The loss of image quality during compression is controlled using a sequence of quality control metrics. The sequence of quality control metrics is selected for quantizing transform coefficients within an area of the image based on an error level definition. Candidate bit costs are then determined by quantizing the transform coefficients according to the error level definition or a modified error level and the sequence of quality control metrics. Where the candidate bit cost resulting from using the modified error level is lower than the candidate bit cost resulting from using the error level definition, the transform coefficients are quantized according to the modified error level and the sequence of quality control metrics. Otherwise, the transform coefficients are quantized based on the error level definition and according to the sequence of quality control metrics.