Image MIME Reference
JPM
JPEG 2000 Compound Image File Format
image/jpm
VS
PaintShop Pro Image
image/x-paintshoppro
PaintShop-Pro-PSP
A complete technical comparison of JPEG 2000 Compound Image File Format and PaintShop Pro Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | JPM | PaintShop-Pro-PSP |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | Yes | Yes |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | Yes | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | Yes |
| EXIF Metadata | Yes | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | Yes |
JPEG 2000 Compound Image File Format
image/jpm
Extension
.jpm.jpgm
Container
ISOBMFF / JPM (ISO/IEC 15444-6)
Compression
Lossy / Lossless / Mixed Raster Content (MRC)
Algorithm
JPEG 2000JBIG2JPEGMMR
Color Depth
1-bit (Text/Masks), 8-bit, 16-bit, 24-bit
Developed by
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
Released
2003
Magic Bytes
00 00 00 0C 6A 50 20 20 0D 0A 87 0A ... 66 74 79 70 6A 70 6D 20
PaintShop Pro Image
image/x-paintshoppro
Extension
.psp.pspimage.tub.pat
Container
PSP Chunk-based Format
Compression
Uncompressed / RLE (Run-Length Encoding) / LZ77
Algorithm
RLELZ77
Color Depth
8-bit (Indexed), 16-bit (Grayscale), 24-bit (RGB), 32-bit (RGBA), 48-bit (High Color)
Developed by
Jasc Software / Corel Corporation (Alludo)
Released
1990
Magic Bytes
7E 42 4B 00
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | JPM | PaintShop-Pro-PSP |
|---|---|---|
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✕ | ✕ |
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✕ | ✕ |
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✕ | ✕ |
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✕ | ✕ |
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✕ | ✕ |
JPM
JPM Strengths
- Highly optimized for scanned documents, drastically reducing file sizes without sacrificing the readability of text or the quality of embedded photos
- Supports multi-page documents within a single file
- Object-based architecture allows for complex layout representation and independent extraction of elements
Limitations
- Failed to achieve widespread adoption, largely being overshadowed by PDF/A and DjVu
- Zero native web browser compatibility
- Requires complex, specialized software to properly encode and decode the multi-layered MRC structure
PaintShop-Pro-PSP
PaintShop-Pro-PSP Strengths
- Provides robust, non-destructive editing capabilities with full support for vector layers, adjustment layers, and layer blend modes
- Historically offered a highly capable and affordable alternative to Adobe Photoshop's PSD format for Windows users
- Features proprietary support for 'Picture Tubes' (.tub), a unique brush technology that paints sequential or random raster objects along a path
Limitations
- Deeply proprietary format tied exclusively to the Corel/Alludo ecosystem
- Third-party software support (like GIMP or ImageMagick) is often limited to parsing older .psp files, frequently failing to render complex layers in modern .pspimage files
- No support in modern web browsers; must be exported to a flattened web format (JPEG/PNG) for online viewing
When to choose which format
JPM
Use JPM when…
- Scanned Document Archiving
- Mixed Raster Content (MRC) Imaging
- Digital Libraries
PaintShop-Pro-PSP
Use PaintShop-Pro-PSP when…
- PaintShop Pro Multi-layer Project Archival
- Digital Art and Photo Retouching
- Picture Tubes (.tub) and Custom Patterns (.pat)