.gif vs .jpg

[StuntFactoryX]

what is better? what makes you decide? i understand that .gif can be transparent but outside if that if i had 2 square images why use .gif or .jpg?

and when you save a .gif in cs2 does it matter if you save for web?

[calorie]

Couple of things to consider...

How many colors does the image contain? How small can the image be compressed without losing too much quality?

As to SFW, some information is available at http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pho...rweb/sfw01.htm

[Freesteyelz]

I tend to save most of my image files for the web in .jpg format. Especially for detailed designs and shades .jpg fairs out better than .gif format. Most times for me the file size is less with .jpg format.

[Shelley_c]

Neither is better or rather each as it benefits to the job at hand. For example, You have an image less than and/or 256 colours then I would say .gif would be the format of choice mainly because you will not benefit from any extra quality by using jpeg, you would also benefit from using .gif because of the lower filesize.. Also, if that image contains animations then .gif would be the format of choice because jpeg does not support animations. However, jpeg has it pros mainly for images that exceed 256 colours and by using jpeg images you would retain that quality whilst using .gif would result in colours looking of low quality.

The save for web feature is a very usefull tool as it allows you to tweak your format of choice and allows you to manage slices and save in any matte colour of choice and gain optimal performance from your saved images/projects.

[Spank]

.PNG all the way!

[Shelley_c]

Always remember stuntfactoryx, there's not a best format but the appropriate format for the project your working on. That's about the best advice I can give you with regards to (what seems in this thread) an image format war.

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by Shelley_c

Always remember stuntfactoryx, there's not a best format but the appropriate format for the project your working on. That's about the best advice I can give you with regards to (what seems in this thread) an image format war.

agreed... there is not one "Best" type. .png, .jpg/jpeg, .gif all have their places on the web. Obviously, you want to choose the type that will load the fastest for your users without compromising the effect you wish to display.

[StuntFactoryX]

i appriciate the info.

a cartoon type image can be just as clean in .gif format as a jpg. so its not that jpg are more crisp.

i was opporating on the idea that if all else fails or was unsure use .jpg, it just be a overkill.

i really do like .png but the browser thing sucks.

[Shelley_c]

I know there is a modification on a .png fix though this is a little extreme when you can easily opt for a .png and select the matte option instead of transparency. What this allows is that the matte colour you choose would be the same coloured background that the image will be applied upon. Again, you will find the options in the save for web area.

[Andreas]

PNG is great for stuff like Icons, Buttons, Screenshots, etc.
No need to use GIF here - PNG can also be indexed (256 colors) and usually gives smaller files compared to GIF.

JPEG ist great for photos.