8-bit vs. 24-bit color

mailto:Walter_Gilbert@UMAIL.UMD.EDU--Maryland ("mailto:Walter_Gilbert@UMAIL.UMD.EDU--Maryland")
Mon, 12 Sep 1994 14:57:30 -0400

Message-Id: <mailto:199409130125.UAA09178@library.wustl.edu>
Date:         Mon, 12 Sep 1994 14:57:30 -0400
From: "mailto:Walter_Gilbert@UMAIL.UMD.EDU--Maryland" <WALT@UMDD.bitnet>
Subject:      8-bit vs. 24-bit color
To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB <mailto:IMAGELIB@ARIZVM1.BITNET>

8-bit vs. 24-bit color.

I have a garden-variety Dell comuter with a 17" monitor and graphics card capable of displaying 24-bit color. I delight in displaying an 8-bit color and a 24-bit color version of the same image side by side and having the viewer tell the difference. (I did this at a conference and most people guessed it wrong.)

Of course there is a difference, and if you get up close and look at areas of slowly changing color (sky is a good example) you can see the difference. But, for everyday use at normal viewing distances, the factor of 3 savings in size is worth while. Walt

Walter Gilbert, Asst. Dir. mailto:Walter_Gilbert@umail.umd.edu Computer Science Center Manager: Teaching Technologies University of Maryland at College Park 20742-2411 (301)405-6727