File formats, made simple
Guides, comparisons and how-tos about file formats and conversion — in plain language, with no fluff and real takeaways.
Use CasesWhere JPEG 2000 Is Used: Cinema, Medicine, Archives, Satellites
Where JPEG 2000 is actually used: digital cinema (DCP under the DCI spec), medicine (DICOM — X-ray, CT, MRI), archives and libraries, satellite ima…
Deep DiveWhy JPEG 2000 Never Replaced JPEG
Why JPEG 2000 — the technically superior format — never replaced ordinary JPEG: patent fears, no browser support, computational complexity, market…
Deep DiveLayers, Masks, Channels, Paths: How XCF Is Built Inside
How XCF is built inside: layers, masks, channels, paths and 64×64 tiles. We take GIMP's format apart brick by brick — from a stack of transparent s…
ComparisonXCF vs PSD: GIMP versus Photoshop — Which to Choose
XCF vs PSD: how GIMP's native format differs from Photoshop's, who opens what, what it costs, and which to choose for your task. A clear comparison…
WebAVIF for Website Speed: Bandwidth Savings and Core Web Vitals
AVIF for website speed: how the format saves bandwidth, speeds up loading and improves Core Web Vitals (LCP). Ready-to-use picture tag with WebP an…
TechAVIF: HDR, Deep Color, Transparency and Browser Support
AVIF's advanced capabilities: HDR (PQ and HLG), deep 10/12-bit color, the wide BT.2020 gamut, transparency and animation. Plus an honest map of bro…
Format ComparisonAVIF vs JPEG: How Much Smaller at the Same Quality
AVIF vs JPEG: how much smaller at the same quality? Real-world savings figures, the difference in color and artifacts, compatibility, and when to p…
Format ComparisonBMP vs PNG and JPG: Why Use an Uncompressed Format at All
BMP vs PNG and JPG: how the uncompressed format compares to modern ones, which is lighter and sharper, and when BMP still makes sense. A clear comp…
TechCamera RAW Formats: CR2, NEF, ARW, DNG and More
Camera RAW formats compared: how Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fujifilm RAF, Olympus ORF, Panasonic RW2 differ — and why the universal Adobe…
GamingDDS in Games: Why Engines Love BC and DXT Compressed Textures
Why game engines love DDS: how BC and DXT block compression saves VRAM, keeps the frame rate stable, how texture streaming works, and the role of m…
ComparisonDDS vs PNG, TGA and WebP: Which Texture Format to Choose in 2026
DDS vs PNG, TGA and WebP: which texture format to choose in 2026. We compare GPU-native reading, lossy vs lossless compression, transparency, mipma…
GuideEPS for Print: How Not to Ruin Your Artwork
EPS for print and publishing: what CMYK, bleed and outlined fonts mean, why printers are moving to PDF, and how to prep a vector artwork so it prin…