JPEG Artifact

What is a JPEG Artifact?

A JPEG artifact is a visual imperfection or distortion that appears in a JPEG image due to the lossy compression algorithm used to create the file format. JPEG compression discards some image data to reduce file size, and these artifacts manifest as visible anomalies, such as blockiness, blurring, color banding, or shimmering. The extent of these artifacts depends on the level of compression used—higher compression leads to more noticeable artifacts.

Context: JPEG artifacts are commonly seen in online images, particularly those that have been heavily compressed to reduce file size for faster loading on websites or in online media. They are frequently discussed in digital photography, graphic design, and image editing contexts.

Examples: Blocky edges in a picture, unnatural color transitions in a gradient, a fuzzy or blurry appearance in details, a shimmering or shimmering effect around sharp lines.

Q&A

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