Many people have heard about image processing and some of them may have heard about computer graphics, they both seem like the same things but when we get to their core concepts and take a look at their features then we understand that there are some differences between these two topics, let’s take a look and understand the difference between computer graphics and image processing.
Table of Content
What is Computer Graphics?
Computer graphics are introduced as drawings or any type of sketch that can represent some meaningful information in the form of pictures. Computer graphics is used widely in the software and computer field when there is a set of images that needs to be created or manipulated such as in digital films, the entertainment industry, or digital photography.
Block Diagram of Computer Graphics
Given Below is the Block Diagram of Computer Graphics
Computer Graphics Diagram
Computer graphics works by taking input details from the user via input devices and processing it with the help of memory and processors, then it passes the graphics to the frame buffer so that it can be displayed via the output devices.
Computer graphics itself is a large subject and area when we study computer science, it can be used for designing UI components, animation, rendering of graphical objects, etc. There are various tools and libraries for implementing computer graphics such as <graphics.h> which is a header file used in turbo-C and Adobe Photoshop which is used for editing digital photographs among other tools and services. Computer graphics was a term that was coined by Verne Hudson and William Fetter who worked at Boeing.
What is Image Processing ?
Image processing is known as the study of enhancing the images and it works by tuning various parameters of an image and adding features to the image, traditionally image processing is known as a subset of computer vision. In image processing, the transformations are applied to the input image which is provided by the user and then image processing is applied to it to return an output image. Image Processing was a term that was coined by Russell Kirsch who worked at NBS.
Block Diagram of Image Processing
Given Below is the Block Diagram of Image Processing
Block diagram of Image Processing
Image processing works by taking an image as an input and applying pattern recognition to it to understand the pattern for the input image, then it sends it to the specific data and geometry model for enhancement, from here it is served back to the image processing as an output image.
As discussed, both of the categories deal with images and other pictorial visuals, it becomes problematic and confusing when we discuss the differences between these two fields of computer science, so in this article, we will discuss the differences between them.
Difference Between Computer Graphics and Image Processing
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Computer Graphics |
Image Processing |
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It focuses on the generation and manipulation of images for visual output. |
Image processing focuses on analyzing and enhancing the quality and helps to extract information or improve quality. |
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The primary goal is to create visual content that can be understood by humans, often for informative purposes. |
The primary goal is to modify or extract information from digital images, typically through algorithms and techniques. |
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Computer graphics is used in movies, video games and flight simulators for graphic purposes. |
Image processing is used in medical imaging, satellite imaging, facial recognition, editing, etc for better imaging. |
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Computer graphics produces new images from scratch or modifies existing ones to convey a particular message. |
Image processing modifies or enhances existing images, mostly without fundamentally changing their content. |
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Some examples of computer graphics are Pixar movies, Adobe Photoshop, and video game graphics engines among others. |
Some examples of image processing are medical image analysis software, Instagram filters, and face recognition systems. |
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It often starts with geometric descriptions or models of objects etc. |
It begins with digital images captured from various sources such as cameras, scanners, or satellites. |
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Computer Graphics often requires powerful graphics processing units (GPUs) and rendering hardware. |
It can be implemented on standard computing hardware but may require parallel processing units for efficiency. |
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Can produce highly complex visual scenes with better details and dynamic effects like lighting and shadows. |
Outputs are often simpler, focusing on enhancing or analyzing specific aspects of an image, such as contrast or texture. |
Applications of Computer Graphics
Computer graphics is used in computers for manipulating, creating and storing various types of objects as well as images, some applications of computer graphics are mentioned below:
- By using the computer graphics we can create different types of arts such as commercial and fine art and animation packages etc.
- With help of computer graphics we can create presentation of various reports such as financial and statistical data and economical reports.
- Computer graphics is also majorly used in the entertainment industry such as game and movie industry etc.
- By using computer graphics we can design various drawings for buildings, aircraft schematics and automobile design etc.
Applications of Image Processing
Image processing is also used in computers for manipulating the different parameters of images, some applications of image processing are mentioned below:
- Image processing finds its use and availability in the field of image sharpening and also helps in the restoration of images.
- Image processing is used in the medical field in order to find patterns in the medical reports and help in enhancing the image to find conclusive reports.
- Image processing is also used in the field of transmission and encoding for faster and smoother transmission of images.
- It is used in the field of color processing and enhancing the color of various images to give it more clarity.
Conclusion
Overall, while Computer graphics and Image processing share many basic components, there are some major differences in their complexity, flexibility as well as adaptability. Image processing are most complex and they are used in digital images captured from cameras, and scanners that can process information in parallel, while computer graphics deal with creating 2D and 3D in computer systems. In contrast, image processing is used in digital images to transform the images and make them better. they are designed to perform specific tasks with the processing architecture determined by the designer.
Difference Between Computer Graphics and Image Processing – FAQs
How many channels are there in image processing?
There are total three channels which are available in the image processing: red, green and blue. these colors are combined to create colorful images with varieties in image processing.
What is the difference between graphics and image?
Computer graphics is something that a user or computer draws and generates while images are either captured or scanned by the user using any image capturing device such as cameras.
Which algorithm is used for image processing?
There are many popular algorithms which are used for the purpose of image processing, some of these algorithms are: de-noising algorithm, edge detection algorithm, region growing among others.