bitsPerComponent

bitsPerComponent is a property used in computer graphics and image processing to specify the number of bits used to represent each individual color component within a pixel. Color components typically refer to the amounts of red, green, and blue light that make up a pixel's color. Sometimes, an alpha channel is also included, which represents transparency.

For example, in an RGB image, there are three components: red, green, and blue. If bitsPerComponent is set to 8, then each of these components will be represented by 8 bits. This means each component can have 2^8, or 256, distinct values. Therefore, a pixel with 8 bitsPerComponent in an RGB image would have a total of 8 bits * 3 components = 24 bits per pixel, allowing for 2^24 (over 16 million) possible colors.

Higher values of bitsPerComponent allow for a greater range of colors and smoother color transitions, reducing the appearance of banding. Common values include 8 bits per component, which is standard for many image formats like JPEG and PNG, and 16 bits per component, often used in professional photography and high dynamic range (HDR) imaging for greater color depth and flexibility in editing. The choice of bitsPerComponent impacts file size, memory usage, and the visual fidelity of an image.