Image MIME Reference
FreeHand
Macromedia FreeHand Document
image/x-freehand
VS
Group 3 Fax Image
image/g3fax
G3-Fax
A complete technical comparison of Macromedia FreeHand Document and Group 3 Fax Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | FreeHand | G3-Fax |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | Yes | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | ✕ No |
Macromedia FreeHand Document
image/x-freehand
Extension
.fh.fh4.fh5.fh7.fh8.fh9.fh10.fh11.ft11
Container
Proprietary Binary (Aldus Graphic Document)
Compression
Uncompressed / Deflate (in later versions)
Algorithm
NoneDeflate (Optional in later versions)
Color Depth
Vector Data (RGB/CMYK)
Developed by
Altsys / Aldus / Macromedia
Released
1988
Magic Bytes
41 47 44 31 to 41 47 44 34
Group 3 Fax Image
image/g3fax
Extension
.g3
Container
Raw Bitstream
Compression
Lossless (CCITT Group 3)
Algorithm
CCITT Group 3 (Modified Huffman / READ)
Color Depth
1-bit (Monochrome)
Developed by
CCITT (now ITU-T) / IETF
Released
1980
Magic Bytes
None (Raw Bitstream)
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | FreeHand | G3-Fax |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
FreeHand
FreeHand Strengths
- Historically one of the most powerful and intuitive vector editors on the market, praised for multi-page support long before Adobe Illustrator implemented it
- Files are generally compact and self-contained
Limitations
- Completely abandoned proprietary format; Adobe actively blocked native import in modern versions of Illustrator
- No support in modern web browsers; must be converted to SVG
- Versioning fragmentation means parsers must account for wildly different binary structures depending on the specific .fhX extension used
G3-Fax
G3-Fax Strengths
- Extremely efficient compression for 1-bit black-and-white text and line art
- Standardized via RFC 1494 for email and internet fax transmission
- Low bandwidth requirements
Limitations
- Raw format lacks metadata (such as image width and resolution), requiring out-of-band information to decode accurately
- Strictly limited to 1-bit monochrome imagery
- Zero native web browser support
When to choose which format
FreeHand
Use FreeHand when…
- Legacy Graphic Design Portfolios
- Historical Desktop Publishing Archival
- Old Corporate Logo Vectors
G3-Fax
Use G3-Fax when…
- Telefacsimile (Fax) Transmission
- Internet Fax (T.37)
- Document Archiving
- Telephony Systems