / JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)

JPEG is the most widely used lossy compressed image format, perfect for photographs and web usage.

📌 Features of JPEG

• Lossy compression → reduces file size drastically.
• Supports 24-bit color (16.7 million colors).
• Ideal for digital photos, social media, websites.

✔ Advantages:

• Very small file size.
• High compatibility.

✔ Disadvantages:

• Loss of quality after repeated saving.
• Not suitable for text or sharp edges.

5️⃣ PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

PNG is a lossless compressed format ideal for high-quality web graphics.

📌 Features of PNG

• Lossless compression.
• Supports transparency (alpha channel).
• Better quality than GIF.

✔ Advantages:

• Ideal for logos, icons, UI elements.
• Perfect for images requiring transparency.

✔ Disadvantages:

• Larger file size than JPEG.

6️⃣ WebP (Modern Web Image Format)

Developed by Google, WebP is the modern format for web performance optimization.

• Supports lossy & lossless compression.
• Smaller size than PNG & JPEG.
• Supports animation (replacing GIF).
• Supports transparency.

📝 Summary Table

Format   | Compression | Transparency | Animation | Use Case
--------------------------------------------------------------
BMP      | None        | No           | No        | Raw imaging, Windows apps
GIF      | Lossless    | Yes          | Yes       | Icons, simple animations
TIFF     | Lossless/L  | Yes          | No        | Printing, medical, scanning
JPEG     | Lossy       | No           | No        | Photos, web images
PNG      | Lossless    | Yes          | No        | Web graphics, logos
WebP     | Both        | Yes          | Yes       | Modern web, optimized images
  

📝 Conclusion

Different image representation schemes serve different purposes. BMP provides raw data, GIF suits simple animations, TIFF is used in high-quality professional applications, JPEG is ideal for photographs, PNG is great for transparency, and WebP is the most optimized modern format.

Understanding image formats helps in choosing the right format for web design, medical imaging, printing, multimedia, and digital photography.