How Does JPEG Compression Affect Image Quality?

When you click a photo on your digital camera or smartphone, it is probably stored in JPEG format. But do you know why most smartphones and digital cameras save their clicks as JPEG images? What is JPEG compression?, and What does JPEG compression do to an image?

If not then this blog will guide you through all of it. Understanding JPEG is essential for anyone working with digital images, be it photographers, or editors as it offers a lot of benefits. After reading this blog, I am sure you will be able to understand JPEG better and learn how to deal with JPEG image compression without affecting Image quality.

What is JPEG?

JPEG or Joint Photographic Experts Group is a popular image file format that is commonly used by digital cameras, smartphones, and other photography devices. JPEG files take up less storage space on your computer or memory card compared to other image formats like RAW. Like all other image formats JPEG images also have some pros and cons, let’s understand them.

 

What is JPEG Image Compression?

JPEG is a very common way to compress the digital images. It’s used in digital cameras, and smartphones because it can make image files much smaller in size without losing too much image quality. But do you know what does JPEG compression do to an image?

The JPEG image compression removes tiny details and color information in the image that our human eyes cannot notice. This makes the file much smaller and thus requires less storage space on your computer or phone.

After the image compression, JPEG images may not look as sharp and detailed as the original image. Hence the more you compress an image the more it loses quality. By understanding how JPEG compression works, photographers can decide when to use JPEG and how much to compress an image, depending on your specific needs.

Benefits of JPEG Image Compression

So now you know what JPEG compression does to an image, but is it all negative? No, there are various benefits to this process. One of the main reasons or benefits of JPEG that make it popular is that it can make image files much smaller in size. This is helpful for a few key reasons:

1. Smaller JPEG files make upload and download much faster. This makes JPEG great for sharing photos and graphics on the web, in emails, or on social media.
2. The small file size of JPEGs helps you store more images on your camera, phone, computer, or other storage devices. This is useful for photographers and videographers who click a lot.
3. Though JPEG compression reduces image quality it still withholds a great amount of details and color. The image compression also tries to balance file size and quality.

JPEG can significantly reduce file sizes without destroying much image quality, thus making it a valuable image format for digital photography. This is why JPEG is the most widely used image file type.

How to Compress JPEG Image without losing Quality?

Who does not want to reduce the image file size without sacrificing the overall image quality? JPEG compression is important for avid photographers, professional cameramen, and editors who want to save storage space or optimize images for the web.

The key to compressing JPEG files without losing quality is to use the right compression settings and tools. Many online image compression tool, allows you to upload your JPEG image and then adjust the compression level to find the perfect balance between file size and quality.

Another option is to use image editing software, like Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop. These apps have compression settings to reduce the file size without losing too much detail in the image.

The smartest approach is to start with a high-quality JPEG image and then adjust the compression level until you find the perfect compression as per your needs.

How to deal with Damaged Images while compressing JPEG images?

JPEG compression may sometimes also lead to damaged or corrupted image files. This happens because JPEG image compression removes some of the original image data to reduce the file size. Hence, the more you compress a JPEG image, the more data gets lost, and the more the quality can degrade.

Some common things that can go wrong while doing JPEG image compression are:

• The image may not open at all.
• Parts of the image may become distorted or pixelated.
• Images with colors washed out or inaccurate pixels.
• The overall image appears blurry or has grey lines.

If you have also encountered any such issues like a damaged JPEG file while compressing the same, then you can use a JPEG repair software and recover the image. The best option is to use Stellar Repair for Photo, a comprehensive image repair tool that can repair all types of corrupt images within a few clicks.

Let’s see how to use Stellar Repair for Photo:

Download, install, and run the Stellar Repair for Photo software on your computer.

Select the corrupted JPEG file you want to fix, then click “Repair” to begin the repair process.

The software will analyze the file and attempt to repair any issues. This may take a few minutes depending on the size and extent of the damage.

Once the repair is completed, you can preview the image and save it on your computer.

Stellar Repair for Photo is a useful reliable and user-friendly JPEG image repair tool and is worth trying if you face this issue.

Conclusion

By understanding what JPEG compression do to an image and having some handy techniques, you can ensure your photo quality remains intact even after JPEG compression. However, if any problem arises with JPEG images during the compression process then you can rely on Stellar Repair for Photo and get your corrupt images repaired in no time.