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What is 8-Bit Color Depth? A Quick Explanation

8-bit color depth explained

The maximum number of colors supported by an 8-bit image depth is 256 colors.

It is used in images, digital video, and computer-generated animation content.

Each pixel of color information is recorded using 8 bits.

This results in 256 or 2 to the power of 8 colors (2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 256)

You can use a palette editor to edit the color information.

Back in the day when 8-bit color was in vogue, Microsoft PalEdit was a well-known palette editor.

What Can a Palette Editor Do?

It can switch the order of the palette’s color cells.

By deleting redundant or unwanted color cells, it can reduce the number of palette colors.

It can adjust brightness and color contrast levels.

Colors can be faded or tinted.

Color cells can be copied from one palette to another.

You can combine or merge two or more palettes into a single palette.

You can create common color palettes. These can be used alongside other 8-bit video sequences. Doing so will minimize flickering that may result from palette switching.

Flickering is common when an image, video, or animation sequence is substituted with another.

How to Paste Color Palettes Into 8-Bit Video Sequences?

Back in the day, video editing programs such as Adobe Premiere, Microsoft VidEdit, and Asymetrix Digital Video Producer were used to paste color palettes into 8-bit video sequences.

8-Bit Color Usage

The VGA standard, developed by IBM back in 1987, employed 8-bit color for its graphical interface.

If you were using VGA computer monitors, one of its features is the support for 256 colors.

8-bit color may seem obsolete in these days of 24-bit color.

8-bit color is used with Image formats like GIF and PNG8. PNG8 is popularly used for logos, icons, and buttons that don’t require a high color depth.

Check out the video below to learn more.

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