# Choosing a Segmentation Type

The first step is to choose the segmentation type for your application. The following table defines some guidelines for selecting a segmentation type:

Type | Typical Use | Advantages | Disadvantages
--- | --- | --- | ---
Hard binary | Speed-critical applications with large circular objects | Speed | Relatively poor accuracy due to spatial quantization error
Soft binary | Any application with simple binary division between objects and background | Simplicity, accuracy |
Relative | Augments hard or soft binary; useful when brightness changes between images | Handles changing image brightness | Slower than absolute threshold value
Dynamic | Augments hard binary; computes threshold automatically based on input image | No configuration required | May not handle some images
Pixel map | Application with non binary division between object and background pixels | Flexibility | Complexity
Threshold image | Application with uneven background illumination where background pixels might have same value as object pixels | Handles otherwise unsegmentable scenes | Requires consistent images