Graphic format
A graphic format is a file format that describes the structure of an image file .
There are numerous graphic formats, few of which have caught on on a large scale. Many graphic formats are only supported by a few applications.
There are graphic formats for both raster and vector graphics . Some raster graphics formats support image compression .
Image information
Many graphic formats store information about the image. This includes camera data such as exposure time or aperture, automatically generated information such as the date or recording coordinates and text fields for describing the image content.
Examples:
- JPG image format
- The JPEG File Interchange Format for digital photos provides an image comment text field ( COM ) and a text field for usage rights ( APP14 ). If JPG images are nested (preview image), the text fields can also appear several times. Usually digital cameras do not store any information in JPG text fields, but rather use the Exif standard.
- Exif
- Exchangeable Image File Format is a standard format for storing metadata in digital images, which is used in particular by digital 35mm cameras in JPEG files. These are technical data on the recording, such as camera manufacturer and model, lens type, focal length, recording time or GPS data. The following text fields are provided: Author , Description (only ASCII characters), UserCommen (selection of the format possible, also Unicode) and copyright .
- IPTC
- The IPTC-IIM standard tries to resolve some technical and content-related inconsistencies in Exif . In contrast to Exif, information on the image content, the people involved in creating the image and instructions for handling the image are recorded, but no camera-specific data such as exposure time or focal length.
- XMP
- The problem of storing description data in a user-friendly manner arose, particularly due to the emergence of proprietary RAW image files. The Extensible Metadata Platform format no longer writes the data to the image file, but to a separate XML-based text file. Except for the file extension , it has the same name as the source file and can be processed by image archiving programs.
List of file formats for raster graphics
Some of the popular image formats for raster graphics are listed below. The best known and most widespread formats are highlighted in color.
| Common file extension | Surname | Current version | Encodings | comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .ami | Amica Paint | |||
| .apx | Photopaint | |||
| .avif | AVIF image format | Image format containing single images or sequences encoded with AV1 . | ||
| .bmp | Windows Bitmap (BMP) | 5 (but only version 3 is used) |
In version 3: 1, 4, 8, 16, 24 bit / px; no alpha channel ; Uncompressed or lossless RLE compression |
Hardly any use on the Internet. Reason: The weak compression results in significantly larger files than when using the GIF or the modern PNG format. Most programs can still display BMP. Without compression (as raw data format) more often used for fast temporary storage and loading. • MIME type : image / bmp |
| .bpg | Better Portable Graphics | |||
| .brk | Brooktrout Fax | |||
| .bw | SGI Black & White | |||
| .cal , .cals | CALS grid | |||
| .cbm | Fuzz, for example tmap | |||
| .cbr | comic book reader | Can be opened with a comic book reader. After changing the filename extension to .rar, it can be read with any conventional Rar-opening program. |
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| .cbz | comic book reader zip | Can be opened with a comic book reader. After changing the file name extension to .zip it can be read with any conventional Zip-opening program. |
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| .cpt | Corel Photo-Paint | |||
| .cur | Windows cursor | Similar to .ico (Windows Icon) files with a click position of the mouse pointer | ||
| .dds | Direct Draw Surface | |||
| .dng | Digital negatives | A raw data format based on TIFF / EP with the aim of creating a manufacturer-independent standard | ||
