YUV444

YUV444 is a color subsampling format used in digital video and image processing. It represents color information in a way that preserves the full detail of both the luminance (Y) and chrominance (U and V) components. The notation "4:4:4" indicates that for every four pixels in the horizontal direction, there are four samples of Y, four samples of U, and four samples of V. This means that there is no reduction in color information compared to the original image or video signal. In contrast, formats like YUV420 or YUV422 subsample the chrominance components, reducing their resolution to save bandwidth or storage space. YUV444 is therefore considered a lossless color representation, meaning no color information is discarded. This makes it ideal for applications where precise color fidelity is crucial, such as high-end video editing, professional color grading, and certain types of image capture. While it offers the highest color quality, YUV444 also requires more data than subsampled formats, leading to larger file sizes and higher bandwidth requirements.