beeldformats

Beeldformats, or image formats, are file formats used to store digital images. They are broadly categorized into raster (bitmap) formats, which encode color for each pixel, and vector formats, which describe shapes with mathematical primitives. Raster formats are typically resolution-dependent, while vector formats are scalable without loss of quality.

Formats can be lossless, preserving all original data, or lossy, discarding some information to reduce file size. Lossless examples include PNG and TIFF configurations, and GIF uses lossless LZW compression for simple graphics. Lossy formats include JPEG, WebP in lossy mode, and HEIC/HEIF, commonly used for photographs and web images.

Common image formats include:

JPEG, a widely used lossy format for photographs and web images; PNG, a lossless format that supports transparency; GIF, an indexed-color format that also supports animation; TIFF, a flexible, archival format often used in printing and professional workflows; WEBP, a modern format offering both lossy and lossless compression with transparency; HEIC/HEIF, efficient image format used by many modern devices; BMP, an older uncompressed format; RAW, camera-native formats (such as CR2, NEF, ARW) used for post-processing; SVG, a vector format for scalable graphics.

Practical considerations include format suitability for purpose (web, print, archiving), software and browser support, color management with ICC profiles, and metadata such as EXIF. Understanding the trade-offs between quality, compression, and scalability helps in selecting beeldformats for a given task.