Image MIME Reference
FreeHand
Macromedia FreeHand Document
image/x-freehand
VS
Kodak KDC Raw Image
image/x-kodak-kdc
Kodak-KDC
A complete technical comparison of Macromedia FreeHand Document and Kodak KDC Raw Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | FreeHand | Kodak-KDC |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | Yes | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | Yes |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | Yes |
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
Kodak KDC Raw Image
image/x-kodak-kdc
Extension
.kdc
Container
TIFF/EP
Compression
Uncompressed / Proprietary Lossless
Algorithm
NoneLossless JPEG (ITU-T81)Proprietary Kodak Compression
Color Depth
10-bit, 12-bit (Per Channel)
Developed by
Eastman Kodak Company
Released
1995
Magic Bytes
49 49 2A 00 or 4D 4D 00 2A
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | FreeHand | Kodak-KDC |
|---|---|---|
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
Kodak-KDC
Kodak-KDC Strengths
- Preserves original raw sensor data, allowing modern demosaicing software to extract significantly more detail and dynamic range than the camera's built-in JPEG engine could at the time
- Utilizes the standard TIFF container structure, ensuring broad compatibility with open-source decoding libraries (like LibRaw)
Limitations
- Completely obsolete proprietary format tied to a defunct line of consumer digital cameras
- Subject to widespread misidentification by automated MIME detection libraries due to structural similarities with standard TIFFs
- Cannot be natively viewed in web browsers or standard operating system image viewers without specialized decoders
When to choose which format
FreeHand
Use FreeHand when…
- Legacy Graphic Design Portfolios
- Historical Desktop Publishing Archival
- Old Corporate Logo Vectors
Kodak-KDC
Use Kodak-KDC when…
- Vintage Digital Photography Archival
- Kodak DC and EasyShare P-Series Raw Post-Processing
- Historical Imaging Research