színgráding

Szingráding is a term used to describe a phenomenon observed in certain types of visual media, particularly in digital art and video, where a gradual change in color across an image or sequence exhibits unwanted banding or discrete steps rather than a smooth transition. This effect occurs when the available color depth, typically measured in bits per channel, is insufficient to represent the subtle variations in hue, saturation, or luminance required for a smooth gradient.

The cause of színgráding is often related to the limitations of the display hardware or the image file format. When an image with a high degree of color information is displayed on a device with lower color capabilities, or when it is saved in a format that compresses color information significantly, the intermediate shades are lost or approximated. This leads to the appearance of distinct bands of color where a smooth blend should be.

Common scenarios where színgráding might be noticeable include displaying high-resolution images on older monitors, viewing compressed image files like JPEGs with aggressive compression settings, or rendering complex color gradients in software that does not support a wide enough color gamut.

To mitigate színgráding, it is often recommended to work with images that have a higher bit depth (e.g., 16-bit per channel instead of 8-bit), use lossless image formats when possible, and ensure that the display device is capable of accurately reproducing a wide range of colors. Techniques such as dithering, which intentionally adds a small amount of noise to break up the banding and simulate smoother transitions, can also be employed in image editing and rendering processes.