About imagegrain

A basic noise filter chooses a new random value for every pixel. imagegrain instead generates random samples on a coarser grid and smoothly interpolates between them. Fine, medium, and coarse modes change the scale of that pattern. The result is a correlated texture with visible clusters rather than isolated pixel speckles.

The goal is a useful digital approximation, not a claim to reproduce a named film stock exactly. Actual film grain depends on emulsion, exposure, development, scanning, and enlargement. Kodak describes film as layers containing random patterns of silver-halide crystals and other chemistry; those physical processes are more complex than a browser filter.

The comparison shown on the homepage uses the built-in sample image at 1600×1000 pixels with fine grain at 40%. The same rendered canvas is exported once as PNG and at 85% quality as JPEG and WebP. In the current test, the files measure 2.45 MB, 0.26 MB, and 0.19 MB respectively.

Those figures demonstrate one controlled example, not a universal saving. Export size changes with image detail, dimensions, grain settings, browser encoder, format, and quality. We state the inputs so the result can be reproduced with the sample-image button in the editor.