ASP MVC Getting image from SQLite db vs. file system

I have two identical images. One is saved as a .png in a folder, the other is saved as a SQLite blob in a database. I'm trying to figure out a good way to persist these images and show them in my view when needed.

I have two methods for trying to get these images into my view. The first one is reading the image files directly from the file system, converting them into a base64 string which I shove into a ViewBag. This method works fine.

The other method is trying to load the image blob directly from the database and then fetch the image from the Model in the view. This doesn't work so well.

Through a couple of breakpoints I've found out that there's a huge different between the base64 strings, depending on my method. I'm not sure why and what the difference between the SQLite image blob and the .png in my file system is, and any help would be appreciated since saving images in a folder seems like extra work, when I could just keep them in my database.

Loading from the file system:

    public string FirstImagePath(string slideid, int well)
    {
        var firstPath = HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath(slideid);
        byte[] firstImageByteData = File.ReadAllBytes(firstPath + "_first" + well + ".png");
        string firstImageBase64Data = Convert.ToBase64String(firstImageByteData);
        string firstImageDataUrl = string.Format("data:image/png;base64,{0}", firstImageBase64Data);

        return firstImageDataUrl;
    }

Loading from SQLite db:

    public byte[] FirstImage { get; set; }
    public string FirstBase64Image
    {
        get { return ConvertImage(FirstImage);}
    }

    public string ConvertImage(byte[] imageBytes)
    {
        byte[] imageArray = imageBytes;
        string imageBase64String = Convert.ToBase64String(imageBytes);
        string imageDataString = string.Format("data:image/png;base64,{0}", imageBase64String);

        return imageDataString;
    }