8bitperkanal

8bitperkanal is a term used in digital imaging to describe a color depth where each color channel is represented by 8 bits. In the common RGB color model, this means 256 distinct values for red, green, and blue, yielding 16,777,216 possible colors per pixel. When an alpha channel is added (RGBA), 8 bits per channel means 32 bits per pixel, enabling simple transparency handling.

Commonly used in images and videos intended for consumer displays and web, 8-bit-per-channel color is supported by most imaging software, cameras, displays, and file formats. File formats such as JPEG, PNG (8-bit per channel), and TIFF often store pixel data in 8-bit channels; PNG also supports higher bit depths, while TIFF can store 8- or 16-bit per channel. Some older formats and certain GIFs use indexed color rather than true per-channel 8-bit data, which is a different approach.

Advantages include broad compatibility and smaller file sizes compared to higher-depth sources. Disadvantages include limited color precision and possible color banding in smooth gradients, especially in low-light or high-dynamic-range scenes. Techniques like dithering can mitigate banding in some cases.

Alternatives include higher bit depths per channel, such as 10, 12, or 16 bits, used in professional photography and cinema to preserve detail and reduce banding. Understanding 8bitperkanal depth helps in choices about image capture, editing, web delivery, and display calibration. See also color depth, RGB, RGBA, sRGB, dithering.