Did you know that pixels are now getting smaller on the web? The PNG-8 and PNG-24 formats are the most common standards for setting the layouts of images on the web. But not many know how they differ.
Both PNG-8 and PNG-24 are file formats. Their standardization helps optimize images while they’re being transferred around the web. But, they are used differently,
Do you want to know more about PNG-8 vs PNG-24? Well, read on, as we’re going to outline the differences between these two standards.
What Are Png-8 and Png-24
What is Png-8? It is compressed using the Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW) lossless data compression algorithm. PNG8 has an 8-bit color depth, which can represent a maximum of 256 colors.
What is png-24? It uses the same LZW compression as PNG8 but has a 24-bit color depth. Which can represent a maximum of 16 million colors.
The Size
The difference in size is due to the different bit depths. PNG8 can store a maximum of 2^8 (256) colors while PNG24 can store a maximum of 2^24 (16777216) colors.
This makes PNG24 a much richer format, but also a larger format. For most purposes, PNG8 is sufficient. However, if you need to store a lot of colors, or need to preserve color gradients, then you should use PNG24.
The Quality
While both file types are lossless, which means they don’t lose quality when compressed, png8 is an 8-bit file type while png24 is a 24-bit file type. The main difference between the two is the number of colors that can represent.
PNG8 uses a bit depth of 8 bits per channel, while PNG24 uses a bit depth of 24 bits per channel. This results in a significantly higher quality for PNG24 images. PNG8 images may appear to have artifacts or noise when zoomed in, while PNG24 images will remain clear and crisp.
The Interlacing
PNG8 uses interlacing to improve compression, while PNG24 uses it to improve performance. Interlacing is a process of splitting an image into multiple passes, each of which can decode independently.
This means that a low-resolution image can render quickly, while a high-resolution image can render slowly. PNG8 is best suited for images with large areas of solid color, while PNG24 is best suited for images with finely detailed areas.
The Animation
Png8 is much more limited in the number of colors it can represent, so it can produce banding and other artifacts more easily. This is usually enough for images that are not too complex for a custom logo design or simple graphics.
Png24 has a much wider range of colors, so it can produce smoother animations. This is ideal for photographs and other images that need to retain a lot of detail.
In addition, PNG-8 images don’t support transparent backgrounds, while PNG-24 images do. This means that if you want to create an animated image with a transparent background, you’ll need to use a PNG-24 image.
A Guide to Png-8 vs Png-24 Differences
There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to use a Png-8 vs Png-24 file format for your images. This guide has provided an overview of the key differences between these two formats to help you make an informed decision.
Remember to always test your images in both formats before finalizing your choice to ensure the best results.
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