Image to Byte Array

In Some ways to convert a byte array to Bitmap we see how to convert a Bitmap to and from a ByteArray. As an alternative I use the following extension method to convert an image to a ByteArray:

using System.Drawing;  
namespace DC.Core.Extension  
{  
    public static class ImageExtension  
    {  
        private static ImageConverter _converter;  
        
        public static byte[] ToByteArray(this Image image)  
        {  
            if (_converter==null) _converter = new ImageConverter();  
            return (byte[])_converter.ConvertTo(image, typeof(byte[]));  
        }  
    }  
}