Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

Bit depth indicates the precision to which a pixel can specify what?

1. Size

2. Color

3. Resolution

4. Contrast

The correct answer is: Color

Bit depth defines the number of bits used to represent the color of a single pixel in an image. The greater the bit depth, the more colors can be represented, allowing for smoother transitions and more accurate color reproduction. For instance, an 8-bit image can represent 256 different colors or shades per channel (red, green, and blue), resulting in over 16 million possible colors when combined in an RGB image. Conversely, higher bit depths such as 16-bit or 32-bit per channel significantly increase the number of colors and tonal variations represented, enhancing the image quality and depth significantly. In contrast, size refers to the dimensions of the image (width and height), resolution pertains to the detail an image holds (often measured in pixels per inch), and contrast describes the difference in luminance or color that makes an object distinguishable. These aspects do not directly relate to the precision of color representation in a pixel, thus distinguishing "color" as the correct focus of bit depth.