| .exr | OpenEXR | 16 bit (floating point) and 32 bit (floating point and integer) per color channel |
An HDR format developed by Industrial Light & Magic . | |
| .fif | Fractal Image Format | |||
| .fpx | Kodak FlashPix | 8, 24 bit / px; no alpha channel; JPEG compression |
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| .fxo , .fxs | Winfax | |||
| .gbr | GIMP Brush | |||
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.gif (more rarely: .giff) |
Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) | 89a |
In version 89a: 1 to 8 bit / px; binary transparency; LZW compression |
• In the Web widespread • Advantage: GIF supports simple animations ( "Animated GIF") and transparencies. • Disadvantage: only 256 colors, therefore poorly suited for color photos. • MIME types : image / gif, image / giff |
| .heic, .heif | High Efficiency Image File Format | Flexible container format that can contain, for example, HEVC- coded images | ||
| .ico | Windows Icon | Used for small pictograms , in the simplest case identical to Windows Bitmap (.bmp) | ||
| .iff | Maya IFF | 7.0 (Maya version) | • Lossless • with alpha channel • with depth buffer |
• Used as the default file format for Alias Maya for rendered images |
| .ilbm , .lbm, .iff | Interchange File Format-Interleaved Bitmap (ILBM) | 1-8, 24 bit / px; no alpha channel; RLE compression |
• Used in Electronic Arts products | |
| .img | GEM Paint | |||
| .jbig2 , .jb2 | JBIG2 | Lossless or lossy; 1 bit / px ( binary image ); supports 2D dictionaries, arithmetic , MMR and Huffman coding |
• For scanned documents and books • Most often used embedded in PDF documents |
|
| .jp2 , .jpc, .j2c, .j2k, .jpx | JPEG 2000 | Lossless or lossy; Alpha channel; JPEG-2000 - or lossless compression |
• Relatively new • Excellent results for lossy compression • MIME types : image / jp2, image / jpeg2000 |
|
|
.jpg (more rarely: .jpeg, .jpe, .jfif) |
JPEG File Interchange Format ( JFIF ) | 1.02 | Mostly lossy; no alpha channel; Embedding of paths possible; JPEG compression |
• Defines various sub-types, of which only a few are used • Widely used for photo-like images • Lossy sub -types are mostly used • These are unsuitable for text and hard color transitions • MIME types : image / jpg, image / jpeg |
| .jng | JPEG Network Graphics (JNG) | A combination of a JPEG image and an alpha channel | ||
| .jxr (more often: .wdp, .hdp) | JPEG XR ( HD Photo ) | Lossless or lossy; Alpha channel; biorthogonal transformation |
• Efficiency is between the JPEG and JPEG 2000 • Supports a lot of different pixel formats with different color depths up to 32 bit • Ua as an alternative to RAW files or for storing HDR images suitable |
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| .kdc | Kodak Photo Enhancer | |||
| .koa | Koala Paint | |||
| .lbm | Amiga Interleaved Bitmap Format | so at. ilbm | ||
| .lwf | LuraWave | |||
| .lwi | Light work image | |||
| .mac | MacPaint | |||
| .miff | Magick Image File Format | different formats | ImageMagick's own format , which supports all attributes that the software knows. | |
| .msk | Corel PaintShop Pro Mask | |||
| .msp | Microsoft Paint | 1 bit / px; no alpha channel; RLE compression |
• Later ousted by BMP, obsolete | |
| .ncr | NCR G4 | |||
| .ngg | Nokia Group Graphic | |||
| .nlm | Nokia logo | |||
| .nmp | NeoPaint Mask | |||
| .nol | Nokia Operator Logo | |||
| .oaz | OAZ fax | |||
| .oil | Open Image Library | |||
| .pat | Corel PaintShop Pro Pattern | |||
| .pbm | Portable bitmap | 1 bit / px; no alpha channel; Uncompressed |
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| .pcd | Kodak Photo CD | |||
| .pct | Macintosh PICT | |||
| .pcx | ZSoft Paintbrush | 3.0 |
In version 3.0: 1, 4, 8, 24 bit / px; no alpha channel; Uncompressed or RLE |
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| .pdb , .pdd | Adobe PhotoDeluxe | |||
| .pgf | Progressive Graphics File (PGF) | 12/6/24 | Lossless or lossy; Alpha channel ; multiple color models; different bit depths. Progressive image structure |
