Understanding Manga Scan Compression & Entropy
File size estimation for digitized comics differs fundamentally from continuous-tone photography. Photographs feature smooth color gradients that compress efficiently (often 20:1 in JPEG). Manga, however, contains sharp black-and-white ink transitions and periodic printed screentones that have high spatial entropy.
This tool models realistic compression ratios derived from empirical scanning tests of vintage and modern manga volumes.
Format Comparison for Manga Digitization
| Format | Compression Type | Average Page Size (600 DPI) | Recommended Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIFF (Deflate/LZW) | Lossless (No artifacting) | 4.5 – 7.2 MB | Master Preservation. Long-term archival copy. |
| PNG | Lossless (Deflate) | 3.8 – 5.8 MB | Lossless editing master. Ideal for post-processing layers. |
| WebP (Lossy q=85) | Lossy (High efficiency) | 0.8 – 1.6 MB | Modern tablet reading and web delivery. |
| JPEG (q=85) | Lossy (DCT Block) | 1.1 – 2.2 MB | Universal distribution on legacy e-readers. |
Methodology & Accuracy Disclaimer
File size estimates are approximations. Actual file sizes depend upon image content: dense splash pages with heavy dark ink and intricate crosshatching produce larger files than dialogue-heavy pages with broad white margins.