It seems that all too few digital people understand the crucial difference between working in 8-bit vs 16-bit per channel - hence this simple little test, to conclusively demonstrate it.
This image (in max. JPG quality - no artifacts) shows four layers of overlapping gradations, from white to light gray, set to merge in Multiply mode. The top version is done in Picture Publisher 10 in 16-bit grayscale mode - the combined gradations are smooth as silk. But the bottom version is done in Photoshop 6 in 8-bit grayscale mode - and the combined gradations shows very bad banding. But while PS6 does allow for working with 16-bit files, it does NOT allow for using layers - hence ALL layering work in Photoshop is doomed to be plagued by such banding problems! The same goes for XaraX and all other programs which are only 8-bit per channel. (Working in 24-bit color does not change this one iota: it's the bit depth of the channels which count.)
Thank goodness for PictPub 10!
At a time when every $100 scanner now can scan in high-bit mode, almost all our software is still mired in the ancient, crude 8-bit world! I shout in despair at the heavens: WHEN are the software companies going to address this grave problem?!?!?
K
www.xaraxone.com/FeaturedArt/kn/
www.klausnordby.com/xara
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