ISO/IEC 23008-12:2025

Overview

ISO/IEC 23008-12:2025 - Image File Format - defines an interoperable storage format for single images, collections of images and image sequences. Built on the ISO base media file format (ISO/IEC 14496-12), this standard enables reliable interchange, editing, display and metadata carriage for high-efficiency coded images. It also specifies file “brands” for storing images and image sequences conforming to HEVC, AVC, JPEG, VVC and EVC. (Note: storage of HEVC/AVC/VVC/EVC video sequences is out of scope and referenced to ISO/IEC 14496-15.)

Key topics and technical requirements

• Derivation from ISO base media file format: reuses container structures and box semantics to achieve interoperability.
• Image items and collections: defines how single images, groups and sequences are represented and linked.
• Metadata containers and linking: structures to contain metadata, associate metadata to images, and carry specific metadata forms.
• Image roles and types: explicit support for thumbnails, cover images, auxiliary images (alpha, depth), master images, multi-layer and predictively coded images.
• Image properties: standardized handling of decoder initialization, spatial extents, pixel aspect ratio, color information, clean aperture, rotation, scaling, content light level, mastering display color volume and more.
• Derived images and progressive rendering: rules for derived image items, progressive derived items and multi-layer outputs.
• Entity and sample groups: mechanisms for grouping (e.g., burst sets, panoramas, slideshows) and relating untimed items to timed sequences; includes named entity groups like 'tsyn', 'iaug' and 'ster'.
• Auxiliary samples and text/font items: formats for alpha planes, depth maps, text and font embedding and their properties.
• Reader and file requirements: general requirements for file creators and readers to ensure interoperability and multi-purpose file support.
• Branding: defines brands for HEVC, AVC, JPEG, VVC and EVC image storage to aid identification and compatibility.

Applications and who uses it

• Camera and device manufacturers: to store multi-layer RAW, depth maps, thumbnails and rich metadata interoperably.
• Image editing and workflow tools: for interchangeable storage of image collections, slide shows and derived images.
• Digital asset management & archives: long-term storage with standardized metadata and provenance.
• Web and OTT platforms / CDN providers: consistent delivery of still-image sequences, galleries and adaptive image layers.
• Software developers / codec implementers: for implementing readers/writers compliant with HEVC/AVC/JPEG/VVC/EVC image storage brands.

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 14496-12 (ISO base media file format) - foundational container structures
• ISO/IEC 14496-15 - storage of coded video sequences (referenced for video sequence use cases)

Keywords: ISO/IEC 23008-12, Image File Format, ISO base media file format, HEVC, AVC, JPEG, VVC, EVC, image metadata, image interchange, image sequences, high efficiency coding.