What is PCD?

Kodak Photo CD (PCD) is a high-resolution image format for storing scanned photos on CD, supporting multiple resolutions from thumbnail to 3072x2048.

What is BPG?

Better Portable Graphics (BPG) is a modern image format based on HEVC video compression, offering excellent compression efficiency.

When Should You Use PCD vs BPG?

PCD vs BPG: Key Differences

• •PCD uses lossy compression while BPG uses lossy compression — both take the same approach to file size management.
• •Since both PCD and BPG use lossy compression, the quality characteristics are comparable — differences in file size come down to how efficiently each format implements compression.
• •Transparency: Supports alpha channel
• •PCD files are typically 4-6MB per image at base resolution while BPG files range 30-50% smaller than JPEG at same quality
• •PCD is optimized for photo cd scanning, legacy photo archiving while BPG is designed for web images with superior compression — choose based on your specific workflow needs

Advantages of PCD

• ✓The lossy nature of PCD means file sizes stay reasonable while handling Photo CD scanning, legacy photo archiving efficiently.
• ✓From mobile devices to enterprise servers, PCD is recognized and supported everywhere.
• ✓Storage and bandwidth costs drop significantly when using PCD thanks to its efficient compression.
• ✓PCD is a first-class citizen in all major software ecosystems, from creative suites to development environments.

Advantages of BPG

• ✓BPG applies lossy compression specifically calibrated for Web images with superior compression.
• ✓BPG enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓BPG delivers impressive compression ratios, shrinking files dramatically while keeping visual quality high.
• ✓You will find BPG support built into virtually every tool that handles Web images with superior compression — no plugins or converters needed.

Common Use Cases for PCD to BPG Conversion

• Digital photography and editing
• Graphic design projects
• E-commerce product images
• Email marketing campaigns
• Presentation graphics
• Blog and article illustrations

Industry Applications

Best Practices for PCD to BPG Conversion

• →When converting PCD to BPG, check whether BPG supports transparency — if not, your transparent areas will be filled with a solid color
• →Use BPG for maximum quality archival and PCD for smaller file sizes when quality is less critical
• →Optimize images for web to reduce page load times — tools like our converter let you adjust quality settings before conversion
• →Maintain original aspect ratio to avoid distortion during conversion
• →Always keep a backup of your original files before converting
• →Choose the appropriate quality settings for your specific use case

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Troubleshooting PCD to BPG Conversion

• !BPG shows visible compression artifacts → lower the compression level or switch to a lossless variant
• !The converted BPG image looks washed out → the source PCD likely uses a wider color space than BPG supports
• !BPG file is much larger than expected → check if the conversion preserved an unnecessarily high resolution
• !Text in the converted BPG looks fuzzy → text-heavy images benefit from higher quality settings or a different output format

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