Technology is advancing every day, and new and new devices are created to ease our lives. Phones and photo cameras are some of them. They become more and more performant day by day. We take photos of amazing scenery when we go hiking, we take pictures of special moments such as birthdays, and we take photos of our dear ones. And we want to share these photos with others, too. But when it comes to saving and sharing images, it is of high importance to choose the right format. It can make a huge difference when it comes to the quality, compatibility, and storage space.
You have some formats you can choose from: HEIC, JPG, or PNG. But which is the right one for your needs? Naturally, each of the above options has its advantages and shortcomings. Whether you are a designer, photographer, or a normal smartphone user, you should pick the right format for your purposes. This affects the amount of space your photos consume, the appearance of your pictures, or where to use them. So, if you want to learn more about the HEIC format and not only, continue reading. We will discuss whether are HEIC files better than JPEG, but also the differences between all three formats available so that you can make the best decision.
HEIC format
HEIC format stands for High Efficiency Image Coding, and it is the format specific to iPhone. If you tried to save the photos taken with your iPhone on your computer, you might have noticed that they are automatically saved in this format. But, are you wondering is HEIC lossless? What is the difference between HEIC and JPG, which is probably the most popular format? Or what about HEIC vs PNG? This format comes with many pros, such as having smaller sizes than JPG, while the quality stays the same, or it is even better. At the same time, it supports advanced features like 16-bit color, transparency, or multiple images. And if you have devices with HEIF support, this one is the right format.
But it has some disadvantages too. For example, it has limited compatibility, and it is not universally supported. If you have a laptop with a Windows operating system or an older Android phone, then you should know that they will not support the HEIC format. Also, a HEIC file type might need to be converted to another format so that you can share it. You may try to convert HEIC to PDF, as PDF is universally accepted. Or, into one of the other popular photo formats. So, if you care about the storage space you have available and you also have a MacBook or an iPhone, this could be the right choice for you.
JPG or JPEG
JPG or JPEG – an abbreviation for Joint Photographic Experts Group- is most likely the most popular and common type of formatting pictures. One of its greatest benefits is that it has universal compatibility, hence, it doesn’t matter what operating system you have on your devices. As for file size and quality of the photos, you should know that it is a balanced thing. However, if you are all about photo-taking to share on the Internet, then JPG is the right format for you. However, do remember that if there is a need to edit or resave the photos, it will affect the quality of your photos.
PNG
PNG is short for Portable Network Graphics, and it is the one the designers use most frequently, particularly if you need transparency, as it concerns logos, for example. This is one of the best features of it, alongside lossless compression. You do not ruin the quality of the image when you compress a PNG image. However, if we look at file size, then you should be aware that it is larger than HEIC and JPG.
Conclusion
There are many formats available when you need to store your photos, share them with other people, or post them on social networks. The most popular and commonly used are HEIC, JPG, and PNG. All of them have their pros and cons; therefore, depending on your particular needs, you should choose the right one for yourself.
For instance, when it comes to the iPhone or MacBook, HEIC is the best option since it has a smaller file size but maintains the same quality as the other options. However, if it is the posting of your photos online you are concerned with, then the JPG option is better for you. When it comes to transparency and logos, PNG is your thing. Therefore, as you may see, each of them is targeted at certain needs. All you’ve got to do is know yours.
