Output formats
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## Output formats

Relevant to Blender v2.31

The file is saved in whichever format has been selected in the pertinent Menu button in the `Format` Panel (Figure 17.2, “Image types and dimensions.”). From here you can select many image or animation formats (Figure 17.14, “Image and animations formats.”).

Figure 17.14. Image and animations formats.

The default image type is `Targa`, but, since the image is stored in a buffer and then saved, it is possible to change the image file type after the rendering and before saving using this menu.

By default Blender renders color (`RGB`) images (bottom line in Figure 17.2, “Image types and dimensions.”) but Black and White (`BW`) and colour with Alpha Channel (`RGBA`) are also possible.

Beware that Blender does not automatically add the extension to files, hence any `.tga` or `.png` extension must be explicitly written in the File Save window.

Except for the Jpeg format, which yields lossy compression, all the other formats are more or less equivalent. It is generally a bad idea to use Jpeg since it is lossy. It is better to use Targa and then convert it to Jpeg for web publishing purposes, keeping the original Targa.

Anyhow, for what concerns the other formats: `TARGA raw` is uncompressed Targa, uses a lot of disk space. `PNG` is Portable Network Graphics, a standard meant to replace old GIF inasmuch as it is lossless, but supports full true colour images. `HamX` is a self-developed 8 bits RLE (Run Length Encoded bitmap) format; it creates extremely compact files that can be displayed quickly. To be used only for the "Play" option. `Iris` is the standard SGI format, and `Iris + Zbuffer` is the same with added Zbuffer info.

Finally `Ftype` uses an "Ftype" file, to indicate that this file serves as an example for the type of graphics format in which Blender must save images. This method allows you to process 'colour map' formats. The colourmap data is read from the file and used to convert the available 24 or 32 bit graphics. If the option "RGBA" is specified, standard colour number '0' is used as the transparent colour. Blender reads and writes (Amiga) IFF, Targa, (SGI) Iris and CDinteractive (CDi) RLE colormap formats.

For what concerns animations:

- `AVI Raw` - saves an AVI as uncompressed frames. Non-lossy, but huge files.

- `AVI Jpeg` - saves an AVI as a series of Jpeg images. Lossy, smaller files but not as small as you can get with a better compression algorithm. Furthermore the AVI Jpeg format is not read by default by some players.

- `AVI Codec` - saves an AVI compressing it with a codec. Blender automatically gets the list of your available codecs from the operating system and allows you to set its parameters. It is also possible to change it or change its settings, once selected, via the `Set Codec` button which appears (Figure 17.15, “AVI Codec settings.”).

Figure 17.15. AVI Codec settings.

For an AVI animation it is also possible to set the frame rate (Figure 17.15, “AVI Codec settings.”) which, by default, is 25 frames per second.

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