• Developed as a replacement for JPEG • Like JPEG 2000, it is based on the wavelet transformation , but prioritizes speed instead of the highest possible compression • Compression rate with the same image quality almost as good as JPEG 2000 and significantly better than JPEG |
| .pgm | Portable graymap | Any grayscale; no alpha channel; Uncompressed |
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| .pic | PC Paint | |||
| .pld | PhotoLine Document | |||
| .png | Portable Network Graphics (PNG) | ISO / IEC 15948: 2003 | 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 bits per color channel; 1, 2, 4, 8, 16-bit alpha channel; Deflate compression with pre-filtering |
• Widely used on the web , but supported by applications to varying degrees • Powerful alternative for single images to GIF • Without animation option • Transparency possible • The generally recommended format for lossless compression of images • MIME type : image / png |
| .pnm | Portable Anymap ( PNM ) | Collective term for the file formats Portable Bitmap, Portable Graymap and Portable Pixmap | ||
| .ppm | Portable Pixmap | Any color depth; no alpha channel; Uncompressed |
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| .psd | Photoshop Document | CS5.5, see CS3 | any | • The format used by Adobe Photoshop • Saves all image data used, information about layers, channels, vectors etc. without loss • Correspondingly, relatively large files. • Many other programs can also read or write * .psd files |
| .pspimage , .psp | Corel PaintShop Pro | • The format used by Corel PaintShop Pro • Saves all image data used, information about layers, channels, vectors, etc. without loss • Accordingly, relatively large files |
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| .qti , .qtif | QuickTime Image | |||
| .ras | Sun raster format | Uncompressed bitmap format on Sun Solaris and other Unix / Linux computers | ||
| .raw | RAW Graphics Format / Raw Data Format | Collective term for (image) data that is intended for further processing | ||
| .rgb , .rgba, .sgi | SGI image file | |||
| .rle | Intergraph; Windows bitmap with RLE compression | To distinguish them from uncompressed Windows bitmaps, the (already comparatively rare) compressed ones used to have the extension RLE; this is no longer common today. | ||
| .tga , .bpx, .icb, .pix | Targa Image File | 8, 15, 16, 24, 32 bit / px alpha channel; Uncompressed or RLE |
• Often used in the computer game industry because of its alpha channel | |
| .tif or .tiff | Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) | 6.0 | 1, 4, 8, 24 bit / px; 1, 4, 8-bit alpha channel; Compression: PackBits , CCITT , LZW , JPEG , pre- filtering Different color spaces Embedding of paths possible |
• Very versatile • A minimally supported subset is called "Baseline TIFF" • Because it supports the CMYK color space, it is used in print shops in prepress. For this reason, some companies and organizations offer high-resolution images for download (for the press) from the Internet as TIFF. • MIME type : image / tiff |
| .webp | WebP | 1.0.0 | Lossless or lossy; Alpha channel; |
Derived from the video format VP8 , sister project of WebM |
| .xbm | X BitMap | 1 byte / pixel, no alpha channel, no compression | File is available as directly translatable source code of the C programming language before | |
| .xcf | GIMP image document | any | • The file format used by the GIMP . • Is able to save layers, their links to an overall picture and various objects such as text. • Ideal for later post-processing, as images created with the GIMP are usually separated into layers and objects. |
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| .xpm | X pixmap format | 8, 16 or 32 bit / px, binary alpha channel (mask), no compression | File is available as directly translatable source code of the C programming language before |
List of file formats for 2D vector graphics
Some of the popular graphic formats for 2D vector graphics are listed below. The best known and most widespread formats are highlighted in color.
