BiLinear or BiCubic file interpolation.

paul eckelman
Jun 20
2 min read

BI-LINEAR VS BI-CUBIC

Should you use BiLinear or BiCubic file interpolation when saving a file for best results in different situations.

Bicubic interpolation generally leads to better results than bilinear interpolation, particularly when resizing or scaling images.

Bilinear offers a more nuanced and accurate interpolation process, leading to smoother transitions and less arti-facting, especially during image enlargement.

Reconstruction Filter Function text with eye close-ups comparing Nearest, Bilinear, and Bicubic filters. Queries on their pros and cons. — When saving your file for best results, file type resampling when exported. Nearest, Bilinear or Bicubic

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Why Bicubic is often preferred:

More Accurate Interpolation:

Bicubic takes into account a larger neighborhood of pixels (16x16 vs. 4x4 for bilinear) when estimating new pixel values, resulting in a more accurate representation of the image.

Smoother Results:

Bicubic generally produces smoother tonal gradations and transitions, especially when enlarging an image.

Preserves Detail:

Bicubic is designed to preserve details and edges in the image during resampling, making it suitable for both downsizing and upscaling.

Sharpness Enhancement:

Bicubic Sharper (Photoshop) is specifically designed to sharpen the edges and details of a downsized image, making it suitable for reducing image size while retaining sharpness.

When Bilinear file processing might be best:

Faster Processing:

Bilinear is a faster and simpler interpolation method, making it computationally cheaper.

Smoothing Effect:

While less accurate than bicubic, bilinear produces a smoother, more blended result, which can be beneficial in some situations, like enlarging images when you want to avoid sharpening artifacts.