Mode - 8 Bit / Channel

The Image > Mode > 8 Bit / Channel command changes the active image's bit depth into 8 bit. Then every one of the resulting image's pixels can take on one of 256 values.

As a rule, you will use this command to convert a 16-bit gray-value image into an 8-bit gray-value image. All of the supplementary image information, e.g., image calibration and drawing objects, will be retained in this conversion.

Note: The conversion of a 16-bit gray-value image into an 8-bit gray-value image always results in a loss of data. All of the image information that has been put together for the presentation of a gray value on the monitor, or is not even displayed on the monitor, will be lost in the resulting image.

It may be necessary to convert a 16-bit gray-value image when you want to integrate it into another application program, since these often find it difficult to handle 16-bit images. A further use of this command can be to reduce the bit depth in order to save storage capacity.