| Common file extension | Surname | Current version | comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| .ai | Adobe Illustrator | ||
| .cdr | CorelDRAW | ||
| .cgm | Computer Graphics Metafile | An ISO standard | |
| .cmx | Corel Metafile Exchange | ||
| .of | Corel Designer | ||
| .design | Microsoft Expression Design | ||
| .dgn | MicroStation | ||
| .dvg | Design vector graphic | ||
| .dwg | AutoCAD | ||
| .dwf | AutoCAD | ||
| .dxf | Drawing Interchange Format | Industry standard for vector graphics; Also suitable for 3D models | |
| .emf | Windows Enhanced Metafile | ||
| .eps | Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) | ||
| .fhX | Macromedia Freehand (X = version number) | ||
| .fig | Xfig | ||
| .gbr, .ger | Gerber format | RS-274X Extended Gerber | Quasi-standard for circuit board data, simple bi-level format, ASCII |
| .gem | Digital Research GEM Paint | The GEM format is used by applications such as Ventura Publisher, GEM Draw, GEM Scan and GEM Paint. Under the standard operating environment GEM on the Atari ST, the GEM format was supported by most graphic applications. | |
| .geo | GeoPaint | ||
| .mba | MB exchange format | ||
| .odg | OpenDocument drawing | created with Draw from the OpenOffice.org Suite | |
| .pgf , .tikz | PGF / Ti k Z | 3.1.5b | Currently only implemented in LaTeX , ConTeXt and TeX , very well documented programming language for creating various vector graphics ( .pdf and .eps ). |
| .plt , .hpg, .hp2, .pl2, .prn | Hewlett-Packard graphic language | ||
| .ps | PostScript | ||
| .rvt | Revit | ||
| .svg | Scalable vector graphics | • Designed for the World Wide Web . • Spreading is slowly increasing because new web browsers mostly support the format as standard and search engines are now recognizing the graphics • MIME type : image / svg + xml |
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| .swf | Shockwave Flash | • Standard Flash graphics and animation format . • can contain animations, sound and videos • streamable • requires web browser plug-in . • MIME type : image / swf |
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| .sxd | OpenOffice.org 1.0 drawing | • Obsolete from Version 2.0 of OpenOffice.org • Replaced by .odg |
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| .tvz | ThouVis drawing | • Format for the 2D CAD program ThouVis. Vector graphics with integrable texts, bitmaps and Windows metafile | |
| .wmf | Windows metafile | MIME type : image / wmf | |
| .xaml | XAML | An on XML -based format that mainly for describing user interfaces is used | |
| .xar | Xara Xtreme | open, losslessly compressing vector graphics format with support for vector transparency |
List of file formats for 3D vector graphics (3D models)
Some of the popular graphic formats for 3D vector graphics are listed below.
| Common file extension | Surname | Current version | comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| .blend | Blender file | Standard storage for 3D vector graphics of the Blender program | |
| .dxf | Drawing Interchange Format | originated from 2D format | |
| .igs | Initial Graphics Exchange Specification ( IGES ) | ||
| .stl | Stereolithography format | The STL format is mainly used in simple 3D printing. It describes body surfaces exclusively using triangles. | |
| .stp | Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data ( STEP ) | STEP is an ISO standard. In the real sense it is not a graphics standard, but is used for product modeling; Part 42 specifies general conditions for geometric objects. If the modeled product can be represented geometrically, a vector graphic can be generated from it. | |
| .sat | ACIS text file ( ACIS ) | ACIS is a 3D CAD solid modeling kernel from Spatial Corporation . | |
| .wrl , .wrz | Virtual Reality Modeling Language ( VRML ) | "World" file compressed ( gzip ): .wrz |
List of file formats for special applications
Special file formats are listed below.
| Common file extension | Surname | Current version | comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| .fits, .fit, .fts | Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) | 3.0 / July 2008 | File format for storing, transporting, and manipulating scientific and other images. FITS is the most widely used digital file format in astronomy. |
See also
literature
- Günter Born: Reference manual file formats. Addison-Wesley, Bonn 1997, ISBN 3-8273-1241-8
- Thomas Lipp: Graphic formats. Microsoft Press, Unterschleißheim 1997, ISBN 3-86063-391-0
- James Murray, William van Ryper: Encyclopedia of Graphics File Formats. O'Reilly, Bonn 1996, ISBN 1-56592-161-5
- Jörg Stroisch, Thorsten Olscha: Web graphics optimization. Markt + Technik, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-8272-6530-4
Individual evidence
- ↑ openexr.com
- ↑ see Description (English)