Lightroom
Bit Depth
Bit Depth
Bit depth is how many shades you can get between a solid color and no color at all.
An 8-bit image can have up to 256 shades of any color to no color. A 12-bit image can have up to 4096 shades of any color to no color [almost all DSLR support 12 bits data files]. A 14-bit image can have up to 16384 shades of any color to no color [the new batch of prosumers DSLR and the pro-DSLR1 support 14 bits data files]. A 16-bit image can have up to 32768 shades of any color to no color [the current batch of medium format cameras2 supports 16 bits data files].
There is no relationship between the bit depth and the number of megapixel:
- The number of megapixel is: the number of cells that the sensor has.
- The bit depth is: what each cell writes to the data file.
Maximum depth
Various devices allow different rendering of the image.
- LCD panel: maximum depth: 8 bit per color = 256 shades per color
- Boob-tube/glass monitor: maximum depth: 8 bit per color = 256 shades per color
- Ink jet printers: maximum depth: 8 bit per color = 256 shades per color
- Dye-sublimation thermal: maximum depth: 8 bit per color = 256 shades per color
- Since I don't know of any output device that can reproduce more than 8 bit depth, either the output device or the program in front of the output device (such as Photoshop) must downgrade the 12 bit/14 bit or 16 bit to an 8 bit depth.
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Tags: Technical
Bit depth is how many shades you can get between a solid color and no color at all.
An 8-bit image can have up to 256 shades of any color to no color. A 12-bit image can have up to 4096 shades of any color to no color [almost all DSLR support 12 bits data files]. A 14-bit image can have up to 16384 shades of any color to no color [the new batch of prosumers DSLR and the pro-DSLR1 support 14 bits data files]. A 16-bit image can have up to 32768 shades of any color to no color [the current batch of medium format cameras2 supports 16 bits data files].
There is no relationship between the bit depth and the number of megapixel:
- The number of megapixel is: the number of cells that the sensor has.
- The bit depth is: what each cell writes to the data file.
Maximum depth
Various devices allow different rendering of the image.
- LCD panel: maximum depth: 8 bit per color = 256 shades per color
- Boob-tube/glass monitor: maximum depth: 8 bit per color = 256 shades per color
- Ink jet printers: maximum depth: 8 bit per color = 256 shades per color
- Dye-sublimation thermal: maximum depth: 8 bit per color = 256 shades per color
- Since I don't know of any output device that can reproduce more than 8 bit depth, either the output device or the program in front of the output device (such as Photoshop) must downgrade the 12 bit/14 bit or 16 bit to an 8 bit depth.
1 2008 ↑
2 2008 ↑
Tags: Technical
