Topic: 8-bit versus 16-bit tiff files
Thanks for the reply to my post yesterday re. using a silent track. I have had no trouble implementing that.
Could I ask you another question about the input tiff files, 16-bit versus 8-bit. All of my original files have been calculated from ImageJ, and are 8-bit/channel RBG files.
I have read about this in relation to OpenDCP, and watched a number of the online help videos. Most presenters say that it is very important that the tiffs are 16-bit/channel, though some say OpenDCP will accept 8-bit/channel, but the quality will not be as good. Then in these demos they change their 8-bit files to 16-bit and suggest the problem is solved.
My understanding when you simply go from 8-bit to 16-bit is that all pixel values are multiplied by 256; so for example, if 8-bit pixel counts are 20 and 21 they will become 5120 and 5376, and there will be NO pixels with values between 5120 and 5376. Consequently I do not see how the next conversion to JPEG2000 (XYZ) can be any better than if the conversion was done from the original 8-bit files.
Could you enlighten me if I am wrong, and clarify whether OpenDCP will accept 8-bit/channel with no quality loss compared to 16-bit files derived from 8-bit files.
Many thanks
Robert