Which image file format is best ?

The answer here really depends on what you want to do with it, but as a short answer, JPEG 2000 are probably best for most things, BUT
over the course of the last 20 years it has failed to gain much support. In particular most internet browsers cannot display them.
Paint Shop Pro Version X for example, can read them but not save them as JP2 files, though version 7 could. Most web browsers cannot display them.

On the other hand, a newer file type "WebP" is well supported by browsers and gives good quality in a small file size, but is not well supported in other respects.
My Windows 7 machine cannot display the images, though Irfanview can read them and then save them in other formats.

here is an image displayed in a range of formats.
The JP2 file was the original file sent to me by Everett Ramsey. He created it with Paint Shop Pro version 7. Version 10 can read it and manipulate it, but not save it as a JP2 file.
I used GIMP to create the other files from it. do-able, but arduous if you are (like me) not familiar with it. There are free online tutorials though.
These images are actually 818 x 936 pixels, but displayed at half that.
Clicking on the imjages will open them full size in a popup window allowing their speed of load and image quality to be compared.
Remember that speed of loading generally depends on the location of the viewer and time of day.

JP2 file, 239 kB	PNG file, No compression, 2.21 MB	PNG file, Maximum compression, 1.36 MB

JPG file, Compression factor 20, 226 kB	WEBP file, No compression, 1.04 MB	WEBP file, Quality 90 compression, 252 kB

Useful links.

Image editing software often includes a scanner interface. That includes Irfanview (for the novice) or Gimp (for the professional),
or Corel Paint Shop Pro (intermediate) that I normally use (on Windows 7, but it can also work with Wine under Linux).
On Linux, Gimp is usually used. It is very powerful, but can be a bit cumbersome because of the vast array of options.
Paint Shop Pro usually comes as version 7 or Version X that needs a bit more work to avoid nagging.
The later version has more features, but cannot save files as JP2 files, though it can read them.

Sorry, I can't help with Apple, I have never owned one.

If sending images, please do NOT embed them in pdf documents, they generally cannot be extracted without loss of quality.
If embedded in a word document, since a docx file is actually a customised zip file, they can have the extension changed to 'zip' and
then be unzipped. Images can be found in the 'media' subdirectory of the 'Word' directory.

Comments, criticisms, information or suggestions are always welcome.

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Last updated 30th. April 2023

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