The Digitization of Digital Imaging: Color Depth

Abstract

Now that you have an understanding of the primary two color theory models used in digital image editing and compositing, and the reason why we are going to be focusing on the RGB mode from here on out, it is time to take a more in-depth look at how colors are represented digitally for each pixel. The number of bits used to define color within a digital image and its file format are traditionally referred to as the digital image . The most common color depth, used in the most common image format, JPEG, is true color, or 24-bit color. There are also other image formats that use different bit-level color depths, such as the GIF format, which uses 8-bit or indexed color; the Targa format, which uses 16-bit or high color; and the RAW format and HDRI format, which can use up to 48-bit and even use 64-bit color.