Question: 8 bits/channel vs. 16 bits/channel ?

Gaspar · Post by **Gaspar** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 12:57 am

Hi,
I'm wondering if the 16 bit/channel option really makes an impact to the images being processed by NeatImage. I don't even know if my camera can produce 16 bit images when saved as JPEG.

OR

I'm completely wrong and this is just a way to process the images faster since it's accesing 16 bit instead of 8 bit? If this is the case how fast is "faster" ?

Thanks
Gaspar G

Example of EXIF Information from a picture taken by my camera.

Make = Panasonic
Model = DMC-LC5
Orientation = 1
XResolution = 72/1
YResolution = 72/1
ResolutionUnit = 2
Software = Ver.1.0
DateTime = 2003:03:30 04:24:41
YCbCrPositioning = 2
ExifOffset = 196
Compression = 6
XResolution = 72/1
YResolution = 72/1
ResolutionUnit = 2
JPEGInterchangeFormat = 1126
JPEGInterchangeFormatLength = 15246
YCbCrPositioning = 2
ExposureTime = 12/7830
FNumber = 661/100
ExposureProgram = 2
ISOSpeedRatings = 100
ExifVersion = 48
DateTimeOriginal = 2003:03:30 04:24:41
DateTimeDigitized = 2003:03:30 04:24:41
ComponentsConfiguration = 1
CompressedBitsPerPixel = 41/10
ShutterSpeedValue = 93/ 10
ApertureValue = 54/10
ExposureBiasValue = 0/ 100
MaxApertureValue = 20/10
MeteringMode = 4
Flash = 0
FocalLength = 2074/100
MakerNote = 80
FlashPixVersion = 48
ColorSpace = 1
ExifImageWidth = 2240
ExifImageLength = 1680
InteroperabilityOffset = 990
SensingMethod = 2
FileSource = 3
SceneType = 1
= 0

Post by **NITeam** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:05 am

Gaspar,

Your camera seems to produce only 24-bit RGB images (JPEG or TIFF). Most likely you postprocess these images in an image editor with 24-bit workflow. If this is the case then you only need 24-bit (8 bit/channel) Home edition of NI. However, if you are actively use 48-bit workflow (even if the original images are in 24 bits) then you need Pro edition. Both editions do processing with the same speed, only the formats of processed images are different.

Hope this helps.

Vlad

allegro · Post by **allegro** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 10:16 pm

I have a Canon G3 and Neat Image Home Edition. Would 16bit processing from Neat Image benefit the type of images processed by this camera? Would the output from 16bit processing be better in quality compared to 8bit?

Post by **NITeam** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 10:56 pm

Yes, it may benefit the image processing tasks but this of course depend on your whole workflow. If you use 16-bit workflow based on a decent image editor then Neat Image Pro would perfectly complement its 16-bit capabilities and would produce better images than in 8-bit version. You need to be ready to process 16-bit images produced by Neat Image, otherwise there no much reason to do this.

Vlad

allegro · Post by **allegro** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 11:50 pm

I just want to make sure I understand this correctly. Here's a sample of my would be workflow in Neat Image Pro:

- process RAW image in Photoshop using Adobe RAW converter (16bit/channel depth) and save as 16bit TIFF
- load 16bit TIFF in Neat Image Pro. Process and resave.
- load image back into Photoshop and convert to 8bit for final sharpening using Nik Sharpener (won't work in 16bit mode).
- resave final image as 8bit TIFF.

Since I'm converting in the end from 16bit to 8bit, would I lose the image quality gained from processing in Neat Image in 16bit mode?

Post by **NITeam** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 8:52 am

Yes, you would lose some of the quality but not all. Image still will be better that with 8-bit workflow but the difference will of course depend on the image. In some cases, you may see the difference, in other cases - not (this also depends on observer).
Generally, using 16-bit NI output helps avoid banding problems. 8-bit processing is more prone to this.

Vlad

sanaka · Post by **sanaka** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 10:54 pm

Since PS7 won't even do most of what needs to be done (layers etc.) in 16bit mode, I'm going to resample to 8bit anyway at some point. If my original files off the camera are 16bit, and NI is the first thing I do to them, I go ahead and do NI at 16bit mode. The question is, is the NI 16bit > 8bit conversion just as good as Photoshop's? If so, I can get the benefit of 16bit NI filtering, AND save time by having NI also convert down to 8bit mode (by saving output image as 8bit TIF). Especially useful when queueing a bunch of files. Thanks!

Peace,
Sanaka

Post by **NITeam** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:06 pm

sanaka wrote:is the NI 16bit > 8bit conversion just as good as Photoshop's?

Yes, there is no significant difference (though it is done differently as there is no such thing as 16bit > 8bit conversion in NI).

Vlad