GIF versus JPG

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GIF versus JPG
By André le Roux

Some logo designers swear by GIF. Some prefer to save web logos in JPG format. Here are the main differences between the two...

GIF	JPG
Limited colors (up to 256).	Unlimited colors.
The image compression is in relation to the number of colors used. 17 colors, 1KB file size: 256 colors, 2KB file size:	The image compression is in relation to the amount of image info discarded. Compression factor 9, 3KB file size: No compression, 6KB file size:
Good for logos (or any images) that have few colors. 17 colors, 2KB file size: (Note the red color bands)	Good for logos (or any images) that have many colors or gradients. Compression factor 9, 4KB file size: (Note the smooth gradient)
Supports transparency.	Does not support transparency.

Bottom Line:

JPGs are generally bigger in terms of file size - which means they'll load slower on a web site. Sometimes the slower load time is worth it though. Images with many colors (like photos) and images with gradients (like the red ball above) will look a lot better in JPG format than in GIF format. When an image has limited colors (like the blue ball above), you'll save on download time by saving it in GIF format.

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