grayscalekuvia

Grayscalekuvia, or grayscale images, are digital images that encode only intensity information, representing a range of gray tones from black to white without color data. They are distinct from color images and from simple black-and-white binary images, which use a limited number of tones.

In digital form, grayscale images typically use 8-bit depth, providing 256 distinct gray levels, though higher-bit depths such as 12-, 16-, or more are common in professional workflows for greater tonal precision. The value at each pixel corresponds to luminance, i.e., perceived brightness, rather than color information.

Grayscale images are created by converting color images through a luminance map. A standard approach uses a weighted sum of the red, green, and blue channels to approximate perceived brightness, for example Y = 0.2126 R + 0.7152 G + 0.0722 B in sRGB space, with adjustments for gamma correction as needed. Different pipelines may apply alternative coefficients or perceptual optimizations.

Common storage formats that support grayscale include PNG and TIFF, as well as JPEG when saved in grayscale mode. There are also dedicated grayscale formats such as PGM for raw grayscale data. File size and dynamic range are generally simpler in grayscale than in full color, enabling faster processing and reduced storage.

Applications of grayscalekuvia span photography, medical imaging, printing, and computer vision. They are favored when color is irrelevant or distracting, when higher tonal precision is required, or when computational efficiency is a priority. Limitations include the inability to convey color information and potential loss of perceptual detail if color cues were relevant.