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Pixel and vector are the two major digital formats used in graphic illustrations, web and app logo development, and animation. The following pixel vs vector guide will help you understand these formats' applicability and limitations.
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Generally, digital graphic files are categorized into vector or pixel formats. You can determine whether the format is pixel or vector by closely examining the edges of the graphic elements, such as texts and logos. You can also check on the file extensions such as .bmp or .cdr because they use different file extensions.
In simple terms, a pixel stands for a picture element. It is the smallest element in a digital image that can be manipulated using a program. In cameras, a pixel in the camera sensor is the field used to define a vector space in a multi-component representation.
Vectors are mathematical based graphics that use the cartesian coordinate system to produce geometric images by controlling the drawing mechanism. The vectors have an infinite resolution, which does not get easily distorted or fuzzy. As a result, vectors are commonly used to make company logos and digital illustrations.
Generally, what makes a file to be categorized as pixel or vector format is the components contained. Therefore, for you to determine whether your file is a vector or a pixel, you might need to understand the following similarities and differences between the two.
Although both pixel and vector formats have differences in their use and appearance, they still share common similarities in their versatility and applicability.
Although both vector and pixel formats are scalable and versatile, they are different formats with the following differences.
Generally, the pixel images are generated from a camera sensor that interpolates the color details through a process known as demosaicing. Normally, when the light incident gets to the camera sensor, the images you capture will be pixelated according to the pixel rating of the sensor.
On the other hand, vector images are computer generated with a sequence of mathematical statements or commands. The process involves placing shapes and lines in a two or three-dimensional space using tools such as CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrators.
The most common file formats for vectors are EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), AI (Adobe Illustrator), SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), and PDF (Portable Document Format). This file format makes editing a vector file in pixel-based software difficult.
On the other hand, the pixel formats are mostly image file formats such as JPEG, GIF, PNG, and TIFF. These are common image formats you can shoot with a digital camera. These file formats are versatile as they make the pixel images editable in programs such as Photoshop.
The highest quality of a vector image is 300 dots per inch, which is a standard quality for offset print projects. When you want to print extra-large formats such as real estate photos for showcasing the property, you can use the 150 dots per inch quality.
If you want to post on real estate listings, you can use a resolution of around 72 dots per inch. On the other hand, the highest image quality for a pixel image is around 300 pixels per inch. This resolution is ideal for large format prints for advertising your real estate properties.
A low resolution contains around 72 pixels, which is ideal for web uploads. However, the image quality of a pixel image tends to degrade, especially when you resize it during printing. In contrast, vector images do not lose their quality even when you resize them.
Generally, conversion involves transforming the images from one format to another, such as pixel to vector or vice versa. The process requires decent graphics cards, sufficient RAM, and a fast processor.
You can do the conversion using programs such as Photoshop to transform a pixel image into a vector. On the other hand, you will need to use a program such as Adobe Illustrator to convert from vector to pixel.
Converting a pixel image to a vector format might be time-consuming compared to converting from a vector to a pixel image. Normally, a pixel image has a lot of details that take time to compress and convert to vector.
In current digital
When you zoom in pixel image with a high resolution, you will notice a formation of small boxes that multiplies as you zoom in. The small boxes are called bitmaps, consisting of a grid that collectively makes up the pixel image. The countless tiny squares or pixels have specific colors to be displayed.
On the other hand, when you zoom in on the vector images, you will not find any bitmaps in the images. The vector image appears the same as you continue to zoom in.
The major distinguishing factor between pixel and vector format is that the vector format uses mathematical algorithms to describe placements, shapes, and colors, which makes it maintain the quality when you resize. The pixel formats have black and white as the initial colors, which increase with an increase in complexity and tend to lose quality as you resize.
Generally, you can use the pixel format when you want to do complex edits, as you can edit each pixel using editing programs such as Photoshop. Normally, the pixels have specific colors in each cell, which allows you to make more precise edits.
The vector formats are best for web design and rendering 2D or 3D animations as you can easily resize them to different scales without interfering with the quality. You can use vector formats when you want to add more shapes, filters, texts, and colors to create detailed illustrations.
Generally, the vector format is better because it maintains the image quality even when you resize it to maximum due to the unlimited resolution. On the other hand, the pixel format tends to lose quality, especially when you zoom in on the image to the maximum.
Generally, the vector format is better to use in graphic design compared to the pixel format. In most cases, designing involves resizing, which might reduce the quality of an image when you are using a pixel-based image.
Generally, pixel format is one of the most commonly used formats in photography, as many digital cameras for real estate are pixel-based. Although pixels are more complex than vectors, they are easily editable.
Normally, the vector files are mostly saved in the AI format, which makes them editable using Adobe illustrator. For instance, if you save the format in PDF files, you can view and edit the file in Adobe Acrobat.
The vector formats made of mathematical algorithms tend to maintain the image quality when you resize. The pixel-based images tend to lose quality as you scale up. The above pixel vs vector guide shows you how to use pixel images for standard usage and vectors for logos and illustrations.
