What does the term "colour depth" refer to?

The term "colour depth" specifically refers to the number of bits used to represent the color of a single pixel in a digital image. This measurement directly influences the range of colors that can be displayed. For instance, an 8-bit color depth allows for 256 different colors, while a 24-bit color depth, which is commonly used, permits over 16 million colors. This deep range enhances the image's visual quality and detail, especially in gradients and skin tones.

Understanding color depth is crucial in multimedia design because it affects not only the aesthetics of an image but also the file size and performance of applications that render these images. In contrast to the other concepts, color depth focuses specifically on how colors are encoded at the pixel level, rather than the overall count of colors, image resolution, or detail in terms of sharpness and clarity.