2007.07.03 18:37 "[Tiff] BigTIFF extension?", by Phil Harvey

2007.07.04 18:59 "Re: [Tiff] 16-Bit-Per-Channel Lossless Compression", by Bob Friesenhahn

Thing is, for photographic data the only real compression that works and make sense both, is lossy compression, is JPEG. Therefore, part of the answer to this problem ought to be more widespread and easier building of a 12bit/channel JPEG compression.

That's doesn't cover the really lossy needs (though on photographic data there is not much such need), and it doesn't cover the really 16bit/channel need, so it's only part of the answer. But a vital part nonetheless.

Your 12bit/channel is sufficient to represent what today's high-end image sensors are able to accomplish in the typical ambient environment. The popularity of 16/bit/channel is primarily due to the way the samples nicely fit a native CPU data type so they may be handled quickly with the minimum of code. HDR, linear-light, and exotic scientific/sensing applications may need many more bits.

Bob
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Bob Friesenhahn
bfriesen@simple.dallas.tx.us, http://www.simplesystems.org/users/bfriesen/
GraphicsMagick Maintainer, http://www.GraphicsMagick.org/