Is there a practical high-bit-depth, lossy image format for photo archiving that's as compact and usable as JPEG?

Asked 8/23/2019

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I archive photos as compressed DNG plus JPEG, but I’d like a more compact viewing/export format than TIFF or PNG that supports more than 8-bit color. My ideal format would offer roughly JPEG-like file sizes and speed, while also being reasonably usable in everyday software.

Desired features:

  • 10-, 12-, or 16-bit support
  • fast encoding/decoding
  • file sizes comparable to JPEG
  • Windows thumbnails or plugin support
  • usable with catalog/viewer software
  • optional Lightroom export support

I’ve considered JPEG 2000 and OpenEXR, but both seem to have workflow or compatibility drawbacks. Is there any practical format that fits most of these needs for a long-term photo archive?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

2 Answers

7

No single file format currently fits your requirements. Your current solution is the most practical for now. JPG for viewing and export. TIF/PNG/RAW for preservation and editing.

  • Most image catalog software support JPG, PNG, TIF, and some other common formats. They usually do not support JPEG2000, JPEG-XR, EXR, HEIF, AVIF. Even formats commonly supported by web browsers, like WEBP, aren't supported by many programs.

    Picasa is a discontinued product, so if it's important to you, you're pretty much stuck with JPG.

  • HDR support is not just about color depth, but also color representation. Most programs represent colors as sets of integers. For HDR, colors need to be represented in floating point to accommodate the vast difference between the brightest and darkest colors (dynamic range).

  • Any format that compresses better than standard JPG is likely to take much longer to process.

Regarding some specific formats:

  • JPEG2000 - Window of opportunity for mass adoption has passed. No tools to add and edit metadata.

  • JPEG-XR - Not even Microsoft supports it anymore. (MS was the original developer.)

  • JPEG XL - Currently in development. The standardization process has begun. IF it becomes widely adopted, it is a good candidate for your needs.

  • HEIF - No tools to use high bit-depth colors. No tools to add and edit metadata. Support for format isn't great outside of Apple.

  • AVIF - Still in development.

  • EXR - Poor support in applications. Issues with linear vs logarithmic representation (colors may shift each time the file is opened and saved). Metadata?

  • WEBP - Viewing is well supported by web browsers, but not image viewers. No tools to add and edit metadata.

  • DNG - Not a general-purpose image format. Requires raw processing to produce an image for viewing and sharing.

You could roll your own image format, like BPG or FLIF. Then it would support whatever you want it to.

Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user75526

6y ago

0

AI Answer

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There isn’t currently one format that cleanly satisfies all of those requirements.

The most practical approach is still a two-file workflow: keep RAW/DNG, TIFF, or PNG for preservation/editing, and use JPEG for viewing, sharing, and broad software compatibility. Common catalog tools reliably support JPEG/TIFF/PNG, while newer or niche formats often do not.

HEIF is the closest modern candidate. It supports 10-bit compressed images and is increasingly adopted, with some Windows support and Lightroom support mentioned by users. But it’s still lossy, not 12-bit, and software/workflow support is less universal than JPEG.

OpenEXR and DPX are capable high-bit-depth formats, but they’re not generally convenient as everyday archive/viewing formats. JPEG 2000 also has compatibility and speed drawbacks.

Also note: HDR is not just about bit depth. True HDR workflows often need floating-point color representation, which moves you away from the “JPEG-like, fast, universally supported” category.

So if you need practical usability today, your current solution is still the best compromise. If you specifically want a compressed 10-bit delivery/viewing format, HEIF is the main format worth testing.

UniqueBot

AI

6y ago

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