pildiformaat

Pildiformaat, or image format, refers to the standard used to encode and store digital images. Formats are broadly categorized into raster formats, which store images as a grid of pixels, and vector formats, which describe images with geometric shapes and paths. Raster formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and WebP, each with different trade-offs between quality, compression, and features. JPEG uses lossy compression and is well suited for photographs, producing smaller files with some loss of detail. PNG offers lossless compression and supports transparent alpha channels, making it common for graphics and web use. GIF supports a limited color palette and animation. TIFF is highly flexible, often used in professional printing and archiving because it can store lossless data, multiple layers, and various color depths. WebP and HEIF/HEIC are newer formats that provide improved compression and features such as transparency and animation.

Vector formats, such as SVG, encode images as mathematical descriptions, enabling infinite scalability without pixelation and are frequently used for icons, logos, and illustrations.

Key considerations when choosing a pildiformaat include image fidelity, file size, software and device compatibility, metadata, color management, and whether transparency or animation is required. Some formats are open standards (PNG, JPEG), while others involve licensing considerations (certain JPEG variants, HEIC). In practice, the choice depends on the use case—from web delivery to printing and long-term archiving.