| BMP | GIF | JPEG | PNG | RAW | TIFF | JPEG2000 | WebP | SVG | EPS | PCT | PCX | PSD | TGA | WMF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | BMP File Format as been widely used on Windows platform. Although it supports data compression and alpha channels, these features were not widely used as it was not supported by all image editors. | GIF is a bitmap image format that allows a lossless compression by reducing the image to 256 distinct colors. It has been replaced by PNG after fear over patent issues. It is still widely used for animation as it's the only format that supports animation and that is widely supported by browsers. | JPEG is the most common image format used by digital cameras, it is the most common format for storing and transmitting photographic images on the World Wide Web. | PNG was created to improve GIF image-file format. Removing patent license issues at that time; and removing 256 colors limitation. | RAW relates to several image file formats since each camera manufacturer has one or several formats (depending on equipments). These files contains the data acquired by sensors almost unprocessed. | TIFF is a file format for storing images losslessly. It is widely supported by image-manipulation applications, by scanning, faxing, word processing, optical character recognition and other applications. | JPEG 2000 is an enhancement of the JPEG standard. It supports transparency, is able to store lossless data. It is also having a better compression level. As it is unsupported by several browsers, it has not been widely used on the Internet. | WebP is an image file format developed by Google, and supposed to be a new open standard for lossily compressed true color graphics. It's a direct competitor to JPEG. | SVG is an XML based file format. It allows to create vector graphics with animation and interaction support. It can be edited with any text editor. | EPS is a file extension for a graphics file format used in vector-based images in Adobe Illustrator. EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript. An EPS file can contain text as well as graphics. | PCT is a graphics file format introduced on the original Apple Macintosh computer as its standard metafile format. It allows the interchange of graphics (both bitmapped and vector), and some limited text support, between Mac applications, and was the native graphics format of QuickDraw. | PCX, standing for PiCture eXchange, was the native file format for PC Paintbrush and became one of the first widely accepted DOS imaging standards, although it has since been succeeded by more sophisticated image formats. | PDF is a file format used to present documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. Each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a fixed-layout flat document, including the text, fonts, graphics, and other information needed to display it. | PSD is the default image file format used by Adobe Photoshop. It supports layers and transparency. | TGA format is used widely in paint, graphics, and imaging applications that require the storage of image data containing up to 32 bits per pixel. TGA has also become popular in the world of still-video editing. | WMF is an image file format intended to be portable between applications and may contain both vector graphics and bitmap components. It acts in a similar manner to SVG files. |
| Pros | Uncompressed for perfect images Near universal compatibility Efficient compression (ZIP, etc.) | Simple animations/short video clips Widely supported format Transparency support Lossless compression Smaller file sizes | Small file size Widely supported format Compatibility Good color range | Widely accepted format Lossless Transparency support | Lossless | Lossless High-quality images Compatible with both PCs and Macs Multiple images and multiple pages can be saved in one file | Small file size | Small file size (Smaller than JPEG with comparable image quality) | Can be expanded infinitely without quality loss Can be edited with a text editor | Scalable to any size Lossless Compatibility for vector graphics Ideal for printing/output | Best file format for on-screen display on the Macintosh Best printing format from the Macintosh to a non-PostScript printer | Image information retained Good quality image | Lossless Protects intellectual property Maintains printed format | Lossless Layers support Transparency support | Well-defined, well-documented format in wide use, which is quick and easy to read and decompress | Lossless |
| Cons | Large file size | Limited to 256 colors Web colors only No transparency | Lossy compression Not great for text, simple graphics, or illustrations | More complex and larger image files can be large Only supports web colors (RGB) Limited compatibility | Large file size | Large file size Not great for web graphics Minor software compatibility issues | Processor intensive | Lossy compression | Support growing but still limited Not intended for print | May lose control of advanced vector editing features | Fonts may be represented incorrectly when moved
cross-platform QuickTime must be installed to view some PICT files correctly | Large file format PC compatible only and older PCX versions only support 256 colours. | Longer browser loading times Non-editable content Not great for complex graphics printing Not really useful as a graphic image | Lacks a superior compression scheme | Not good for exporting or pasting bar graphs with fill patterns to
PowerPoint Support is limited | |
| Features | ||||||||||||||||
| Lossless | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes Lossless and lossy | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Animation support | No | Yes | No | - Animated PNG is an extension to the PNG format which is compatible with the Gecko and WebKit layout engines and many image editing suites. Users of software incompatible with APNG see the first frame as a still. | No | No | Yes ISO/IEC 15444-2 | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | |
| Transparency support | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Licensed | No | No expired | No invalid | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| Layers support | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | |||
| Developed by | Microsoft | CompuServce | Joint Photographic Experts Group | W3C (donated by PNG Development Group) | Camera manufacturer | Adobe | Joint Photographic Experts Group | W3C | Adobe Systems | Apple Computer | ZSoft Corporation | Adobe Systems | Adobe Systems | TrueVision, Inc | Microsoft | |
| Commonly used for | Image editing | Animation Simple web graphics | Photography Photographic images electronically and on the web Printing photographs | Icons Simple web graphics like logos Illustrations, or raster text rendering | HDR photography, Archiving | Images from scanner HD imaging Working with photographs without image quality loss | JPEG replacement, HD imaging | Scalable graphics | Sending vector graphics to print Working with vector/raster graphics across platforms/graphic design programs | Desktop publishing Paint Imaging applications using QuickDraw calls | with Paintbrush software Mainly in the MS-DOS world. It is mainly an exchange and storage format | Fixed layout flat documents | Image editing | Storage and interchange of deep-pixel images, paint, and image manipulation programs. | used in Microsoft Clip Organizer for illustrations To store line-art, illustrations and content created in drawing or presentation applications. | |
| Browser support (without plugin) | ||||||||||||||||
| Internet Explorer | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes IE9 | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Firefox | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Opera | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Safari | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Google Chrome | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Additional | ||||||||||||||||
| File extensions | .bmp .dib | .gif | .jpg .jpeg .jpe .jif .jfif .jfi | Still: .png; Animated: .png, .apng | .crw .cr2 .raw .rw2 .nef .nrw .orf ... | .tiff .tif | .jp2 .j2c .j2k .jpx .jpf .j2c .j2k | .webp | .svg .svgz | .eps .epsi .epsf | .pct .pict .pic | .pcx | .psd .pdd | .tga | .wmf .emf .wmz .emz | |
| Name | Windows Bitmap | Graphics Interchange Format | Joint Photographic Experts Group | Portable Network Graphics | RAW Image file | Tagged Image File Format | Joint Photographic Experts Group 2000 | WebP | Scalable Vector Graphics | Encapsulated PostScript | Macintosh Picture | Picture Exchange, aka, PC Paintbrush | Portable Document Format (PDF) | Photoshop Document | TrueVision TARGA | Windows Metafile |
| Wikipedia | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMP_file_format | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_Interchange_Format | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Network_Graphics | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_image_format | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagged_Image_File_Format | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG_2000 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebP | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalable_Vector_Graphics | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encapsulated_PostScript | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PICT | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCX | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop#PSD | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truevision_TGA | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Metafile |