diff --git a/img2cpi.c b/img2cpi.c
index c50c23b..4b0623a 100644
--- a/img2cpi.c
+++ b/img2cpi.c
@@ -36,8 +36,12 @@ const extern GlyphBitmap font_atlas[256];
 const extern struct palette DEFAULT_PALETTE, DEFAULT_GRAY_PALETTE;
 
 struct arguments {
-  bool fast_mode;
   int width, height;
+  enum character_mode {
+    CHARACTER_BLOCK,
+    CHARACTER_CHAR_PRECISE,
+    CHARACTER_CHAR_FAST,
+  } character_mode;
   enum cpi_version {
     CPI_VERSION_AUTO,
     CPI_VERSION_RAW,
@@ -64,9 +68,9 @@ struct arguments {
   char *input_path;
   char *output_path;
 } args = {
-  .fast_mode = false,
   .width = 4 * 8 - 1, // 4x3 blocks screen
   .height = 3 * 6 - 2,
+  .character_mode = CHARACTER_CHAR_PRECISE,
   .cpi_version = CPI_VERSION_AUTO,
   .placement = PLACEMENT_FULL,
   .input_path = NULL,
@@ -140,7 +144,14 @@ static const struct optiondocs {
   struct optiondocs_choice { char *value; char *doc; } *choices;
 } optiondocs[] = {
   { 'h', "help",        0,            "Show help", 0 },
-  { 'f', "fast",        0,            "Use fast (old) method for picking characters and colors", 0 },
+  { 'f', "fast",        0,            "Use fast (old) method for picking characters and colors\n"
+             "                        DEPRECATED: use `--mode block` instead\n", 0 },
+  { 'm', "mode",        "mode",       "Set conversion mode",
+    (struct optiondocs_choice[]) {
+      { "block", "Use fast (old) method for picking characters and colors" },
+      { "char-precise", "Select among all characters with maximum precision" },
+      { "char-fast", "Select among all characters with reduced precision" },
+      { 0, 0 } } },
   { 'W', "width",       "width",      "Width in characters", 0 },
   { 'h', "height",      "height",     "Height in characters", 0 },
   { 'P', "palette",     "palette",    "Use specific palette.\n"
@@ -184,7 +195,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   }
 
   struct image *canvas;
-  if (args.fast_mode) {
+  if (args.character_mode == CHARACTER_BLOCK) {
     canvas = image_new(args.width * 2, args.height * 3);
   } else {
     canvas = image_new(args.width * 8, args.height * 11);
@@ -237,7 +248,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
-  if (args.fast_mode) {
+  if (args.character_mode == CHARACTER_BLOCK) {
     convert_2x3(quantized_image, characters);
   } else {
     convert_8x11(quantized_image, characters);
@@ -269,6 +280,7 @@ bool parse_cmdline(int argc, char **argv) {
   static struct option options[] = {
     { "help",         no_argument,        0, 'h' },
     { "fast",         no_argument,        0, 'f' },
+    { "mode",         required_argument,  0, 'm' },
     { "width",        required_argument,  0, 'W' },
     { "height",       required_argument,  0, 'H' },
     { "cpi_version",  required_argument,  0, 'V' },
@@ -279,7 +291,7 @@ bool parse_cmdline(int argc, char **argv) {
 
   while (true) {
     int option_index = 0;
-    int c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "hfW:H:V:p:P:", options, &option_index);
+    int c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "hfm:W:H:V:p:P:", options, &option_index);
     if (c == -1) break;
     if (c == 0) c = options[option_index].val;
     if (c == '?') break;
@@ -290,11 +302,23 @@ bool parse_cmdline(int argc, char **argv) {
         exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
         break;
       case 'f': // --fast
-        args.fast_mode = true;
+        args.character_mode = CHARACTER_BLOCK;
+        fprintf(stderr, "Warning: `--fast` is deprecated, use `--mode block` instead\n");
         if (args.cpi_version != CPI_VERSION_AUTO) {
           fprintf(stderr, "Warning: text mode ignores version\n");
         }
         break;
+      case 'm': // --mode
+        {
+          if (0 == strcmp(optarg, "block") || 0 == strcmp(optarg, "fast") || 0 == strcmp(optarg, "2x3")) {
+            args.character_mode = CHARACTER_BLOCK;
+          } else if (0 == strcmp(optarg, "char") || 0 == strcmp(optarg, "char-precise") || 0 == strcmp(optarg, "8x11") || 0 == strcmp(optarg, "6x9")) {
+            args.character_mode = CHARACTER_CHAR_PRECISE;
+          } else if (0 == strcmp(optarg, "char-fast") || 0 == strcmp(optarg, "8x11-fast") || 0 == strcmp(optarg, "6x9-fast")) {
+            args.character_mode = CHARACTER_CHAR_FAST;
+          }
+        }
+        break;
       case 'W': // --width
         args.width = atoi(optarg);
         break;