A 10-bit image refers to the bit depth of an image, which is a measure of the number of bits used to represent the color of a single pixel. In a 10-bit image, each color channel of a pixel is represented with 10 bits of data. This means that for a standard RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color model, each channel can display 2^10 or 1024 different shades of intensity.
Compared to the more common 8-bit images, which can display 256 shades per channel, 10-bit images can display a much wider range of colors. This results in smoother gradients and more detailed color representation, reducing the risk of banding in images.
Here’s a quick comparison in terms of potential colors:
- 8-bit per channel: 256 levels per channel, resulting in 16.7 million possible colors (256^3).
- 10-bit per channel: 1024 levels per channel, resulting in over 1 billion possible colors (1024^3).
This increased color depth is particularly beneficial in professional photo and video editing, where it allows for more precise adjustments without losing detail or causing posterization.