diff --git a/nerfstudio/scripts/closed_loop/main.py b/nerfstudio/scripts/closed_loop/main.py
index b4f3c590..00006266 100644
--- a/nerfstudio/scripts/closed_loop/main.py
+++ b/nerfstudio/scripts/closed_loop/main.py
@@ -13,29 +13,31 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import base64
 import io
+from typing import Literal, Union
 
 import numpy as np
 import torch
 import tyro
 import uvicorn
-from fastapi import FastAPI, Response
+from fastapi import FastAPI, HTTPException, Response
 from PIL import Image
 from torch import Tensor
 
-from nerfstudio.scripts.closed_loop.models import ActorTrajectory, RenderInput
+from nerfstudio.scripts.closed_loop.models import ActorTrajectory, ImageFormat, RenderInput
 from nerfstudio.scripts.closed_loop.server import ClosedLoopServer
 
 app = FastAPI()
 
 
 @app.get("/alive")
-async def alive() -> bool:
+def alive() -> bool:
     return True
 
 
 @app.get("/get_actors")
-async def get_actors() -> list[ActorTrajectory]:
+def get_actors() -> list[ActorTrajectory]:
     """Get actor trajectories."""
     actor_trajectories = cl_server.get_actor_trajectories()
     actor_trajectories = [ActorTrajectory.from_torch(act_traj) for act_traj in actor_trajectories]
@@ -43,31 +45,54 @@ async def get_actors() -> list[ActorTrajectory]:
 
 
 @app.post("/update_actors")
-async def update_actors(actor_trajectories: list[ActorTrajectory]) -> None:
+def update_actors(actor_trajectories: list[ActorTrajectory]) -> None:
     """Update actor trajectories (keys correspond to actor uuids)."""
     torch_actor_trajectories = [act_traj.to_torch() for act_traj in actor_trajectories]
     cl_server.update_actor_trajectories(torch_actor_trajectories)
 
 
-@app.post("/render_image", response_class=Response, responses={200: {"content": {"image/png": {}}}})
-async def render_image(data: RenderInput) -> Response:
+@app.post(
+    "/render_image",
+    response_class=Response,
+    responses={200: {"content": {"text/plain": {}, "image/png": {}, "image/jpeg": {}}}},
+)
+def get_image(data: RenderInput) -> Response:
     torch_pose = torch.tensor(data.pose, dtype=torch.float32)
     render = cl_server.get_image(torch_pose, data.timestamp, data.camera_name)
-    return Response(content=_torch_to_png(render), media_type="image/png")
+    if data.image_format == ImageFormat.raw:
+        return Response(content=_torch_to_bytestr(render), media_type="text/plain")
+    elif data.image_format == ImageFormat.png:
+        return Response(content=_torch_to_img(render, "png"), media_type="image/png")
+    elif data.image_format in (ImageFormat.jpg, ImageFormat.jpeg):
+        return Response(content=_torch_to_img(render, "jpeg"), media_type="text/jpeg")
+    else:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=400, detail=f"Invalid image format: {data.image_format}, must be 'raw', 'png', 'jpg', or 'jpeg'"
+        )
 
 
 @app.get("/start_time")
-async def get_start_time() -> int:
+def get_start_time() -> int:
     return int(cl_server.min_time * 1e6)
 
 
-def _torch_to_png(render: Tensor) -> bytes:
-    """Convert a torch tensor to a PNG image."""
+def _torch_to_bytestr(render: Tensor) -> bytes:
+    """Convert a torch tensor to a base64 encoded bytestring."""
+    buff = io.BytesIO()
+    img = (render * 255).to(torch.uint8).cpu()
+    torch.save(img, buff)
+    return base64.b64encode(buff.getvalue())
+
+
+def _torch_to_img(render: Tensor, format: Union[Literal["jpeg"], Literal["png"]]) -> bytes:
+    """Convert a torch tensor to a PNG or JPG image."""
+    if format not in ("jpeg", "png"):
+        raise ValueError(f"Invalid format: {format}")
+
     img = Image.fromarray((render * 255).cpu().numpy().astype(np.uint8))
-    image_stream = io.BytesIO()
-    img.save(image_stream, format="PNG")
-    image_bytes = image_stream.getvalue()
-    return image_bytes
+    buff = io.BytesIO()
+    img.save(buff, format=format.upper())
+    return buff.getvalue()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/nerfstudio/scripts/closed_loop/models.py b/nerfstudio/scripts/closed_loop/models.py
index 50297a0b..16490c10 100644
--- a/nerfstudio/scripts/closed_loop/models.py
+++ b/nerfstudio/scripts/closed_loop/models.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from enum import Enum
 from typing import List, TypedDict
 
 import torch
@@ -20,6 +21,13 @@
 from torch import Tensor
 
 
+class ImageFormat(str, Enum):
+    raw = "raw"  # will return a raw tensor, works good when sending across same machine
+    png = "png"  # more suitable if sent over network
+    jpg = "jpg"  # more suitable if sent over network, pseudo for jpeg
+    jpeg = "jpeg"  # more suitable if sent over network
+
+
 class TrajectoryDict(TypedDict):
     uuid: str
     poses: Tensor
@@ -66,3 +74,5 @@ class RenderInput(BaseModel):
     """Timestamp in microseconds"""
     camera_name: str
     """Camera name"""
+    image_format: ImageFormat = ImageFormat.raw
+    """What format to return the image in. Defaults to raw tensor."""