Multiple source images
Only one image is decoded; a concatenated image sequence is not exported as a complete set.
Convert PBM to GIF
- In your browser
- No upload
- Private by design
What happens when you convert PBM to GIF?
Two colours fit a GIF palette
Still GIF, up to 256 colours. Alpha below 50% becomes transparent; other pixels become opaque.
No new colour information
The source stores grayscale or bitonal values. A colour-capable GIF can represent these tones, but conversion cannot infer original scene colours or recover missing intermediate shades. Colourisation would be a separate image-editing operation.
PBM
Source
PBM
Portable Bitmap
Compression: UncompressedTransparency: NoMetadata: Header, Comments
Portable Bitmap: simple uncompressed raster samples for image-processing pipelines.
Explore PBM format →GIF
Target
GIF
Graphics Interchange Format
Compression: LosslessTransparency: YesMetadata: Comments, Application extensions
Indexed-colour images and simple frame animation. GIF uses LZW compression and palette-index transparency.
Explore GIF format →Is PBM → GIF right for you?
Good choice when
- GIF fits your delivery use: Simple palette animations.
- You can choose the source image or part needed for delivery.
- You need a palette-based delivery copy of a bitonal image.
- You need the existing gray or binary image in a compatible delivery format.
Probably not when
- You require a complete collection, page set or multipart round trip.
- You expect animation, shading or automatic transparency from conversion.
- You expect automatic colourisation or reconstruction of absent tones.
- You require identical samples without a defined colour and precision policy.
PBM to GIF conversion details
- Multiple source images
- Only one image is decoded; a concatenated image sequence is not exported as a complete set.
- Two colours fit a GIF palette
- Still GIF, up to 256 colours. Alpha below 50% becomes transparent; other pixels become opaque.
- No new colour information
- The source stores grayscale or bitonal values. A colour-capable GIF can represent these tones, but conversion cannot infer original scene colours or recover missing intermediate shades. Colourisation would be a separate image-editing operation.
- Sample precision & colour
- Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.
- Metadata & colour
- Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.
- Compression
- PBM: Uncompressed → GIF: Lossless PBM: Netpbm stores these samples without compression. Reducing colour, thresholding or changing maxval can still lose information before storage; text and binary representations change the layout, not its image meaning. GIF: LZW compression is lossless for the stored palette indices. Colour reduction before encoding is not lossless for an arbitrary RGB source.
- Transparency
- Transparency is replaced with white by default. Change the background in Advanced options.
- Animation
- Still image output. Animated files use only the first frame; animation is not preserved.
- Colour depth
- PBM: 1 bit/pixel → GIF: Up to 256 colours/table
- Dimensions
- Rendered image dimensions are retained within the converter limits; this tool does not offer resizing. Orientation handling depends on the source decoder.
- Metadata
- Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.
Common questions
Will every source image be exported?
Only one image is decoded; a concatenated image sequence is not exported as a complete set.
Does PBM to GIF have to reduce the colours?
Still GIF, up to 256 colours. Alpha below 50% becomes transparent; other pixels become opaque.
Can conversion restore colour or missing shades?
The source stores grayscale or bitonal values. A colour-capable GIF can represent these tones, but conversion cannot infer original scene colours or recover missing intermediate shades. Colourisation would be a separate image-editing operation.
Are bit depth and colour values guaranteed to match?
Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.
Will metadata and colour profiles be retained?
Pixel conversion only. Original EXIF, GPS, XMP and ICC profiles are not copied; processing uses 8-bit display pixels.