PHOTOSHOP vs JPEG

christie

Hi
I am just starting out and have a question about my files.

First, can photoshop documents be uploaded to smugmug or just jpegs?

the reason I ask is because I am having trouble when i convert from my RAW file to jpeg. The raw file starts out so huge and after I do save as JPEG (clicking on the 12 for maximun quality/largest size) my jpeg file is still only 2.3 MB.

Do you think this is high enough quality for clients to get good quality enlargements?

I'm also worried because I am preparing a CD for a client today and I'm worried about giving her a cd of images that are so small. but I don't know how else to make them any larger.

My friend gave me a CD of jpegs that were all 6MB and I asked her what she did and she said she shoots in raw and does the same conversion that I do so I don't understand why my files are so much smaller.

If anyone can help me out I'd really appreciate it!
Thanks
Christie

jay

i know photobucket will only accept giff and jpeg just save the psd image as a jpeg and upload to your image hosting site or resize straight from photoshopp

christie

Hi
smugmug is my hosting site. I just found out they only accept jpeg files. so is there a way to make my jpegs larger when converting from Raw? is 2MB high enough quality to make enlargements?

Andy

christie wrote:

Hi
smugmug is my hosting site. I just found out they only accept jpeg files. so is there a way to make my jpegs larger when converting from Raw? is 2MB high enough quality to make enlargements?

What RAW converter do you use?

jay

yes try this
By jay434 at 2007-08-08

christie

I don't use a converter- I open Photoshop CS and click on OPEN which opens my RAW file in a seperate window. Then I click done and it appears in "normal" photoshop where I work on it and save as Photoshop doc. When I'm done I click on Save As and select JPEG (and choose 12 maximum/largest size).

The RAW file starts out at 30 M and I only do VERY minimal cropping to my images so I don't understand how my jpegs can only be 2mb

Andy

christie wrote:

I don't use a converter- I open Photoshop CS and click on OPEN which opens my RAW file in a seperate window.

Sure you use a RAW converter It's called Adobe Camera RAW. Cool.

Be sure you are opening the file at it's native resolution, ok? What camera are you shooting with?

christie

this is what it looks like when I look at image size

Andy

christie wrote:

this is what it looks like when I look at image size

Perfect

christie

thanks Andy for helping me
I have a Canon Rebel (not the XT just the older version EOS)
how can I know if I am opening at its native resolution? I don't change any settings for the resolution- when I work on the RAW file I just make minor changes witht he temperture and exposure if needed...then I click done and it brings it to photoshop where it is around 18M.

That screenshot is of my JPEG.
I thought it was going to be 18M but it really is only 2.3 when I see it on my desktop and click on get info. and when I was burning the CD all of the images are like this- in photoshop I believe they are around 11-18M but then they are really small when I see them in a list inside of my folder.

Andy

christie wrote:

thanks Andy for helping me
I have a Canon Rebel (not the XT just the older version EOS)
how can I know if I am opening at its native resolution? I don't change any settings for the resolution- when I work on the RAW file I just make minor changes witht he temperture and exposure if needed...then I click done and it brings it to photoshop where it is around 18M.

That screenshot is of my JPEG.
I thought it was going to be 18M but it really is only 2.3 when I see it on my desktop and click on get info. and when I was burning the CD all of the images are like this- in photoshop I believe they are around 11-18M but then they are really small when I see them in a list inside of my folder.

Again, like I said in the other thread, please don't confuse megabytes with file quality.

Your files are going to be just fine

christie

Thanks Andy! I'll try and stop worrying. I wish photoshop wouldn't put the 18M there if the file really is only 2M. that's what is confusing/annoying to me. I just don't get it I guess.

jay

thats just the pixel dimensions not the file size if im correct:

pyrtek

christie wrote:

I wish photoshop wouldn't put the 18M there if the file really is only 2M.

Then you are asking Photoshop to lie to you. The file is 18 MB while
you're working on it. It ends up being 2 MB for several reasons, the main one
being that JPG is a compressed format.

z_28

christie wrote:

I have a Canon Rebel

So JPEG files 2-2.5 MB are in correct size for your camera.
Don't worry

christie

pyrtek wrote:

Then you are asking Photoshop to lie to you. The file is 18 MB while
you're working on it. It ends up being 2 MB for several reasons, the main one
being that JPG is a compressed format.

No- it says 18M on my JPEG file after I save it as a JPEG- see my screenshot. THEN when I look at that same file in a list in a folder it shows up as only 2.3M.

pyrtek

christie wrote:

No- it says 18M on my JPEG file after I save it as a JPEG- see my screenshot. THEN when I look at that same file in a list in a folder it shows up as only 2.3M.

Oh, that. Those are the image's pixel dimensions, not the file size. The
value is calculated with this formula:


width x height x 3


The x3 is there, because there are 3 channels in the image: R, G and B.

christie

pyrtek wrote:

Oh, that. Those are the image's pixel dimensions, not the file size. The
value is calculated with this formula:


width x height x 3


The x3 is there, because there are 3 channels in the image: R, G and B.

thanks!
so by looking at my screenshot you think this file size is high enough quality to make enlargements (bigger then 11x14)? and that I don't need to end up with bigger jpeg files to give to clients?

cmason

christie wrote:

thanks!
so by looking at my screenshot you think this file size is high enough quality to make enlargements (bigger then 11x14)? and that I don't need to end up with bigger jpeg files to give to clients?

When you 'save as' a JPEG, an additional option box will pop up, asking you to decide the 'quality' you want for the JPEG. JPEG compresses an image (like a .zip file), but in order to compress, it has to throw out some information within the image. Usually this isn't noticeable, depending on what format the end view is using...for example the web.

File size and quality is a trade-off, with higher quality requiring a larger file size. For emailing, most don't want 10GB attachements. But if your end format is a large print, I would push that slider to 100% quality, especially if your printer can handle the file size. For the web, push it the other way.

For posting to smugmug, I usually do between 80 and 90%, with 90% reserved for photos worth printing.

claudermilk

z_28 wrote:

So JPEG files 2-2.5 MB are in correct size for your camera.
Don't worry

This whole thread in a nutshell.

Yes, that's plenty big enough. I'm amazed nobody's linked this help page yet. With that in mind, I'd personally feel fairly comfortable printing that example file at about any size listed there (worst case is down to about the 80ppi level at 30x40). I actually have a 16x20 print from SM off my old 3.3MP camera (that's 40% the pixels you have) and it looks great.

pathfinder

Thanks, Chris - Your link is what was needed really.

I know that files from my 1DsMkII at ISO 100, full frame without cropping will frequently end up as jpgs from 1.5 - 4 Mbytes in size at a quality setting of 10.

I almost NEVER use an higher quality setting, and my files will make 13x19 in prints ( or bigger) that are grainless. A full frame runs about 2900 x 4500 pixels with that camera - more than enough and 4.5 Mbytes as seen here

I make 13x19 prints from a good Point and shoot image from a DMC-LX1

2 (GOOD) Mbytes is just fine for a jpg for modest prints.

christie

claudermilk wrote:

This whole thread in a nutshell.

Yes, that's plenty big enough. I'm amazed nobody's linked this help page yet. With that in mind, I'd personally feel fairly comfortable printing that example file at about any size listed there (worst case is down to about the 80ppi level at 30x40). I actually have a 16x20 print from SM off my old 3.3MP camera (that's 40% the pixels you have) and it looks great.

THanks so much!!! I appreciate everyone taking the time to walk me through this