Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

A camera that records three colors at 8 bits each generates a _________ bit image.

1. 32

2. 12

3. 24

4. 16

The correct answer is: 24

The correct response is based on understanding how digital images are created and how color depth is calculated in relation to the RGB color model. A camera that records three colors—typically red, green, and blue—at 8 bits each means that for each color channel, 8 bits are allocated to represent various shades or intensities of that color. Since there are three color channels involved, you would multiply the number of bits per channel by the number of channels: 8 bits (for red) + 8 bits (for green) + 8 bits (for blue) equals a total of 24 bits. This total indicates that each pixel in the image can represent over 16 million different colors (which is 2^24). Therefore, the camera generates a 24-bit image, which is standard for most digital color photography today. Understanding this process is crucial in fields such as photography and digital imaging, as it helps in determining image quality, file size, and potential for color manipulation in post-production.