JPEG XR - Standardizing Microsoft HD Photo

A bit of good standards news today. Earlier today there was a press release from the Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) and one from Microsoft both announcing that the specification for Microsoft's HD Photo as been submitted to JPEG. The result, hopefully, will be the next generation of JPEG called JPEG XR. We are working collaboratively with the JPEG community and hope to see this result in the next wave of digital image technologies.

The benefits of this potentially extend to all digital camera users, to camera manufacturers, printer manufacturers, and to anyone building apps that manipulate digital images. (Think mapping, imaging, etc.)

JPEG XR will part of a larger piece of work called the JPEG Systems which the JPEG organization is doing to standardize systems integration technologies for digital imaging technologies.

A few news stories on this today:

CNET - Shankland

eWEEK - Galli

CNN Money

In the blogosphere, a few good places to watch this space:

Bill Crow - has a blog dedicated to HD Photo

Microsoft PhotoBlog - cool site to watch if you are into digital photography

 

If you are curious about HD Photo from the tech perspective, I found this link. Also, here is some basic information about HD Photo submission from Microsoft:

Q. Why did Microsoft decide to submit HD Photo for consideration as a standard?

A:  More efficient memory utilization, better quality pictures and prints, more flexible editing, and support for emerging image rendering and interaction innovations are all features that are highly valued by users.  Microsoft believes that HD Photo will address these and other current and emerging needs of consumer and professional digital photographers. We decided to submit HD Photo for consideration as a standard because standardizing HD Photo will expand access to this cutting edge technology and foster interoperability with other related standards and innovations.

Q: What are the key benefits of the HD Photo file format?

A. This file format introduces support for High Dynamic Range (HDR), a major and fundamental new development in digital imaging.  The key benefits include:  1) preserving a far greater range of original image content, thus enabling the highest quality exposure and color adjustment; 2) delivering  better efficiency with fewer damaging artifacts and scalable to lossless; and 3) the ability to decode only the information needed for any resolution or region and to manipulate the image as compressed data.